Your Preferred CD Player

[howard.zinman]

Do you have one? I am in the market for a new player. Thanks!

[jazzbo]

I've gone a transport to DAC route for over a decade but I have two friends who two years ago each bought a new cd player they were very happy with.

One: https://www.audioadvisor.com/prnt-macd6007?sku=NEW-MACD6007

a review: https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/marantz-cd6007

The other: https://www.audioadvisor.com/prnt-nac538?sku=NEW-NAC538

a review: https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/nad-c-538

Edited 22 hours ago by jazzbo

[Dub Modal]

17 hours ago, jazzbo said:

a transport to DAC route for over a decade

Does this route play redbook, sacds, etc? 

[jazzbo]

Yes, I am using a PS Audio transport and a PS Audio DAC and they have purchased the right to pass the transport spun raw DSD files from SACD via HDMI to the DAC. Can also play files from a stick (I don't do that). 

[Dub Modal]

2 minutes ago, jazzbo said:

Yes, I am using a PS Audio transport and a PS Audio DAC and they have purchased the right to pass the transport spun raw DSD files from SACD via HDMI to the DAC. Can also play files from a stick (I don't do that). 

Nice. Thank you. My CD player has likely gone kaput so I'll be pricing options in the near future and will check this out. 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

If I were in the market for a straight-up player, I would likely look at Marantz or NAD like Lon recommended earlier. I wish Oppo Digital didn't exit the business. Their players were great bang-for-the-buck.

I personally think a transport and an external DAC is a solution looking for a problem. Most of the claims of improvement using this type of set-up revolve around jitter, which is proven to be 1) not a problem with almost any CD player made and 2) not audible even if it is really really bad.

[jazzbo]

Kevin, I have had many cd players. . . the sound of my Transport and DAC together is MUCH better. There are so many more factors besides "jitter." Of course the combo is more than many would spend for an entire system, so they should be.

Edited 36 minutes ago by jazzbo