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Dedicated Red Book CD player vs. "Universal" type players....

I surmise this discussion has been debated a fair amount but here goes....I'm searching for the "final" cd player. Red Book playback is important to me as I have an extensive cd collection and am not into computer based sound (yet). So, I don't mind grabbing and popping those silver disks into a player. What are my fellow Audiogoner's thoughts on a dedicated cd player vs. the universal (see Oppo) type of player? Does a one-box solution sacrifice some cd playback performance trying to be a jack of all trades? If so, can you hear that difference? Input and comments most appreciated!
128x128beernut
beernut's avatar
beernut OP
299 posts
 
I thank you for the input!
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,500 posts
 
I have an Esoteric UX-3 CD,SACD and DVD audio player which is my LAST player.  It is built to very high standards, includes an r to r ladder dac and sounds incredible.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
It is built to very high standards, includes an r to r ladder dac and sounds incredible.

No doubt :)

jenn's avatar
jenn
12 posts
 
Beernut, my suggestion is you need to listen to PS Audios Direct Stream Memory Player and Direct Stream dac .
We have a large collection of CDs including SACDs along with some of the more popular HI-Res downloads we also thought to try and we prefer the physical ownership of discs also we prefer the sound quality of our best recorded discs too the so called HIRes downloads .
in_shore's avatar
in_shore
596 posts
 
I agree with Jenn ,the new PS Audio direct stream player & dac are “fantastic” sounding , anyone that owns a large collection of discs and prefer physical ownership of their music collection need to listen to PS Audios new player. Nothing that I owed in the past of $10,000 to $18,000 dollar price category can compare which includes Esoteric and EMM Labs ,.Also comparing expensive so labled hi-Res down too PS Audios digital lens memory is truly a revolution in digital playback something that has been promoted and never delivered in the audio press for decades,..Check PS Audio out ,. 
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