CD Player into amp?

I had an early 90`s top of the line ($1500) Yamaha CD player with it`s own volumn control, I was able to run it directly into an my Classic 120`s.

BUT your CD player must have a volumn control,(this player did)otherwise your sound would be at full volumn and probably self destruct the whole system.

You are by-passing the pre-amp and extra connections,(IC`s)and the sound is a lot more revealing in every way, except that it then revealed even more, all the hash and grit and robotic sound that is CD.

AND...make sure you have VARIABLE outputs on the back of the CD player. On some CD players, the front panel volume control only controls the headphone.

There are no out controls on the CD Player but the remote has volume up and down. Is this OK?
Thanks
Dave

I've had many CD players with variable volume control connected directly to power amps. If you have a single source system (CD only) it can be a very economical way to go. You obviously save the cost of an extra interconnect cable and pre-amp. I've always enjoyed the added transparency that this type of setup has provided. However, added transparency may not be a good thing if you listen to a lot of CDs that are not well recorded.

The downside typically mentioned is that many people feel that a quality pre-amp adds an additional level of dynamics to the sound. This may or may not be needed depending on the type of music you typically enjoy on your system. I would think it would be most important with classical, but I don't listen to much classical, so I've never wanted for added dynamics.

A good friend of mine has a very highly resolving system using CD-direct to amp. He recently built a simple tube buffer to place between his DAC and amplifier and he swears that it is one of the biggest improvements he's ever noticed in his system. So, if you try CD-direct and the music seems to need more drive or dynamics, maybe a tube buffer would suffice. I've never used one, but I often see the Musical Fidelity tube buffers for sale here on the 'goN.

Enjoy,

TIC