New Cambridge 540 vs. Used Music Hall CD25

Thanks for the input. Seems like it's hard to go wrong with the Music Hall!

Ben

Or you could buy the Onix and save even more money! The onix 88 is basically the same exact player as the music hall with a different face plate. Look it up. I have one and think it is a great player, and could not tell the difference between my dealers music hall 25.

And you can do the same mods to the onix as in the music hall.

I have a 7 month old onix 88 that I am going to sell because I wanted a black cd player to match my Portal Panache. Yes I know, I am crazy...

I am also considering the Music Hall Cd25 or the Cd25.2. I'm interested in installing the opamps. Where would one buy the opamps and instructions?

In response to a couple of points. I've owned theCambridge CD4se & the 640c. The build quality of the newer Cambridge is better than the previous models. The CD4se did have problems, half the display quit functioning. The only quirk I had with the 640 was an occasional loss of audio while reading a burned cd-r. It would stop in the middle of a track, but if I'd restart the track it would play fine. Perhaps media related?? The 640 made a really good transport for the money.

Chaknap

I bought the opamps for my CD25 from Sound Odyssey, who were a regular advertiser here on Audiogon but I don't find any of their ads at the moment. I put in AD8066 opamps, which came from Sound Odyssey mounted on very small adapter boards.

I think Parts Connexion also sells opamps, they advertise mods for the CD-25 and sell parts for DIY projects. You could probably email or call them about options. Underwood HiFi also does mods and might be able to advise you.

Here's a link to the Parts Connexion site. It's poorly designed and difficult to navigate but there are pictures on there of the CD-25 circuit board with the opamps identified. If you can't find them, let me know and I'll email you a picture I saved from my own installation.
http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/semiconductors.html

All that is required is that you lift the old opamps off the circuit board of the player by prying up the edge with a small flat-blade screwdriver and then lifting straight up. Putting the new opamps in just requires aligning the pins and pushing down. The only critical factor is to make sure the #1 pin on the board is in the same place as on the one you remove.