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Suggest budget CDP to use as transport

I am looking for suggestions for an old high end or newer budget CDP with a decent transport mechanism to use for redbook playback through a modern DAC (in market for that now). Key factors are solid construction, good laser and transport mechanism for reliable reading of 0s and 1s from the disk and decent coax/RCA SPDIF implementation. Budget is $500 or under. Suggestions? Am currently using a budget BDP to spin disks, but it only has toslink and HDMI out and I am skeptical.

Sorry if this has already been hashed over before here - could not find in quick search of Forum.

kn
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celtic66
1,671 posts
 
CEC is quite good and speaks to anyone suspect of transports not making a difference in reproduction. They do.
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knownothing OP
1,592 posts
 
Thanks for your feedback. CEC and EAD both gone already. Will keep eyes open. Do I take it that Pioneer made good transport mechanisms with well implemented SPDIF output? The Pioneer unit currently for sale lacks remote and seems expensive for what it is. What about used NAD C546BEE or Cambridge Azur 500 or 600 series?
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roxy54
8,016 posts
 
I agree. I like the Pioneer as a budget transport, but I'd rather have a CEC.
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grannyring
6,506 posts
 
Do not buy that old Pioneer. Simply too old and it will indeed need servicing before you want to. Big hassle factor. Another great solution is to buy a new Emotiva CD player. They work wonderfully as a transport and sound pretty darn good as a cd player!

That would be my strong suggestion. They only make one model and it can be had within your budget!
joekapahulu
251 posts
 
Check out the Tascam cd200. It is a pro product with a great transport which is what you want. Tascam is the professional division of Teac. It's available for a good price at Amazon and via other outlets around $225 new. Stereophilemreviewed it about 2 years ago.
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