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CD player with Tube Output or Music Server

I play CD’s through an upgraded Audio Space CD8 player from Underwood HiFi. It can be played as solid state or tubed output. To my ear, the tubed output is smoother and seems to have more substance. It definitely sounds less digital through the tubes. I enjoy the player very much and it is definitely the best I have heard in my system compared to mid priced offerings from Sony, Rega, and Cambridge Audio.

The rest of my system is Maggie 3.6’s with W4S Preamp and ST1000 amp. I also run a Technics table with an Ortofon cartridge from KABUSA. The table is more organic and live sounding compared to the CD player.

Anyway… the upgrade bug is starting to itch so I visited my local hi end dealer in the Midwest.

He tried to talk me out of a CD player entirely. He attended the last Las Vegas audio show and was pushing a Naim music server and a DAC for around $5500. He tried to convince me that the Hi resolution capability of this combo would blow away a comparably priced dedicated CD player. He would not even show me his CD players!

So.....

1. What are your thoughts about what this dealer is telling me?

I am kind of convinced that I still want the dedicated CD player because I am not sold on computer audio. It just seems too hi tech for me....also, I am not so sure I need $5000 worth of Naim equipment to get the high resolution sound.

2. What are your thoughts about a good CD player that would be a significant upgrade that would sound live and smooth? I am thinking about the $5000 range new or around half much that used.

I appreciate any and all feedback!
dsper
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Don't overlook the Marantz SA 11s3. I got one a couple of months ago. I'm not an expert on SACD performance as this is my first one, but I was really impressed with its Redbook. In fact I was quite surprised. While not a 'tube' sound at all it does retain some of the warmth of tubes without loosing some of resolution that can occur with tubed units. It also has an input to its DAC section if you need it. I use it with an old CAL Audio transport for Jazz and I find that it really brightens up some of these old and rathur dull recordings. Moreso than just playing them with the Marantz built in transport. All in all I've very impressed, but I'm not selling my tubed stuff yet. :-)

BTW, don't forget that CDP's are all different and system synergy is very important.
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,818 posts
 
Concur w/ above. Your local dealer/retailer is trying to push those music servers for a profit.

At the present time, there is no music server or equivalent
that trumps a dedicated cd player. If you want a cd player, then purchase a cd player- do not settle for any less.

Additionally, that EAR Acute 3 is on my short-list to demo( as soon as I find one in a shop).

Happy Listening!
dsper OP
663 posts
 
I appreciate the feedback from everyone.

I am learning and it got me thinking which will always result in more ignorant questions. So...

I get the impression that the cabling between the computer and DAC or transport and DAC is very important to sound quality.

Is this true?

If so, is there emperical proof to support this or do we wander off into another whole great speaker wire debate?

My goal is simply to understand as the cabling question is going to be there unless one buys a CDP, so I hope that I do not offend anyone by asking.

Thanks!
tpreaves's avatar
tpreaves
2,686 posts
 
The "emperical proof" is what you hear, not what someone tells you they hear.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
If you use good 75 ohm digital cable I suspect that you may find it less important than other cables in your system. By way of example I have been using a 6' Cardas cable for a number of years and have been happy with it. As I recall it was cost over $200, which is probably cheap in comparison to a lot of the high end alternatives. I recently needed a longer run for an experiment and bought a 15' run of Belden from Blue Jeans (cost $25). Maybe its me, maybe its my equipment, whatever, but I could not distinguish the difference between these two cables. This would not have been so with IC's or Speaker cable.

And yes, I'm sure there isn't much difference with digital wires from other wires when it comes to forum user opinions. As Tpreaves sez it "...is what you hear not what others tell you". Knowing what I know now (no matter how little that may actually be) I wish I'd started out with the Belden in the first place. I'd have fewer unused cables in the drawer and more money in my pocket to buy music.
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