"Cheap" but good integrated Cd players
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Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Tech Talk
Forum Description: Discuss musical instruments, equipment, hi-fi, speakers, vinyl, gadgets,etc.
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11593
Printed Date: November 22 2024 at 22:39
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Topic: "Cheap" but good integrated Cd players
Posted By: oliverstoned
Subject: "Cheap" but good integrated Cd players
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 02:30
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Here are some advices on good brands for affordable integrated Cd players (from 300€ to 3000€)
Nad The cheapest among the good ones. Neutral and very musical. 
Rotel Close to Nad, but more precise and dynamic. 
Rega (planet) Warm and analog sounding. Very musical. 
Naim (CD5)Dynamic and thick sound, good for rock. 
Creek -another good english brand-very musical 
Arcam - Neutral, dynamic and detailed. The Cd33 below is the biggest of the brand. 
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Replies:
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 02:44
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...to go further...
Linn Ikemi-very good 
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Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:10
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Ive got the nad one...great cd player Edit: NOT the one on the picutre...mine is a bit older... ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
oliverstoned wrote:
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:51
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Great! even if yours is a few years older, it's almost the same.
I've got a 512 to sell (the smallest) since i've bought a drive/converter ensemble. But i was using the Nad with a high end system and it was good. |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:57
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Actually it's a 520 that i have to sell.
If someone is interested in, i sell it for 150€. |
Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 04:57
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Yup just using the NAD with an NAD amp with a good head phone set when i listen to music normally...then i use the Main stereo when i am alone in the house ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:18
| Nad player + nad amp is the smallest budget system i advice. Put a pair of bookshelf mission on it, QED cables and a few accesories and you'll be happy. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:31
How would you describe the difference of sound between a "normal" CD player and a "musical" one? ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to: 
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Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:41
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The musicality is the ability of a device to make music.
it's something obvious when you listen and that you can't mesure of course! |
Posted By: goose
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 05:43
Don't even bother, Mike! 
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 06:11
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Let's see what maidenrulez says about the players ... BTW: It's strange that there should be players which are more suitable for Rock than others ... I guess that the "musical" players really alter the signal (smoothening through means of upsampling, and maybe even applying eqs and low pass filters to cut off or at least dampen the high frequencies). ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 06:18
Now infact aslong you get a decent amp and some decent headphones you dont really need to get all expansive on the cd-player...anyways if you get a cheap amp and a cheap cd player and then get some "high" end headphones you get a really great sound wich is more than enough for me...But if you want the same quality sound through speakers you need a better amp and a better cd player and some reasonable speakers ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 06:21
But in what way does the CD player affect the sound? ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 06:28
Ah yes there are basically two different types of high end cd players...there are neutral ones wich is supposed to just reflect the original recording and perhaps its flaws and errors ruthlessy. And there are more musical ones wich affects the sound and will make it differ from the original recording. Infact i prefer the neutral amps, and i would like to think that most high end amps does not affect the sound in any other way that preserving it and delivering it as closely as the original recording as possible ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 06:35
^ thanks maidenrulez, that makes sense to me. Another reason to buy the Creative X-Fi sound card ... it has some of the features of musical players. And I can activate/deactivate the feature easily and compare the sound. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:06
It's an obsession! Actually, the player is limited by its performances. For example, the little Nad doesn't go very far in low and high, but what he does, he does it well. There are many things that make the sound of a player. To answer your question: the converter and the algorythms used give a sound signature. The analog output stage used after the converter, the quality of mechanic too  . BTW, most integrated players features poor plastic drawers, except the Naim with their original steel manual drawer and the Linn Ikemi (but it's already a "big" as it costs 3000€ new)features a solid steel drawer.
Each component gives his own sound, the power alimentations are very important, the quality of the box plays its role on device's vibratory behaviour. And i forget many things. So there's an alchemy of all these factors that make the musicality and the performances of a player. The inside of the beast: Linn Ikemi 
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Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:10
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Good players have been optmized "with the ears".
