2. digital
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help a Die hard ANALOG guy choose a budget CDP

Price range is around 1,200 US. So far I have only considered the Oppo 105D. Current player is a Sony Playstation 1, which sounds better than it has any right to for $30. The player will be the lone source in a bedroom system. Integrated will be Heed Obelisk, small monitor speakers TBD.
fjn04
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@fjn04 I have the Arcam CD-192.

fjn04 OP
1,561 posts
 
Just caught a listen to one of the Rega CD players at a dealers. It was pretty darned good. I preferred the Rega table with a $100 cartridge, but still, the CDP was enjoyable. I did make a purchase that day, to get this rolling. I bought a pair of Harbeth P3's. I'm leaning to the Obelisk to power them. For digital, that's the tough one. It seems from reading here and other places, the 105D  as a CDP can be beat for less money.  I'm also considering the optional DAC card in the Obelisk, and then getting an Oppo for a transport. I may have to scale back that plan, and do the Oppo 103, being that I will be using the DAC anyway. In the mean time, I have to exhale from the Harbeth purchase. Please keep the great stuff coming (-:
violin
120 posts
 
Hi Jfn04,
Recently I was in your situation with a CD player . I had a Marantz SA11S1 player that was a wonderful sounding player. It had an on-board computer that crashed and could not be fixed. I loved the sound of that player and decided that I was going to stick with the Marantz brand.
  When the SA-8005 came out I bought one and after break in , I do not feel that I am missing anything musically with this player. It has that great Marantz sound and is well built.
if you check around you can probably pick up a new one for a great price.
highly recommended.
Carter



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hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@violin  AMEN!  I am enjoying the 30th Anniversary SACD of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on my SA-8005.  Rediscovering Elton.

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2psyop
1,662 posts
 
If your Sony has a digital out, I would choose a HQ DAC like Schiit.
The Sony will spin the CD’s and the DAC will be updated for a much better sound. I tried SACD, was not impressed and not too many discs. Also I have used Spotify and Tidal. You can get very good sound from both with a good DAC running.

If I were to buy a CD/SACD player the Sony SCD-XA5400ES would be at the near top of my list.

I have run a Rega Apollo into a Schiit Bifrost Uber for improved sound.
I also run a Sony ES cd player into a Benchmark DAC1 for improved sound.

Just an idea....
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