Decent CD player for abour 2K

[Bluerein]

Hello all,

a friend of mine is looking for a new CD only player (no SACD or other formats).

Any suggestions which he should audition (he likes Jazz, classical and pop) around the 1500 euros (approx 2000 dollars).

Thanks in advance.

[Swinger]

Exposure 2010S/3010, Arcam

[jazzbo]

I'm very happy with a Sony DVD/SACD player that has a modified tube output stage done by Decware High Fidelity, but if I could I would get the most expensive CEC model I could, because I've heard a few and think they're absolutely great. I believe there is one in his price range.

[J.A.W.]

If your friend lives in Europe, I'd advise against getting equipment that is not well represented here. Service might be a problem, and sending equipment overseas to have it serviced is very expensive.

Edited January 25, 2007 by J.A.W.

[jazzbo]

So far I think all the recommendations are for European supported equipment. . . .

[J.A.W.]

  jazzbo said:

So far I think all the recommendations are for European supported equipment. . . .

Including Decware? Are they represented in Europe, or, more specifically, in the Netherlands? I've never seen them here.

Edited January 25, 2007 by J.A.W.

[J.A.W.]

By the way, Bluerein's friend is looking for a CD-only player, nothing else.

Edited January 25, 2007 by J.A.W.

[Claude]

I would recommend getting an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 DAC, and a CD player with a high quality drive (can be an old one, because the internal DAC is irrelevant). The ECD-1 is 1600€ new.

I recently got this DAC and it has changed my listening experience a lot, as it has not only improved CD playback (compared to my Sony SCD-XA777ES SACD/CD player) but also the sound from DVD (I can pass the 24/96 PCM signal from DAD discs through the DAC) and given me the possibility to use the PC for high end quality playback.

Of course it can also be used for CD only

The sound of this DAC is extremely detailed without being sterile.

http://www.electrocompaniet.no/products/digital/ecd1.html

Edited January 25, 2007 by Claude

[jazzbo]

  J.A.W. said:

  jazzbo said:

So far I think all the recommendations are for European supported equipment. . . .

Including Decware? Are they represented in Europe, or, more specifically, in the Netherlands? I've never seen them here.

By the way I was recommending CEC to his friend, not Decware.

[J Larsen]

If I were spending two grand on a cd player, I'd expect it to be better than decent.

[J.A.W.]

  jazzbo said:

  J.A.W. said:

  jazzbo said:

So far I think all the recommendations are for European supported equipment. . . .

Including Decware? Are they represented in Europe, or, more specifically, in the Netherlands? I've never seen them here.

By the way I was recommending CEC to his friend, not Decware.

Anyway, Decware doesn't use dealers anywhere, so they're not represented here. Steve Deckert just told me.

CEC Netherlands site - that doesn't mean I'd recommend them, I've never heard them.

Edited January 25, 2007 by J.A.W.

[jazzbo]

I know all about Decware. Wasn't recommending it to a European. I'd recommend them to Americans though. Supported for the lifetime of the owner. Hand built modified digital sources. Hand built amps, preamps, phono preamps, speakers!

CEC. .. beltdriven transports and cd players. Excellent!

Edited January 26, 2007 by jazzbo

[Sundog]

I would check out the new Rega Saturn CD player. At $2395 US dollars it might be a little out of your friends price range, but $2395 qualifies as about 2K in my book.

Rega Saturn

[J.A.W.]

  Sundog said:

I would check out the new Rega Saturn CD player. At $2395 US dollars it might be a little out of your friends price range, but $2395 qualifies as about 2K in my book.

Rega Saturn

$2,395 = about €1,860 at today's exchange rate.

[Dan Gould]

  J Larsen said:

If I were spending two grand on a cd player, I'd expect it to be better than decent.

Damn straight.

[tonym]

I recently listened to a Primare cd31 which was very, very nice. Built to last and nicely detailed but for me now, it's Naim all the way. Never heard anything that competes at these price points.

[porcy62]

  tonym said:

I recently listened to a Primare cd31 which was very, very nice. Built to last and nicely detailed but for me now, it's Naim all the way. Never heard anything that competes at these price points.

My suggestion, since Linn has dropped the production of his entry level cd player.

[GregN]

  J Larsen said:

If I were spending two grand on a cd player, I'd expect it to be better than decent.

no kiddin

wow.

[Bluerein]

Thanks all for the replies especially the ones which state something about the decentness of a 2K player. Very helpful!!!!

[Allan Songer]

  Bluerein said:

Thanks all for the replies especially the ones which state something about the decentness of a 2K player. Very helpful!!!!

Here's a really nice option. My friend Joel just bought one of these a couple of months ago--I was mightily impressed.

Creek

[tonym]

  Allan Songer said:

  Bluerein said:

Thanks all for the replies especially the ones which state something about the decentness of a 2K player. Very helpful!!!!

Here's a really nice option. My friend Joel just bought one of these a couple of months ago--I was mightily impressed.

Creek

I had a listen to one of those too. Very neutral sounding. I would consider one.

[porcy62]

Why not a Rega? Solid british stuff, no thrills, no gadgets, just music. Though I never listened to latest models, I was tempted by Rega when I bought my Linn.

[tonym]

  porcy62 said:

Why not a Rega? Solid british stuff, no thrills, no gadgets, just music. Though I never listened to latest models, I was tempted by Rega when I bought my Linn.

Indeed. For just over £1500 you could have a full Rega system; Brio amp, Apollo CDP and R3 speakers. All good stuff and looks the business too.

[Upstateaudio]

How about checking out the Arcam line?

[Clunky]

  porcy62 said:

  tonym said:

I recently listened to a Primare cd31 which was very, very nice. Built to last and nicely detailed but for me now, it's Naim all the way. Never heard anything that competes at these price points.

My suggestion, since Linn has dropped the production of his entry level cd player.

I've got one of these, had it a year. It's really,really good. CD fights vinyl pretty hard with the CD31 in my house. Really tough as you say, even poorly remastered CDs sound good. All my CDs sound so much better compared to the Marantz CD6000Se I had before. It's about £1500 which will be over budget here though.