2. digital
  3. 129323-10135

Looking for CD player recommendations that are a great match with Classe & Vandersteen

Looking for some recommendations for CD players that will mate well with the sound characteristics of a Classe CAP-101 integrated amp and Vandersteen 2C speakers? Cabling is DH Labs Q-10 and Air Matrix. I listen to all kinds of music... pop, rock, classical, ambient/electronic. But, mostly rock and prog rock. My budget is max $600, but I’d like to stay somewhat under that if at all possible. I don’t need a lot of features. In fact, the basics are fine--so long as it has a remote. CD is my primary source (and I love it :)

jsbach1685
abnerjack
209 posts
 
I have had what I think is a wonderful cd player, Simaudio Moon Supernova, for several years and enjoy it, but have been using it as a dac only to stream Tidal via a pc.  I have forgotten about cds.  Tidal offers 40 million tracks at redbook quality and are beginning to stream their "masters" which are at a higher resolution.  Like gdnrbob, I have not looked back.  I still pop in a cd occasionally just to confirm how good the streaming is.  Maybe a cdp with a digital input would offer you the best of both worlds.  Good luck.
pennsy
152 posts
 
Transport connected to DAC to preamp I found best reproduction! CD player??? Try Marantz!! Why??? Marantz and McIntosh are owned by same conglomerate! They share technology!
nordicnorm
313 posts
 
Best value under $1,000 right now in CD/SACD players is the Esoteric DV-50S.
dcbingaman
93 posts
 
For a contrarian view, I'd get a cheap Sony Blu-Ray Player like their pancake thick BX-37 which plays almost everything on silver discs, and run its output to a Meridian Direct DAC.  (Used to be called the "Director".). The Direct DAC uses Meridian's Apodizing filter from their Ultra DAC.  For less than $500 you'll have better sound than anything mentioned on this thread.
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