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What was/is your favourite CD player

I’ve been through a raft of Naim CD players and in order they rank for me:
1. CDS3 with XPS DR being a bit better than with Teddy Pardo PS
2. CDX2 with Teddy XPS beating Naim XPS DR
3. CDX - again Teddy beat XPS
4. CD 3-5 with the flat cap ps. Without the flat cap it is a poor player.

Atop all of these is the Vitus SCD-025 which is simply sublime and makes a CD sound like the best vinyl.
 
Always loved the CD3.5. Add a Flatcap or HiCap and it just got better. I used to listen to my 3.5 for hours on end. Just a great, musical CD player.

I don't agree with the comment about it being a poor player without a Flatcap, at all.
 
I've just acquired a Merdian 808.3
It's easily the best CD player I've had and the variable out into my power amp is excellent.
 
My favourites remain the Naim CDI (wish I'd never sold it on), and the Rotel RCD-965BX. Interestingly, both far from ‘text book’ neutral, which I guess indicates I prefer a more 'voiced' presentation... The Rotel is surprisingly close to the CDI in its ability to really groove and suck you into the music. Music really flows! On a whim decided to retrieve my 965 from loftsville last night, and plug it in again. Very surprised at how good it still is. But then again if something sounds good, it'll always sound good (unless requiring a service). Does make me wonder exactly how far we've really come with 'high fidelity'. Were the Chord DACs I owned really THAT much day/night better?! Hmmm...
Using a circa 1986 Quad 606 too (albeit serviced)...
Now on the lookout for a used Naim CDX2.2.
 
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I can’t remember what the first cd player was? Philips or maybe Sony.

Then a Marantz 63 special edition (I think, had gold writing on it)

Arcam Alpha 5, 7 (Daughter has that now) and a modded 9. Also picked up a Rotel RCD-855 decades ago that plays anything, kept in the loft.
Enjoyed the Alpha 9 the most (about 20 yrs) BUT always thought my record player sounded better.
The c.d. player sounded like a c.d. player.

Then for no sensible reason we have just purchased a Roksan Blak.

It has changed our listening habits.
The sound is remarkable.

I particularly like the fact that it is just a c.d. player.
No streaming hoo-diddy.

It is our favourite.
 
Naim CDX2.2 has the drive and some subtlety that I like. Unfortunately mine has a fault that I will address after the virus. Meanwhile my old CDX2 is performing very well with a change of interconnect.
 
I had fond memories of my Naim CDX, only to realise it and pretty much any CD player sounds naff on the VFM scale compared to a modern modest priced streamer setup.
 
My first serious cd-player was a Sony CDP-X555ES. It was in champagne with wooden sideboards. A lovely machine that I used for years. After I bought my first Naim amps, I just had to get a Naim cd. I could trade in the Sony for a CDI with just a little extra cash, great deal! That was a fab machine, maybe the best I have owned. I updraded all of my Naims tot the point that I had a pretty expensive system for a student. I found the total price to be ridiculous and so I sold all my stuff and bought a s/hand Linn Classik. Ouch, that was a mistake. So I got back in the game and then bought a CD5 + HiCap, a NjoeTjoeb, a CD3.5, a CD2, a CDX, a CDX2 and then a top of the line Exposure (don't know the type anymore). A HiFidelio was then the first step into streaming and it's been years since I have owned a cd-player. I have no idea what the best player was. I think the CDI and the CD2 were my favorites. But I would have fallen in love with both of these machines based on their looks only :)
 
Big Tabs said:
I can’t remember what the first cd player was? Philips or maybe Sony.

Then a Marantz 63 special edition (I think, had gold writing on it)

Arcam Alpha 5, 7 (Daughter has that now) and a modded 9. Also picked up a Rotel RCD-855 decades ago that plays anything, kept in the loft.
Enjoyed the Alpha 9 the most (about 20 yrs) BUT always thought my record player sounded better.
The c.d. player sounded like a c.d. player.

Then for no sensible reason we have just purchased a Roksan Blak.

It has changed our listening habits.
The sound is remarkable.

I particularly like the fact that it is just a c.d. player.
No streaming hoo-diddy.

It is our favourite.
Click to expand...
I’d quite like to hear that Roksan Blak when things are a little better!
 
I've had many, many CD players over the years. My favourites were:

Bow ZZ8

Luxman D06u

I haven't had a proper player for a couple of years, as I now either stream or play local files. However, I do have some excellent box sets, other special and rare CDs along with quite a few SACDs, so I've treated myself to a new Technics SLG 700. Technics to me is brand of the 80s and I thought was now just lifestyle stuff. A bit of a mistake there, this player is very good indeed, particularly so at its price point. There aren't many dedicated SACD/CD players about these days, unless getting very spendy with Esoteric, dCs or the like. I tried the Yamaha versions a while back; extremely unreliable with drives having to be replaced, as well as drives being noisy. The Technics is also a network player, but I haven't tried that. I'm looking at that functionality as 'back up' to my main streaming kit. The SLG 700 allows for all non SACD/CD functionality to be disabled so it only acts as a player. It is very solid, heavy, responsive, quiet & smooth tray mechanism and drive is quite quiet (can't hear it at all more than a metre away). SQ is very good, but too early to pass judgement on its vs streaming. It has digital outs and ins, so I can compare various configurations.
 
Big Tabs said:
Yes, no problem.

Your ears have far more experience than mine, I would be interested to hear your opinion.

Something to look forward to :)
Click to expand...
Well if it’s giving your turntable a running, then it’s got to be pretty good... I loved the sound of your deck!
 
david ellwood said:
My old Meridian 206 with trichord clock was fantastic.

It lasted and lasted and lasted and was still sounding fantastic when I finally sold it after 30 years service.

It played anything , never skipped and was built like a battleship.
Click to expand...

After owning a few cheapo CD players in the late 80’s I too had a Meridian 206 from ‘91 to ‘96, and also had the Trichord clock upgrade in ‘94. Great player, but having an otherwise all Linn system I bought a Linn Karik in ‘96 and added a Numerik in 2005, loved that too. In 2008 I was offered an unbelievable deal on an ex-dem Linn Akurate CD player, couldn’t resist it and it’s been spinning nearly everyday in the last 13 years. But it’s a bit fussy playing some of my older cd’s now though and it has trouble reading the few SACD’s I own. Great player though and the drawer is sublime.
 
Have only had 3 players:

Started with Arcam Alpha+
Then a Linn Karik which I added a Numerik to a while later. Sadly there was a nasty burning smell coming from it but I got a good price for it as spares/repair
Currently a Naim CDX2 with a hiline... by far my favourite
 
I never managed to get very excited about CD players. I've been using the same Sony CD-XB930 for 20+ years.

Flicking through this thread I'm wondering if I should invest £300 in a Naim CD3 though...
 
First was a TEAC VRDS 7, nothing special.
Next and still here Musical Fidelity Nu Vista 3D.
Never heard anything that made me want to change it.
A manky old Technics I was given was surprisingly good.
 
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