CD Player Recommendation - 600.00 to 700.00 Dollar range

[voodooless]

I was looking to buy a CDP to connect to my Hegel Dac, I'm currently using a £60 BluRay to player CDs and it sounds good. I know I would get more feature with a CDP, but would it sound any better than the BluRay player I'm currently using?

No.

 

[Ant-R]

So I thought some of you might be interested in what I discovered. I only have a few albums in both vinyl and CD. Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road, Led Zeppelin II, Jethro Tull - Aqualung and a few tracks from Fleetwood Mac - Rumours. I had been doing all my initial listening with all the tone controls on the Marantz PM8005 set in the middle position ( Bass, Mid, Treble, Balance. After I was advised that all CD players will sound alike, I decided to start seeing what difference the Source Direct button would have. What I found was very interesting. I have now listened to 20 - 25 different CDs. The only 2 where I can hear a difference are Sgt Pepper and Abby Road, the 2 albums I was using to compare vinyl to CD! When listening to the Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road CDs I can immediately hear increased bass and reduced highs which made them sound different than vinyl. When I used the Source Direct while listening to those two CDs, they sound pretty much like the vinyl with less bass and distinct highs. These are the only 2 CDs I have found that sound different with the tone controls set in the middle position vs using Source Direct. Anyway, thanks again for all your feedback. I will be keeping my Onkyo C-7030 and happily listening to my collection.

 

[ThatM1key]

I decided to start seeing what difference the Source Direct button would have.

At max volume, my Yamaha A-S301 the noise floor was nowhere regardless if pure direct was on. But on my Sony STR-DA5400ES, it was noisy then if I enable "
"2ch Analog Direct", the noise was whisper quiet.

 

[Kr2d2]

I will be keeping my Onkyo C-7030 and happily listening to my collection.

Plus @NTTY, the uncrowned Master of CDP testing here on ASR, is going to test the Onkyo C-7030!!

So in the end you may not only think or believe that your Onkyo is a very good CDP, but you hopefully will know it - keep fingers crossed!

Happened to me with my Onkyo C-7355 and my TASCAM C-200 being tested by Flo as excellent transports - ASR is a wonderful place to be! Thanks again to @amirm and @NTTY!

 

[Roland68]

So I thought some of you might be interested in what I discovered. I only have a few albums in both vinyl and CD. Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road, Led Zeppelin II, Jethro Tull - Aqualung and a few tracks from Fleetwood Mac - Rumours. I had been doing all my initial listening with all the tone controls on the Marantz PM8005 set in the middle position ( Bass, Mid, Treble, Balance. After I was advised that all CD players will sound alike, I decided to start seeing what difference the Source Direct button would have. What I found was very interesting. I have now listened to 20 - 25 different CDs. The only 2 where I can hear a difference are Sgt Pepper and Abby Road, the 2 albums I was using to compare vinyl to CD! When listening to the Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road CDs I can immediately hear increased bass and reduced highs which made them sound different than vinyl. When I used the Source Direct while listening to those two CDs, they sound pretty much like the vinyl with less bass and distinct highs. These are the only 2 CDs I have found that sound different with the tone controls set in the middle position vs using Source Direct. Anyway, thanks again for all your feedback. I will be keeping my Onkyo C-7030 and happily listening to my collection.

Maybe I can shed some light on this for you.
I'm definitely not a vinyl fan or a CD fan from the very beginning, and I haven't had a record player for 30 years.
And if there weren't such good recordings on vinyl, I wouldn't have one either.
Some recordings aren't available on CD or digitally, others simply don't sound the same on CD or streamed as they do on vinyl. I suspect this is due to the different processing in music production and bandwidth/compression.
Also, old recordings are often digitally remastered for CD, which isn't always an improvement.

There are some vinyl recordings that I clearly prefer to CD or Hi-Res recordings, but these are more the exception than the rule.
I have several rips of records that are so good that people usually don't believe they were originally recorded on vinyl.

But none of this has anything to do with the playback devices, but rather with music production.

 

[NTTY]

I was looking to buy a CDP to connect to my Hegel Dac, I'm currently using a £60 BluRay to player CDs and it sounds good. I know I would get more feature with a CDP, but would it sound any better than the BluRay player I'm currently using?

Unlikely, but a BlueRay will have to satisfy a rule that is only 16bits/44.1kHz at the digital audio outputs whatever is being played. That means, sometimes, digital stream is processed via an ASRC which could negatively impact the original. data, even if it is an audio CD being played.

 

[NTTY]

Plus @NTTY, the uncrowned Master of CDP testing here on ASR, is going to test the Onkyo C-7030!!

So in the end you may not only think or believe that your Onkyo is a very good CDP, but you hopefully will know it - keep fingers crossed!

I finalized measurements, I need to take some pictures and write the review.
It’s a good performer, nothing to worry about. I liked the speed of the drive.

 

[Newman]

Anyway, thanks again for all your feedback. I will be keeping my Onkyo C-7030 and happily listening to my collection.