Inside of Creek CD50 
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Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:17
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Good cheap Cd player Marantz cd 5400
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:17
Creek CD53
Here's the technical description by the manufacturer. You'll find some answering elements: The CD53 physically matches the 5350 amplifier with 10mm thick machined alloy silver front panel and vacuum fluorescent function display. It's circuitry has been designed to achieve the best performance money can buy, limited only by the standards set for CD players and component availability. Inside its 2 mm thick alloy case, lies a Philips CDM12 transport with CD7 chipset running on neoprene sound isolation washers. Custom Creek software runs in a microcontroller to control the entire mechanism and display functions. Speed and silence of operation, together with the ability to read CDR and CDRW discs are the essence of this new player. Advanced error correction algorithms work hard to read every bit of information, thus providing a better signal for the Digital to Analogue Converter to work with. The rugged Philips laser transport and digital control circuitry has been matched to the highest quality Crystal Semi-conductor delta-sigma D to A converter boasting 24 bit 192kHz resolution capability. Analogue filtering is now performed using fully balanced circuitry and 0.1% precision resistors and 1% tolerance film capacitors that achieves a level of performance previously not seen in CD players. This results in a fast operating CD player with sound quality well ahead of much higher priced players, in the true Creek mould. With a new customised ultra low jitter master clock and extra circuitry to reduce jitter from the Digital signal Processor, the CD53 truly sings. A re-clocked, low jitter, transformer coupled, co-axial and optical digital output makes it possible to fully realise the potential of high-end stand alone DAC, provided the correct type of interconnect is used. To provide a useful upgrade path, the D to A converter, high quality master clock generator, jitter reduction circuitry and regulated power supplies are sited on a separate printed circuit board that can be removed and replaced by new or emerging technologies in the future. Two high grade grain-oriented steel mains transformers, feeding low impedance, high temperature, capacitors and separate stabilised power supplies for digital and analogue sections, provides the highest degree of isolation and lowest noise performance possible. Front panel controls include Play, Stop, Pause, Open/Close, Skip Forward, Skip Back, Search Forward, Search Back, Shuffle, Repeat and Standby functions. They are supplemented by a modest sized full feature RC5 type remote control handset. The rear panel now has a mains switch, together with the usual fused IEC mains inlet. Gold plated Phono/RCA's for the (un-balanced) analogue output are complimented by two professional 3 pin XLR sockets for balanced audio output. Digital outputs are via a transformer coupled co-axial SPDIF Phono/RCA and TORX optical types. A new feature for Creek equipment is the ability to place the CD53 into Standby mode, which blanks the display, reducing the power supply consumption to a minimum. Operating any local or remote key will wake it up. To maintain low levels of interference, the user interface is via a low current consumption vacuum florescent green digital display. This places very little demand on the power supply and helps to achieve high visibility even in difficult light conditions. |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:19
Not TOO bad, but i really prefer the Nad. The low is tighter and cleaner and the highs are more neutral than on the Marantz. This kind of Marantz is not part of the bad, but not of the good too. |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:21
On another hand, the Marantz CD12+ DA12 (old and very high end drive/converter)is an absolute reference.
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Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:22
Ah well this won the best budget cd player award in 2004-2005 but i guess it is all a matter of taste... ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:34
| Don't rely on awards. They don't mean much. |
Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:41
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It depends who gives them... Anyway i also prefer NAD ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:41
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One more time, it's not too bad. Better than our crappy french players Micromega or Atoll, and i think it's better than Cambridge audio.
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Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:42
Well, the problem with awards is the same than the reviews. They are bought by the brands. |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:44
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Yes, Nad is miles better than little Marantz.
Much more neutral and it makes some tight low compared to the Marantz which dribbles in the low and is colored in the highs. Nad is much more natural. |
Posted By: Lindsay Lohan
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:47
Just as music reviews, you can learn to diffrence the bad ones after experience with the reviewer and the magazine itself. It took me many years to find a musical reviewer wich is soo good i can agree with about 90% of what he says... ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Fjuffe/?chartstyle=sideRed - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/sideRed/recenttracks/Fjuffe.gif - |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 07:59
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Yes, true.
Maybe it's worst in hifi because of money interest. The best mag is the american one "Stereophile". |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: September 16 2005 at 14:19
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...of course my current digital system:
Drive Sonic frontiers SFT-1 + converter Goldmund Mimesis 14 + Nordost digital cable beats all the Cd players presented up. 
The inside of my converter: 
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