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Crazy to buy a 17 year old CD Player?

My ARC CD2 just died...I think the laser finally gave up the ghost.  Any how I've got thousands of red book CDs in my library and need a replacement player.  I'm thinking an ARC CD 3MKII or the Mark Levinson 390S.  Am I crazy to be thinking this?  Got a budget of around $2000.00.  My system, though dated, is made up of higher end stuff: ARC 25 pre amp, ARC VT 150 mono amps, VPI TNT IV, Wilson Witts, all running through Transparent Reference (Balanced).
cmcdaniel5
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,403 posts
 
Someone recently posted about this Cary model on sale/closeout.

The last Cary deck I listened to was the 306, so don't know how this one sounds.

https://carydirect.com/shop-now/digital-sources/dmc-600.html

DeKay
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
cmcdaniel5
  Crazy to buy a 17 year old CD Player?
No, definitely not, not if you want the best from a RedBook (pcm) collection.
But you need one of the players that use R2R Multibit conversion to get the best from RedBook (pcm).
Your choice of the ML 390s is OK, but it's a Delta Sigma dac converter based unit, you'll be far better off getting the earlier ML No.39 as it's R2R Multibit PCM1702 and it has the HDCD PMD100 HDCD filter chip, a far better choice.

Cheers George  
whipsaw
754 posts
 
I use a ~15 year-old Electrocompaniet EMC 1-UP, and it is both excellent, and built like a tank.

Further info here:

http://www.electrocompaniet.no/products/classic/digital/discontinued/emc1up.html
bigkidz
3,330 posts
 
Buying an older unit is fine if you get a rally good deal.  I would see if the parts are still available or the mfg still supports the unit.  Georgehifi is right about the R2R they do sound better IMO but a good DAC design can make things sound special also.  Happy Listening.
jl35
3,944 posts
 
I found the CD3mkll to sound significantly better than the CD2
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