Idea's for all in oneCD, Pre, DAC combo.

[Ze Frog]

Hi all.

So starting to make room for a pair of powered monitors, 90% Neumann KH 150's. Part of my decision to go down this path is to greatly simplify my system and have less components, ideally I'm aiming for a one box does all approach.

Regarding equipment capable of Playing CD's, acting as a Pre-amp/volume control and an interface/DAC should I want to Bluetooth music or connect TV etc I am currently looking at the Quad Arterra Play +. This one box seems to do all I'm asking, but wondering if there are better suggestions for at or below that price of £1200?

I'm not really into streaming, although I do Bluetooth from YouTube or Spotify if there is something I can't find a CD of, Kaiti Kink Ensemble being an example, seems to be exclusively digital as can't find on CD anywhere I've looked. Most of my music listening is CD based, and a few records, still starting out again with vinyl and obviously I will have a separate turntable.

Ideally also I'd really like XLR outputs, but not a deal breaker unless that will effect operation of the KH 150's regarding input power resulting in low gain.

Thanks in advance.

 

[staticV3]

Take a look at the SMSL PL200: https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/852.html

 

[Ze Frog]

Take a look at the SMSL PL200: https:/www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/852.html

Wow, that's a nice looking alternative. Just need to see if I can get in U.K.

 

[Ze Frog]

Take a look at the SMSL PL200: https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/852.html

Wow, at nearly half the price of the Quad, it's £699 in UK.

 

[staticV3]

Wow, at nearly half the price of the Quad, it's £699 in UK.

One disadvantage is that the PL200 has only CD/USB/Bluetooth input.

The Coax and Toslink jacks are both outputs.

Therefore, connecting the PL200 to your TV might be tricky.

You'd either have to use Bluetooth, or something like a Raspberry Pi to convert Toslink to USB.

 

[Ze Frog]

One disadvantage is that the PL200 has only CD/USB/Bluetooth input.

The Coax and Toslink jacks are both outputs.

Therefore, connecting the PL200 to your TV might be tricky.

You'd either have to use Bluetooth, or something like a Raspberry Pi to convert Toslink to USB.

To be honest I rarely watch TV, and if I do it's either Amazon Prime, or a DVD, so could probably pass via Bluetooth and that would be fine, or straight from DVD player or laptop etc. I would rather take this over the Quad, mainly because all their modern stuff is pretty mediocre that I've experienced.

I'll keep looking for other options, but I think these two devices are about all their is really.

 

[Ze Frog]

And another one for the list of possible choices if anyone else is looking for similar is the Audio Lab CDQ8300.

 

[GD Fan]

Would an Oppo 205 or Arcam CDS50 work? Both have XLR outs, volume control, good DACs and streaming connectivity.

 

[Ze Frog]

Would an Oppo 205 or Arcam CDS50 work? Both have XLR outs, volume control, good DACs and streaming connectivity.

Good to know, Thankyou.

 

[Ze Frog]

Would an Oppo 205 or Arcam CDS50 work? Both have XLR outs, volume control, good DACs and streaming connectivity.

The Oppo looks like a good contender.

Anyone here have experience with it and specifically using it as a volume control?

 

[GD Fan]

Lots of current or former Oppo owners here. I have the 203 but it feeds into my Denon AVR so no experience with the volume control.

 

[GXAlan]

VRDS-701 Dual Monaural USB/DAC CD Player/Pre-Amp/Headphone Amplifier

The TEAC VRDS-701 CD Player is a small-but-mighty product captures all the information you need to hear music just the way it was intended. Shop Now!

teac-usa.com

This has a lot of great features in one box, but it's not cheap and it's missing HDMI ARC (which they have in the lower end integrated). Even if you don't need HDMI ARC, the unit is at the price point that you'd want it for "future proofing." There are no analog inputs, just digital.