Good decision. Now to start dreaming about what speakers you can obtain for the $700 …

 

[Chrispy]

No reason to spend 600-700 on an optical disc player to begin with....at least while they're generally available

 

[Roland68]

No reason to spend 600-700 on an optical disc player to begin with....at least while they're generally available

But you can only say that for yourself, because for others, there may be many reasons, even for even more expensive CD players.
A certain brand, a certain model, features, cabinetry, workmanship, materials, certain components, appearance, collectible, shape, and many more. Nothing that has anything directly to do with sound.

The fact that you can find well-measured used units for $10-20 and new ones for under $50 has nothing to do with that.

 

[DVinylfan]

You're in the wrong forum if you think CD players have different sonic signature.

I've heard this phrase "you're in/on the wrong forum if..." a few too many times here on ASR.
How about you're on the right forum, if you think something that conflicts with my view, because here is where science and reasoned argument will help you see alternative explanations and perhaps the truth of the matter.
Or do certain members crave that this forum become a unipolar silo of self- congratulatory facepalming ultra-objectivists, intolerant of those with views that differ, regardless of their willingness to learn?
Because I don't think that's what the forum is for.

 

[kyuu]

Because I don't think that's what the forum is for.

If someone is here willing to learn, then there's no problem. But when someone comes in with a subjectivist mindset and the intention to evangelize it, that's different. I don't think the forum is here for the purpose of humoring those who think a DAC or transport has a "sound signature" that can't be picked up on with measurements.

 

[Putter]

I've heard this phrase "you're in/on the wrong forum if..." a few too many times here on ASR.
How about you're on the right forum, if you think something that conflicts with my view, because here is where science and reasoned argument will help you see alternative explanations and perhaps the truth of the matter.
Or do certain members crave that this forum become a unipolar silo of self- congratulatory facepalming ultra-objectivists, intolerant of those with views that differ, regardless of their willingness to learn?
Because I don't think that's what the forum is for.

I don't appreciate being quoted out of context. I pointed out that double blind tests have consistently shown that you cannot distinguish between different disc players when they are within published spec and compared at equal volume. That is the established science and consistent with the forum name.

 

[Newman]

You're both right.

He is indeed in the wrong forum if he thinks we can help him identify which of the Denon, Marantz or Rotel CD players will cure the flat and lifeless sound he perceives and attributes to his Onkyo.

However, chasing people away is only fruitful if they have demonstrated that they have no intention of listening and learning from audio science and those who try to communicate it. The OP, conversely, soon posted that he was grateful to be shown that he had made some wrong assumptions.

cheers

 

[Gustoears]

Being in the market for a new CD player and a newcomer to this group I found NTTY's reviews of both the Marantz CD-6007 and Denon DCD-900NE to be quite impressive and helpful.
But these reviews did not address a question I have.
The Marantz CD-6007 has a 3 year warranty but is $300 (CAD) higher cost than the Denon DCD-900NE, which only has a 1 year warranty.
I like the mantra on this forum regarding not spending more than you need, but some added variables come into play.
If you start by treating the 2 players equal as far as the science involved, if you plug warranty vs cost into the equation, I'm curious to know how to think through which path to go down, the Marantz or Denon player?

 

[Digital_Thor]

Those a reliable, cheap and well-tested DAC and combine it with a solid easy to operate cd-player with digital out. Now you are pretty sure have this part of your system is solved.
I those to rip my cd's in Linux and buy a 200 Euro Pi+Digione and control it by Squeezer on my phone, because I already have a good-enough proven DAC.
As already pointed out, speakers, setup and room, is more important... Considered that nothing is broken or inadequate.

 

[EJ3]

I have never seen an 'ideal' amp that doubles its power unless it was overbuilt and cost thousands of dollars. Can you provide an example of one at a reasonable cost that does this because in having read hundreds of amplifier tests it appears to be an audiophile myth.

You might want to check out what does happen with a properly built amp (tested into 8, 4 & 2 ohms)
Not what either camp on the 8, 4, 2 ohm debate thinks (as the doubling talked about when halving the ohms is a theoretically perfect situation which likely never actually happens [although: maybe?]):

 

[EJ3]

If someone is here willing to learn, then there's no problem. But when someone comes in with a subjectivist mindset and the intention to evangelize it, that's different. I don't think the forum is here for the purpose of humoring those who think a DAC or transport has a "sound signature" that can't be picked up on with measurements.

No need to "Humor" them but no need to slap them in the face either. Teaching is a process. "My way or the Highway" causes most people to shut their minds instead of being open. The majority of people are not fond of being insulted right off the bat. Especially when they believe that the lies that they have acquired during all of the rest of their lives are being challenged (rightfully so) but they most need to be led from their false truths to the real truths more gently than: "your in the wrong forum".
That just causes a recoil effect & for them to think that we are some sort of wacky closet cult or something like that.

 

[Jcrow]

No need to "Humor" them but no need to slap them in the face either. Teaching is a process. "My way or the Highway" causes most people to shut their minds instead of being open. The majority of people are not fond of being insuted right off the bat. Especially when they believe that the vies that they have acquired during all o the rest of their lives are being challenged (rightfully so) but they most need to be led from their false truths to the real truths more gently than: "your in the wrong forum".
That just causes a recoil effect & for them to think that we are some sort of wacky closet cult or something like that.

Well said. It would be great if more people subscribed to the objectivist point of view, but if people here are jerks to newcomers less people will come round.