What was/is your favourite CD player
- Thread starter snaphappybob
- Start date
halvis
pfm Member
Some of my faves over the years:
- Rega Planet - I spent a lot of time in the late 90's and 00's with one of these. I only sold it recently, I put it back into the system prior to selling and you could hear how things have moved on (very coloured and constrained). To be fair, the constrained sound could have been down to it being dormant for so many years.
- Meridian 500/566 combo - liked this, made music. Sorry I sold it. Just sounded right without being too boring. Other players I have had were just dull to listen to, this was fairly transparent whilst being very engaging.
- Theta Miles - first player that really made a mark on my system. It has the BB R63 DAC, but I think its more about 3 separate PSUs that are making the biggest difference. Lots of bass and sound stage here. A little hard up top, but such fun to listen to and a very immersive listen, if sometimes a little over the top. Turn it up and my chest vibrates now though when listening, is that a good thing?
All CD players sounded pretty much the same to me until the Theta came along, I think therefore this is my favourite.
I am back into CDs again after realizing that computer audio is not going to do it for me nor streaming as I like owning my own media. I work in IT and don't really want that to get in the way of listening to music, I want to keep it simple. My vinyl replay is OK, but it's gonna cost a lot to better it and I think its become too expensive (both media and replay hardware). CD offers so much bang for buck, both in way of players and media.
- Rega Planet - I spent a lot of time in the late 90's and 00's with one of these. I only sold it recently, I put it back into the system prior to selling and you could hear how things have moved on (very coloured and constrained). To be fair, the constrained sound could have been down to it being dormant for so many years.
- Meridian 500/566 combo - liked this, made music. Sorry I sold it. Just sounded right without being too boring. Other players I have had were just dull to listen to, this was fairly transparent whilst being very engaging.
- Theta Miles - first player that really made a mark on my system. It has the BB R63 DAC, but I think its more about 3 separate PSUs that are making the biggest difference. Lots of bass and sound stage here. A little hard up top, but such fun to listen to and a very immersive listen, if sometimes a little over the top. Turn it up and my chest vibrates now though when listening, is that a good thing?
All CD players sounded pretty much the same to me until the Theta came along, I think therefore this is my favourite.
I am back into CDs again after realizing that computer audio is not going to do it for me nor streaming as I like owning my own media. I work in IT and don't really want that to get in the way of listening to music, I want to keep it simple. My vinyl replay is OK, but it's gonna cost a lot to better it and I think its become too expensive (both media and replay hardware). CD offers so much bang for buck, both in way of players and media.
Sonci
pfm Member
Quiet the opposite for me, never really approached the cd player sound with streaming, sometimes very close, but not better, even with expensive dacs.
Too much cd players to list, currently using a Sony CD-XB930E.
Mike P
Trade: Pickwell Audio
Blimey this is going to tax my memory.
These are just the ones that I can remember off the top of my head. Most are players I've owned but some are players that I've worked on for other people and had a chance to have a good listen to:
Eclipse 101
Cambridge Audio CD4
Cambridge Audio CD5
Cambridge Audio CD6
Cambridge Audio Discmagic plus Dacmagic 3 and Isomagic S700
Cambridge Audio D500se
Cambridge Audio CD2
Arcam Alpha 5 (many)
Arcam Alpha 5+
Arcam Alpha 7 or 8?
Philips CD104 (several)
Philips CD471
Philips CD723
Philips CD960
Sony M75 (several)
Sony 103 (several)
Sony 303es
Sony 502
Sony 333esd
Sony 227 (several)
Sony 710 (many)
Sony 750 (sevral)
Sony 950
Sony 337esd (many)
Sony 557esd (several)
Sony X7esd (several)
Sony X707esd
Sony 555esd (several)
Sony X555es
Sony XA20es
Sony 228esd
Sony 338esd (sevral)
Marantz CD63
Marantz CD74
Marantz CD84
Marantz CD73
Marantz CD873
Audio Alchemy DDS plus DDE
Audio Note CD2
Rotel RCD971
Rotel RCD991
Denon DCD900
Denon DCD3300
Roksan Caspian
Teac P-500
Creek CD60
Notable highlights from the above list would be:
Sony CDP-555esd
Sony CDP-557esd
Sony CDP-X7esd
Sony CDP-337esd
Rotel RCD-971
Philips CD960
My highly modified Arcam Alpha 5
My highly modified Sony CDP-710
Denon DCD3300
The Audio Note CD2 sounded great but gets marked down for having a crap laser mech.
