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CDP recommendation for Creek Classic 5350se

Hey all,
I need some recommendations on a CDP. I posted yesterday for feedback on a Yamaha CD-S700 but didn't get much traction on that post.

I'm currently using the 5350se with Neat Motive 3 speakers. Most of the time I listen to FLAC from my PC through a MF VDAC2.
But now that I've got lots of CD's I would like to listen to them occasionally on a dedicated CDP.
In the meanwhile I have an Arcam DV135. It's a decent CDP, but I'm wondering if a dedicated unit would be better.
The Creek's are obvious recommendations.. CD53, or Classic CD, EVO, EVO2, EVO 50a....
I haven't heard any, and they don't come up often on the used boards, so not sure how the newer EVO match with the "older" 5350se.
Another option is an Arcam.. but again, which? There are CD17, 72, 73, 23, 192 ....

Anything else come to mind?
Thanks!
itsikhefez
nutty
2,791 posts
 
I can tell you positively that an Arcam CD93T is a fantastic player,, if you can locate one. 4 Wolfson DAC's per channel with 24/192kHz upsampling. My friend has had one for years and it sounds great." Acousteel" damping material for vibration and emi/rfi rejection. Independently regulated analog and digital power supplies. One of Arcam’s finest sounding IMHO.

The OPPO BDP105D is great also. It has a fantastic audio section. 

N







nutty
2,791 posts
 
One more smooth player to consider. Rega Apollo r. 
New $1,100. It gets the job done. I see them listed on A'gon from time to time. I listened to one at Audible Elegance in Cincinnati last weekend. PrimaLuna integrated amp, Cardas Parsec cables and Totmem Hawk speakers. Very smooth and musical. 

N
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,296 posts
 
OP-

any of the NAD BEE series cd players are sonic matches for this amp.
Sounds excellent to boot.  Happy Listening!
itsikhefez OP
63 posts
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

My budget does allow for one of those BEE players, so that is an option.
Another one is a Rega Apollo.

Anyone have experience with the Apollo and Creek?

Another option is perhaps to replace the MF V-DAC 2 and use the Arcam as a transport. That would also upgrade my PC music.

I'm not sure if I want to get into the adventure of finding another DAC
nutty
2,791 posts
 
OP,

IMHO, the NAD516BEE would not be an advancement. I have not auditioned any of the other BEE CD players. I see that the NAD546BEE employs a Wolfson DAC.
Unfortunately I cannot offer any guidance with the Creek equipment. But the Apollo R is built like a tank and sounds fantastic and it employs the Wolfson 8742 DAC. Here is what Rega has on their site...

"...Design history

The original Apollo CD player launched in 2005. It was a huge success selling almost 20,000 units worldwide. The Apollo was a unique player featuring Rega’s own software and control system ensuring no other manufacturers player could sound the same. This key element is carried forward and improved into Apollo-R.

Analogue & digital outputs

Development of the analogue, digital and control domains ensured direct improvements of both analogue and digital outputs making the Apollo-R a perfect partner for the Rega Brio-R amplifier and an ideal ‘CD format’ front-end for the Rega DAC-R. The Apollo-R internal circuitry has also been improved by tightening the PCB layout.

Compact case design

Apollo-R is a top loading design housed in a custom, compact aluminium case matching the Rega DAC-R and Brio-R amplifier.

Dedicated CD mini system remote control

A new dedicated CD remote handset is supplied as standard which also has the advantage of Rega amplifier functionality .

Digital to analogue conversion

The DAC-R and the output amplifier of the Apollo-R have been enhanced using the Wolfson WM8742 digital to analogue converter, the same integrated circuit found in the Rega DAC-R.

Power supplies

The ‘digital’ power supplies feeding the CD processor, optical block, laser diode amplifier and slicer have been enhanced. This is achieved by using the same high performance, low noise power supplies found in the same location within the Isis CD player. This vastly improves the playability, error correction and the ‘inner core’ processing of the digital CD ‘spinner’ part of the Apollo-R.

Output amplifier

The discrete output amplifier has been tweaked to reduce the overall THD from typically 0.005% to 0.0025%, whilst at the same time improving the overall sound quality of the output amplifier.

User interface

We have improved the user interface control by using a dedicated display micro-processor, which eases the workload on the main control processors giving an improvement in the control code stability, usability and improved speed of initialisation of the disc being played which now matches that of the Isis CD player..."

Good luck!

N

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