 

[Ze Frog]

VRDS-701 Dual Monaural USB/DAC CD Player/Pre-Amp/Headphone Amplifier

The TEAC VRDS-701 CD Player is a small-but-mighty product captures all the information you need to hear music just the way it was intended. Shop Now!

teac-usa.com

This has a lot of great features in one box, but it's not cheap and it's missing HDMI ARC (which they have in the lower end integrated). Even if you don't need HDMI ARC, the unit is at the price point that you'd want it for "future proofing." There are no analog inputs, just digital.

Oh man I wish you hadn't shown me that, lol.

That's one really impressive CD player, and Teac is always so well built. So far it's between the Teac, Oppo 105, or SMSL PL 200, comes down to how much cash when I pull the trigger I guess.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Just to offer a slightly different alternative.

You can get a good, but slightly different all-in-one Topping DX5 DAC/Headphone Amp/Pre-amp.

It has balanced ins and outs, and coax and optical in - Just add a CD drive.

 

[Ze Frog]

Just to offer a slightly different alternative.

You can get a good, but slightly different all-in-one Topping DX5 DAC/Headphone Amp/Pre-amp.

It has balanced ins and outs, and coax and optical in - Just add a CD drive.

To be honest it's the CD drive and pre-amp that is priority, so I'm kind of looking for something that is both those things in a one box solution. Pair of powered monitors, and one box, that's the goal, my final system. I'm tired of spending money on individual components and chasing ever more.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Introducing Shanling SCD1.3_Shenzhen Shanling Digital Techno

 

[Ze Frog]

Lots of current or former Oppo owners here. I have the 203 but it feeds into my Denon AVR so no experience with the volume control.

Have heard great stuff about them before, never owned one though. If I get one it will be the 105, the 205 is more than I'll be able to afford after buying the powered monitors.

They look extremely well built internally, not much to look at on the outside, but that really appeals, nice to see function over form. The Teac mentioned is expensive, but have to say I am really tempted to aim for that, again, build to qualify like the Oppo. The SMSL is a massively lower quality compared those going buy internals and weight.

Was looking at Audio Lab 8300CDQ and Quad Arterra Play+ as well, but not sold on those really. Audio Lab seems a bit too much of an econobox type solution with a name to justify the cost, and the Quad is pretty much a relative unknown, hardly any reviews and nobody really mentions on any forums so definitely not any magic to be found there.

 

[Ze Frog]

View attachment 345220View attachment 345221View attachment 345222

Introducing Shanling SCD1.3_Shenzhen Shanling Digital Techno

Awesome, Thankyou. So good to see all these options.

Depending on price and UK availability this may make the shortlist. Can't find any here yet, but not officially released just yet so there is hope.

 

[GXAlan]

Oh man I wish you hadn't shown me that, lol.

That's one really impressive CD player, and Teac is always so well built. So far it's between the Teac, Oppo 105, or SMSL PL 200, comes down to how much cash when I pull the trigger I guess.

Yeah. It just seems like it is 2x as expensive as you’d “like” it to be.

To be honest it's the CD drive and pre-amp that is priority, so I'm kind of looking for something that is both those things in a one box solution. Pair of powered monitors, and one box, that's the goal, my final system. I'm tired of spending money on individual components and chasing ever more.

I was in the same spot. What I did was to take a AV processor and a Blu-Ray player for a two box solution. Then I get CD, SACD, music DVD or music BluRay, and streaming in one box. With HDMI CEC, I can use one remote.

Not perfect, but very functional. I ended up going with a Yamaha CX-A5100 because 1) I had one 2) at voltages under say 0.5V, SINAD is on par with something like the Marantz AV10 and Anthem AVM90.

 

[Sal1950]

Awesome, Thankyou. So good to see all these options.

Some nice players being shown here but IMHO most way overpriced.
The Sony UBP-X800M2 is being sold everywhere for under $250, is built like a tank with a smooth
quiet transport and plays most every type media made.
I just recently bought one of myself after the price drop..