Sony DAS-R1 if we're including DAC's.
These are just the ones that I can remember off the top of my head. Most are players I've owned but some are players that I've worked on for other people and had a chance to have a good listen to:
Eclipse 101
Cambridge Audio CD4
Cambridge Audio CD5
Cambridge Audio CD6
Cambridge Audio Discmagic plus Dacmagic 3 and Isomagic S700
Cambridge Audio D500se
Cambridge Audio CD2
Arcam Alpha 5 (many)
Arcam Alpha 5+
Arcam Alpha 7 or 8?
Philips CD104 (several)
Philips CD471
Philips CD723
Philips CD960
Sony M75 (several)
Sony 103 (several)
Sony 303es
Sony 502
Sony 333esd
Sony 227 (several)
Sony 710 (many)
Sony 750 (sevral)
Sony 950
Sony 337esd (many)
Sony 557esd (several)
Sony X7esd (several)
Sony X707esd
Sony 555esd (several)
Sony X555es
Sony XA20es
Sony 228esd
Sony 338esd (sevral)
Marantz CD63
Marantz CD74
Marantz CD84
Marantz CD73
Marantz CD873
Audio Alchemy DDS plus DDE
Audio Note CD2
Rotel RCD971
Rotel RCD991
Denon DCD900
Denon DCD3300
Roksan Caspian
Teac P-500
Creek CD60
Notable highlights from the above list would be:
Sony CDP-555esd
Sony CDP-557esd
Sony CDP-X7esd
Sony CDP-337esd
Rotel RCD-971
Philips CD960
My highly modified Arcam Alpha 5
My highly modified Sony CDP-710
Denon DCD3300
The Audio Note CD2 sounded great but gets marked down for having a crap laser mech.
Sony DAS-R1 if we're including DAC's.
Last edited:
Caledon1297
pfm Member
CD players? I've owned a few... 
(though rather fewer than Mike P )
Arcam Alpha 5+
Linn Karik III/Numerik
Marantz CD40
Marantz CD60SE
Naim CDS
Naim CDSII
Naim CD555
Philips CD630
Quad 99CDP2
SONY CDP 761E
The most musical (or should that be least unmusical?) remains the Naim CDS.
Digital sucks, analogue rules... unfortunately, as I've many more CDs than records.
Still interested in trying Rega Saturn-R and/or ISIS, but my best efforts to secure examples to try in meaningful circumstances have come to nothing.
Current No. 1 area of interest - Audio Note.
(though rather fewer than Mike P )Arcam Alpha 5+
Linn Karik III/Numerik
Marantz CD40
Marantz CD60SE
Naim CDS
Naim CDSII
Naim CD555
Philips CD630
Quad 99CDP2
SONY CDP 761E
The most musical (or should that be least unmusical?) remains the Naim CDS.
Digital sucks, analogue rules... unfortunately, as I've many more CDs than records.
Still interested in trying Rega Saturn-R and/or ISIS, but my best efforts to secure examples to try in meaningful circumstances have come to nothing.
Current No. 1 area of interest - Audio Note.
snaphappybob
pfm Member
Well just tried out my Oppo UDP-203 which is in a less than perfect position using a pretty crappy interconnect and the difference is miniscule.
Not sure which I prefer to be honest. I'll experiment getting it set up using the same interconnect and put it on the dedicated rack with the RA powercord and see if the Oppo sounds better than the Arcam.
I'm surprised as all the DVD players I've had in the past (and I've had some good ones) were less than decent with CDs.
Not sure which I prefer to be honest. I'll experiment getting it set up using the same interconnect and put it on the dedicated rack with the RA powercord and see if the Oppo sounds better than the Arcam.
I'm surprised as all the DVD players I've had in the past (and I've had some good ones) were less than decent with CDs.
sideshowbob
Champagne fascia aficionado
I've been using the same 47 Labs Shigaraki transport and DAC for 15 years, and I doubt I'll ever change it. I have a couple of spare transports, and it's a 10 minute job to swap them if needed (I haven't needed to yet), so it'll probably see me out.
