best cd player......around $500 (1 Viewer)

[Warren Hubbs]

looking for a good cd player ....what makes one cd player sound better than other cd players?...not sure what to look for...thank you for your time



rotel rsp 1066
outlaw icbm
sherbourn 5/1500a
diva 6.1 4.1 c3
hsu vtf-3

 

[KeithH]

Warren, I thought you had asked this question before. Maybe it was a different post of yours that I read. Anyway, this topic has been discussed quite a bit, so do a search. In general, the quality of the DACs, transport, capacitors, analog output stage, power supply, and jitter circuitry (clock mechanism) affect the quality of a player. Also, many believe that chassis build quality is important, as vibration dampening is said to improve sound. That is a controversial subject. Furthermore, copper shielding is said to reduce interference from external, nearby sources. You will not find a $500 player with copper shielding, unless you are looking at a used player that sold for considerably more than $500 new.
Some new players to consider in and around your price range:
* NAD C 521i and C 541i
* Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 (www.upscaleaudio.com)
* Heart CD5000 and CD6000 (Link Removed)
* Sony SCD-C222ES and 'C555ES (available at significant discounts by mail from OneCall, J&R Music World, or Oade Bros.; both play SACDs)
* Arcam DiVA CD62T and CD72T
* Rotel RCD-02 and RCD-1070
* Cambridge Audio D300SE and D500SE

 

[Brandon Blair]

The only ones on that list I've heard were the two Cambridge Audio CD players. I was very impressed with both and thougth they sounded very good for the price. They would be worth going out to audition.

Good Luck,
Brandon

 

[Tom Grooms]

Pioneer Elite PD-65 can be found in the $300-$400 range. It's a discontinued model but they show up from time to time on E-Bay or Audiogon. It has a Stable platter transport and copper shielding. You won't do better for

 

[Warren Hubbs]

not sure if id go used with a cd player...............& im not married to the $500 price point....as far as auditioning....5/10 mins in a sound room really doesnt work for me.....i have to have it home for a while to really hear it all, so to speak.....however auditioning usually allows me to eliminate pieces i definatly dont like......(they all sound great in the reviews)............thank you for your input

ps: how much would i have to spend to get a player to match my system quality....

 

[KeithH]

Warren, I have not used the Sherbourn amp or the Diva speakers, so it is hard for me to say how much you should spend. Generally speaking, the more you spend, the better the player. There are some good players out there in and around $500, so I would start with those players. If none of them suit you, consider stepping up to $1000. Before you do that, I recommend you take a good look at the Sony SCD-C555ES carousel SACD/CD changer. Although it originally retailed for $1700, it is available from authorized dealers by mail for around $600. Brick-and-mortar stores like Tweeter generally sell it for $800, which is the current retail price. I understand your need to audition players at home, so you might want to see if a local dealer has the 'C555ES. Also, J&R has a 30-day money-back guarantee. You just pay return shipping. The one problem for you could be that J&R's web site says that they only ships Sony ES products to NY state, PA, CT, and NJ now. They used to ship ES products nationally. If you live outside of these states, they probably will not ship a 'C555ES to you. You can always call them at 1-800-221-8180 to be sure, however. In any event, I feel the 'C555ES is an excellent CD player at $600-800. Also, build-quality is first-rate and you get SACD for free. In short, the 'C555ES is a steal.

 

[Warren Hubbs]

thank you for your input.....im listening to my cd's on my dvd player now..........not the best....i have some home burned cd's that wont play on my current player.....do you think they would play on the sony?...thanx again

ps: i live in LI NY

i see the sony is compatible with cd-r & cd-rw...is that home burned?

 

[KeithH]

Warren, yes, the 'C555ES will play your home-burned CD-Rs and CD-RWs.

 

[Warren Hubbs]

set up mt 555es yesterday......first impressions are all good........finally got a chance to try the disk that came with my vtf-3....man the drums in the opening sequence of track 5 just blew me away!....cant wait till my sacds get here.........thanks for the input kieth h

 

[KeithH]

Warren, no problem. Glad you are happy with the 'C555ES. Let us know how you like SACD.

 

[Rich Malloy]

The one problem for you could be that J&R's web site says that they only ships Sony ES products to NY state, PA, CT, and NJ now. They used to ship ES products nationally. If you live outside of these states, they probably will not ship a 'C555ES to you.

What's the deal with this? JandR has a great price on this model, and I loaded up in the cart a few weeks back before discovering that they won't ship to Massachusetts. Seems a very peculiar restriction.

 

[KeithH]

Rich, I don't know what happened there. This is a new policy for J&R. Perhaps Sony put the clamps on them. I don't get it because Oade Bros. and OneCall still ship Sony ES products nationwide. Did you try calling J&R? I would be curious to hear their response to the fact that Oade Bros. and OneCall are still shipping Sony ES gear anywhere in the US.

 

[Warren Hubbs]

i mentioned this to the rep while purchasing my sony...he said they would ship anywhere....just somthing sony wanted them to do(on the website)......wonder how many sales lost...........

 

[KeithH]

Warren, interesting. Some companies are really particular about how their products are advertised on the web. I have seen some online retailers that request you to buy certain products locally instead from them by mail. In such cases, the online retailers usually say that they will only sell these products by mail if you do not have a local dealer.

 

[Warren Hubbs]

just got my first sacds today..........aerosmith,just push play (2 ch)& eart wind & fire live(5ch)....the 2 channel sounds great but i am suprised how much more i like the 5 channel........not a big fan of DPL2...but the live audience in 5ch sacd...& the "feel" of the music surrounding me....i think ill buy some more of these...........wifey doesnt like that she cant take them in her car (or anywhere else)& listen to them......

see ya......warren

 

[KeithH]

Warren, I have not yet picked up the Earth, Wind & Fire SACDs, but they are on my wantlist. I've heard that the Just Push Play SACD is not good at all. It's been said on Audio Asylum that it sounds better than the CD, but it is still a poor-sounding SACD. Apparently, it is a poor recording. Do you have the CD for comparison?

 

[Warren Hubbs]

i have another aerosmith with a few of the same songs...(love when they do that, NOT!)....ill try a A/B tomorrow.....didnt get blown away with the 2 channel over standard, but it may be THAT one as you said ......definatly want more sacd to check out.......will try b&m store to give my plastic a rest..... do you prefer 2/5 ch?

 

[KeithH]

Warren, I prefer stereo to multi-channel. Most multi-channel mixes are gimmicky in that instruments come out of the rear speakers, seemingly at random. Just my opinion. If you are looking for suggestions of good-sounding SACDs to get, post a question over in the Music Area. Just to be sure to indicate your listening preferences (genres).