CD Player Recommendations?

yagamikun

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Hey All,

Looking for a decent CD player for my partner's upcoming birthday. I'd love to get something like a Sony CDP-X3000 but I also would like to not spend $500+. This would plug into our stereo receiver, so not looking for an all-in-one kinda deal.

This isn't a "getting into" post - Just want a nice replacement for the 5-disc of ours that finally bit the dust, but would rather spend a little extra on a decent single disc player since we hardly used the multi-functionality of the last unit.

Anyway, it's been a LONG time since I've been in the CD player market so any recommendations?
 

Orpheus

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Sure.

Aside from a smartass "just use a first run Playstation" response: Try a Sony DVP-7700 or it's succesors the DVP-NS999ES & DVP-S9000ES (some of them were available in silver & even champain I believe though they usually come with a premium on the aftermarket).

Toshibas fist HD-DVD player the HD-XA1 was also regarded as a top CD player back when not jsut due to the flagship build quality but the excellent audio section woth top tier bur brown DAC's. I have 2 of the succesors the HD-XA2's & they might be of the same caliber but I never (cared) to look into it as i also own 2 7700's ehich have twin lazer optical picups/assemblies (one for DVD & one for CD).

All of the ones I mentioned were top of the line flagships that rtailed for $1,000 & over and were designed to act as referrence CD players also (again, not sure of the XA2, which is a flaghip but I have not checked out the CD cred). characteristics range from aluminum fronts, copper platted chasis, twin lazer optical assemblies, Japanese construction & more.

All of the have standard component sizing & looks that trouncemost of what came afterward to this day.

Best of all you can get all of those for anywere from about $100 to abuot $350 after tax & shipping depending on condition & completeness.

There may be some solid CD only player that could be recomended as well but TBF those Sony dual disc players are the complete package in terms of perfoemarnce, ergonomics/ease of use, build quality & asthetics (The later of which your girlfriend might appreciate).

The Toshiba's are great as well BUT they, just like Blu-Ray players, are software based machines & I like the speed & immediacy (in terms of loading & control) with DVD players as they act just like CD players when reading & playing.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: Also, denon made a VERY nice & respected line of multi format DVD/CD players before the they went ful bore on blu-ray. The line had two iterarions of most models with the "CI" (for Custom Integration) variants being the later with features that would nopt be of much significance today. The line started with retails going for under agrand with the flagship, the 5910 or 5930 I believe, being $3,800 & a fucking behemoth. Thos were all made in China but still built like brickhouses with all the bells & whistles. Some I believe can be used as transports & some might have digital ins & multi channel analog outs, but I can't remember off the top of my head. I bought a car load of them NIBforpennies on the dollar when a regional chain (6th Avenue Electronics) wasliquidating them when going out of business) I flipped them all & never got a chance to try one out unfortunately.
 
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terry.330

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Do not get an HD-DVD player to use as a CD player. They do have very high end audio but the load times are absolutely atrocious. Swapping CDs can take a couple minutes and several seconds between tracks. They suck.
 

Orpheus

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Do not get an HD-DVD player to use as a CD player. They do have very high end audio but the load times are absolutely atrocious. Swapping CDs can take a couple minutes and several seconds between tracks. They suck.


Welp, that says that.

Thanks for the heads up.

I have always been content with my other (non software based) players so I never even bothered trying my HD-DVD or Blu-Ray players out with CD, even if they were given rave reviews.
 
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skate323k137

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I'd get one with digital inputs too but that's just me
I have had some fun messing with this. I have Pioneer CDJs with digital coax and RCA, and a nice old Sony CDP-55 which only has RCA. Digital coax from the CDJ is nice and presumably relies more on the DAC of the receiver. Whereas the CDP-55 through RCA sounds as good or better with the amp in direct mode.
 
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Tarma

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I have had some fun messing with this. I have Pioneer CDJs with optical and RCA, and a nice old Sony CDP-55 which only has RCA. Digital coax from the CDJ is nice and presumably relies more on the DAC of the receiver. Whereas the CDP-55 through RCA sounds as good or better with the amp in direct mode.
Hmmnn.. I've been toying with the idea of getting a CDJ as a CD transport - pretty decent playback then?

The Pioneer DV-717 is recognised as a very good CD transport. Back in the day it was Pioneer's flagship DVD player and is built like a tank. I had one for many years, but it eventually packed up and foolishly I binned it rather than getting it repaired (I'd had nearly 15 years by this point, from new). If you can find a working unit, well recommended.
 

Hattori Hanzo

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Don't bother with HD DVD players and stuff. My Toshiba HD-XE1 is ultra loud (fan & disk drive). I never listen to music with it.
Buy a Denon DCD-600NE or DCD-900NE, it's exactly in your price range or 50 bucks higher. Have my Denon DCD-520AE for years and can highly recommend it. Would probably buy a silver DCD-900NE myself if my old one would die but I'm a Denon fanboy and there are no silver DCD-600.
 

skate323k137

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Hmmnn.. I've been toying with the idea of getting a CDJ as a CD transport - pretty decent playback then?

The Pioneer DV-717 is recognised as a very good CD transport. Back in the day it was Pioneer's flagship DVD player and is built like a tank. I had one for many years, but it eventually packed up and foolishly I binned it rather than getting it repaired (I'd had nearly 15 years by this point, from new). If you can find a working unit, well recommended.
It does the job, but I don't know if I'd recommend going out of your way to get one just for that. No remote control, they're really meant for DJing, but the output is solid.
 

yagamikun

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Excellent! Thanks for all the replies fellas. This gives me some research to do. I'll definitely look into those Denon recommendations - great brand and sounds like the price range is what I'm looking for.

Cheers!
 

roker

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I know not a lot of people mentioned it, but the Rega Planet lineup is highly regarded. I really love mine and it's probably 30+ years old and runs perfectly. They go for about $120 to $200 for the first generation release. I think the second one released after that goes a little bit higher now.

Prices seemed a little bit fucked at the moment though. Just be patient and bid on them. There isn't a rush of people trying to get them.
 
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SignOfGoob

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The new CD players are mostly identical. They sound great, all of them, because they are all the same, but they have that $78 Walmart DVD build quality.

IMO Pioneer’s old home theater decks that were mainly sold as progressive scan DVD players but also had SACD playback are a great deal. They sound *amazing* and the build is at least slightly better than a Vizeo. You get actual controls and a clock on the front, for example. CDs are auto up converted to SACD rates (like new players) and they will play high res files off CDROMs on certain models. They also do a million other things that don’t matter.
 

yagamikun

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Anybody have any thoughts on the Sony La Scala series? Specifically the CDP-S1 (the CD player of the set)? I have a guy that is interested to sell me one, and from what I've read these look like great units and in my price range.
 

yagamikun

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Hacked PS3
That's not a bad idea, or even a 1st gen PS1. We don't have/want any screens in our upstairs living area due to the over abundance of them in our lower level (the game room), though, so I need either controls on the unit itself and/or a remote. Something simple, really.
 
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