Darren
So gentle when he tries to understand.
If you love analog... you should certainly try AudioNote. Expensive but..... there is something going on with their dacs that you might well enjoy.CD players? I've owned a few...
Arcam Alpha 5+
Linn Karik III/Numerik
Marantz CD40
Marantz CD60SE
Naim CDS
Naim CDSII
Naim CD555
Philips CD630
Quad 99CDP2
SONY CDP 761E
The most musical (or should that be least unmusical?) remains the Naim CDS.
Digital sucks, analogue rules... unfortunately, as I've many more CDs than records.
Still interested in trying Rega Saturn-R and/or ISIS, but my best efforts to secure examples to try in meaningful circumstances have come to nothing.
Current No. 1 area of interest - Audio Note.
Caledon1297
pfm Member
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
That Eclipse 101 was my first CD player at about the age of 11, albeit branded as Genexxa, I had it plugged into a Rotel RA311, I absolutely loved it at the time, it was a game changer compared to the very ropey turntables I’d had up to then. I’d love to hear one now, just to see how it stacks up against everything I’ve had since!
Darren
So gentle when he tries to understand.
Dont go there! what if its just as good?
Mike P
Trade: Pickwell Audio
Same here. It was part of my first proper HiFi purchased from Richer Sounds together with a Cambridge A1 and some Wharfedales.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
I think you’re a similar age to me (mid late 30s ?), so yep, that was one of the great starter systems of the day, 1995 I got mine!
My father has an original clamshell era Rega Jupiter transport and matching io DAC - it has a very analogue, listenable sound. My father is a vinyl man at heart, and this is the only CD player he's ever been 100% happy with.
I currently use a Cyrus CD6x which I think is excellent, especially given I only paid £140 for it. Prior to this, I listened to CDs via a Sony UBPX800 universal player and an Arcam irDACII - this was a good combination, slightly weightier sound than the Cyrus. However, the ergonomics of the Cyrus are much better than the Sony, and the sound is that little bit more detailed and resolved. I read in many HiFi magazines how digital replay technology has advanced hugely over just the last 10 years, and how the ESS Sabre DAC (which the Arcam uses) is the pinnacle of digital replay - its good yes, but the 15 year old Cyrus, and my father's even older Rega, do prove this wrong somewhat.
I currently use a Cyrus CD6x which I think is excellent, especially given I only paid £140 for it. Prior to this, I listened to CDs via a Sony UBPX800 universal player and an Arcam irDACII - this was a good combination, slightly weightier sound than the Cyrus. However, the ergonomics of the Cyrus are much better than the Sony, and the sound is that little bit more detailed and resolved. I read in many HiFi magazines how digital replay technology has advanced hugely over just the last 10 years, and how the ESS Sabre DAC (which the Arcam uses) is the pinnacle of digital replay - its good yes, but the 15 year old Cyrus, and my father's even older Rega, do prove this wrong somewhat.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
I’ll have the bargain of the century and buy one for every system!
Here’s the thing though, I can’t even remember what speakers I had, I just put it all together to listen to music... and listen to music I did, for hours on end, and enjoyed it immensely, without ever thinking about sound quality (although if absolutely floored the Alba system that preceded it). The amp became unreliable though and I bought a Sony mini system, which had loads most power, which appealed at the time, then I heard a full Linn system... and started spending... and haven’t really stopped.
Darren
So gentle when he tries to understand.
I bought a pioneer rack system. Then I bought a hifi mag and they were featuring a system that cost the same - Rega Planar 2, Creek 4040, MS speakers..... that was it... I was screwedI’ll have the bargain of the century and buy one for every system!
Here’s the thing though, I can’t even remember what speakers I had, I just put it all together to listen to music... and listen to music I did, for hours on end, and enjoyed it immensely, without ever thinking about sound quality (although if absolutely floored the Alba system that preceded it). The amp became unreliable though and I bought a Sony mini system, which had loads most power, which appealed at the time, then I heard a full Linn system... and started spending... and haven’t really stopped.