Ruminations On CD Players

Pro-ject has some well regarded transport and DAC choices if you desire matchy-matchy:  DS2T Transport - $899; S2+ DAC -$399; RS2T Transport - $3199; RS2 DAC -$2249.  (Maybe a little weird that they don’t have any DACs in range between $399 and $2249 - I think they used to.)

Other posters have made the same points, but my two cents:

1) The DAC is the main determinant of the sound. Transports matter, but imo the DAC/transport ratio is 80/20 in terms of ultimate SQ. I have had good DACs make average transports sound better, but not the reverse

2) DACs are more durable than transports. No laser, no disc spinning mechanism to misfire, no tray or door issues.

3) should you decide to explore streaming in the future, you can get a relatively cheap streamer, pair it with a good DAC, and have excellent results.

4) used DACs tend to be more durable then used CDPs for all the above reasons.

5) you can use any old CDP as a transport as long as it has digital outs. Perhaps your old Arcam can still function as a transport. You can always upgrade to a different transport later

If your budget was around $3K I would spend around $2500 for the DAC, new or used, and the rest on the transport.

Try the new Schiit "URD" CD transport (just released, USA made of course) as they seem to know what they're doing, and if you use it with the Bifrost 2/64 (I have one...sounds excellent) you can utilize their own "unison" USB connection and get there for 2100 bucks or so. 

The only real plus for separates is ease of upgrade but plenty of people believe that separates of any type (pre-amp/amp vs integrated) will sound better but without a way to verify it. Of course the huge negative is cost as well as more connection points to introduce noise. 

Pair a Denafrips DAC with a good Rotel or an Oppo 105 (if you can find one) and call it a day. 

I have an Ayre all silver disc player....I love it

+1 @lalitk 

I use Jay's cdt2-mk3 CD transport with Gustard x26 pro dac which is also running my innuos zenith mk3 streamer. It all sounds equally great. Build for the future!

@jrcotner

If you can stretch your budget, take the path of separate DAC and CD Transport. Not only this path would provide much superior Sound Quality, upgrade flexibility, it keeps a door open for Streaming in the future. 

For starters, consider Jay’s Audio Transport and one of many DAC’s offering from Denafrips.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256123132662?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=t_bi82K9SLC&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=LfCp7wcARee&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=denafrips+dac

@facten 

Best of luck with whatever decision you make. And, no need to be swayed from staying with CDs by the streamer crowd. Enjoy spinning! I do in 2 systems

Indeed! 

The obligatory streaming audio recommendations are endemic (These days) despite the stated desires of the O.P.  Alas, well intended I recognize.🙂

Stick with a CD player. In your price range there are plenty of options. You get a one box option without the extra cabling. 

All the best,
Nonoise

At your price point , I’d be strongly. looking at preowned BRYSTON or SIMAUDIO 

I had the ARCAM FMJ CD23T cdp in a prior system , so I know its sonic signature very well. 

@jrcotner - My two cents - One advantage to having a separate DAC and CD transport is the flexibility and potentially lower cost of a future change should you find replacing one or the other improves SQ further, or presents a different sound more to your liking.. That said, you will find differing views within threads on the importance of the  transport. I am in the camp that you don't want to short change with the transport , it definitely impacts the overall SQ realized. I state this via 1st hand experience having moved on from a Cambridge CXC transport (pretty decent) to a SimAudio 260DT transport ; both used in conjunction with a Modwright Elysee DAC.  With the budget that you want to stay in I'd recommend going for a traditional CD player versus separates;  depending upon your viewpoint on cables you might also have to allocate some of that budget to an upgraded power cord and digital cable. Staying with the CD player you would hopefully maximize your budget from an SQ standpoint. 

Best of luck with whatever decision you make. And, no need to be swayed from staying with CDs by the streamer crowd. Enjoy spinning! I do in 2 systems

Advantage of separate transport and DAC? The same as the advantage of not having your turntable built into your preamp.

I will post the required counter to investing again in a CD player.

First, you haven’t posted your system, so I have no idea of the quality, or even if you have a streamer/server, but assuming that you have a good quality streamer/server:

Ripping CDs is now a bit perfect process.  If a streamer can take advantage of SSD storage and is of good quality, you can have the quality end result of a top notch CD transport.

A bit over a year ago I decided to take the 4K I was going to spend on a top transport and upgrade my streamer/server and I’m very happy with the results.  My music is on an internal Aurender SSD and backed up to a Synology Raid network drive.  CDs are in storage.  All is controlled by my iPad.

Thanks for the info.  I don't recall if the separates were in my price range or not, just an observation that they exist.  I want to learn if it is something to save my pennies for, or if the sonic qualities of separates are subjective or only audible on higher-end equipment.  

Rotel has a new one that Stereophile rates class A. $2300. 

Thats interesting. I don't recall ever seeing a new player in that price range that had a separate transport. Which ones did you see?

jrcotner

I am a big fan of Arcam players as well, especially, the FMJ series. There has never been a better time to update a CD player. Check out AYRE CX-7e or CX-7e MP. Strictly cd playback and fits well within a budget of $2K.

Happy Listening!