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CD Player with digital input?

I am looking for CD Player ideas. I like the idea of finding a player that has digital input to that I can send it digital input from a sonos ZP80 and in doing so no longer need my Benchmark Dac1 and be able to sell the Benchmark to help offset the cost of the CDP. (unless of course the cpd's with digital inputs cost $700 more in which case it becomes irrelevant.
My other components are:
McIntosh MA6900, B&W 805s.
Currently using a cheapo toshiba xa2 hd dvd player to send coax to the Benchmark. The sound improvement was so much over the sonos fed WAV files going to the benchmark and I am curious about what a "REAL" CDP can do in my room.
Thanks in advance!
jimmy3993
davetherave
95 posts
 
Cary 303/200 and 306/200.
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Buy a good optical glass digital cable and use it as link between the Sonos and Benchmark. I just saved you about $650.
jimmy3993 OP
141 posts
 
Doug - I am doing that right now. Still dosent compete with very cheap HDDVD player from toshiba running to same benchmark. The nice thing about the benchmark is that it has 2 dig inputs so that I can run the sonos AND the dvd into it.
The problem I am having is that even when I rip CDs to WAV, hardwire the sonos and send the dig out to the benchmark, it still sound flat.
I wish you had saved me $650...
My goal is to keep the sonos for convenience and get a good CD player when I am more concerned with quality. Ideally, I can get my hands on something like the Cambridge unit mentioned above for a demo. If the Cambridge Dac handles the sonos as well as the benchmark, then I can sell the benchmark and get some of the money back.
Really, what I would LOVE to be able to do is demo a modded sonos. I would be happiest if i could find a way to increase the sonos sound quality to that of a decent CDP.
If you have any thoughts, please share them. I dont know many folks in san antonio (where i live) that I can swap ideas and gear with...
ckoffend
684 posts
 
From my experience: The Wadia's are pretty good and if you get the i versions (this means they have the inputs) then mission accomplished. They are a bit dryer in my opinion than either of the other two. Audio Aero Capitole, this is a beautiful sounding tubed CD player that costs a lot of money is may be catagorized in the not totally reliable list in terms of longevity. The resolution Audio Opus 21 is good, the GNSC modded version is very, very good. Of these three, this would be my recommendation. I run this with a Cambridge Audio Azur hard drive system this way and it is quite good. I don't know the difference in performance/sound between the Cambridge vs. the Sonos. But like your intent, the Cambridge is used for convenience, background music - certainly not critical listening.
jimmy3993 OP
141 posts
 
CK -
Thx. found my opus rep and will give that a listen.
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