Buying a new CD player in 2023

Hi all. Some advice appreciated please. Ken, neighbour and friend, has finally had his Naim CDI die and cannot be fixed (no laser mech exists). I suggested a second hand CDX2 but Ken is Ken - “ I don’t do second hand, Mike”. No surprise there and I have no idea what is good and what isn’t. He wants something at least as good as his CDI.
And just so you know he won’t touch a streamer or similar with a barge pole he tells me.
Any bright ideas folks? Thanks

 

The latest Rega Saturn is worth a listen… or if he truly wants something to better the CDI, and he has deep pockets, a Rega Isis. Exposure are well worth a look.
If he wants Naim, his only option is a CD5si, because it’s the only machine they still make… I have one, and I think it sounds, looks and feels great… is it as good as a CDI? Not sure. Different, it’s not a TDA 1541 machine, but it’s still a Naim.

 

Audiolab 9000 CDT: https://www.audiolab.co.uk/9000cdt/
Audial S5 DAC: https://www.audialonline.com/s5/?gc...H3EiErTl33JOhsIm2Iv3wt3j3gPbsj6oaAuDWEALw_wcB

 

Cambridge Audio get good reviews for their cd players.

 

The Audio House has/had a NOS (new old stock) Exposure MCX available. 3 yr warranty. Very good player.

 

Marantz still make a nice choice for different budgets
And they sound good

 

No idea what his budget is, but purely on the ability to get support in years to come I would look at Rega or Hegel. The latter makes the Mohican player which is one of the best players I have ever heard, looks aesthetically lovely and has two spare mechs at the factory for each one sold so it can give a lifelong service. It's around £3.5K though. I nearly bought one but plumped for a Rega Isis instead. There was very very little to choose between them and if the Isis hadn't come up second-hand just at the right time I'd have had the Mohican.

P.S. Totally with him on streaming!

 

Actually, scrap my recommendation. Tell Derek to get an Innuos Zenith MK3 and rip all his CDs whether he wants to or not. Later he might discover the joys of streaming by mistake.

 

Long term support? Rega, certainly. Hegel, possibly. They haven't been around for as long and they have no UK Distributor. If repairs are required then they might involve a trip to Oslo and back. Expensive and a right hassle, if VAT and possibly tariffs are to be avoided when the unit comes back in to the UK. (I fully appreciate that there are arrangements in place of temporary export, but the correct procedure and forms are required). Exposure; in the UK and support in the UK.

 

I think the Mohican is discontinued @tiggers. It's hard to look beyond Rega these days for serious CD.

 

Indeed safe option, unfortunately the little Apollo is discontinued but toploader like the good old CDi.

If budget is for Saturn/Saturn R or Isis, these might come up second hand.

 

Denon DCD-1600, 1700, 2500. Fabulous players and very well made (in Japan).

 

Well, not really. Accuphase and Esoteric; both very high build quality and support in the UK. Moon; again, good UK support. Exposure have a new 35 series CD soon as well.

 

Sounds like the Rega Isis is the best choice for him . Sound quality , reliability and longevity.

 

Audio Note perhaps. There are bits and pieces around if can find them.

 

If looking for something 'better' than a Saturn, then it's the ISIS. The OP states that this has to be a new purchase (others posters please note). The ISIS is £7.5k. It's not competitive at that price point, imo&e.

 

The Roksan Blak is easy to audition if you have a Richer Sounds close by.

I have had mine a while, and I believe the reproduction is quite something.
It competes with my record turntables without sounding like a c.d. player.

Price hovering below £3k

 

Didn't know that... sad as it is a great player.

 

https://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=13

Mine is now 16 years old and never blinked. But tell him to do what i did....with this build quality all that might go wrong one day is the laser mech, so I bought a spare at the time of purchase. That lot should guarantee 30/40 years? And it sounds as good as I've heard.

 

yes i would go for that one too