What CD Player to replace McIntosh MCD550?

On sale very good option Audio Resaerch unit worth a consideration:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis91g7b-audio-research-cd-3-mkii-cd-sacd-players

Bill, what is your budget? What sound characteristics & features (eg:: sacd, DSD/MQA support) are you wanting from your next player? And what is your accompanying equipment? Cheers.

$5k is my budget and needs digital inputs.  My set up is a McIntoish C220 tube preamp and using a MA6600 as a power amp.

We just took back from the original owner a fascinaing CD player, the AMR CD 77. This is a massive 80lb top loader which sold for $8,500.00


http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/abbingdon/abbingdon.html

The cool thing is the actual laser mechanisim is readily avalaible and easy to replace as long as you are a bit handy.

The player uses the original Philps 1541 dac chip and portrays a very natural and very liquid presentation.

Unlike an Esoteric which uses only proprietary parts for the drive mechansim the replacement part is about $120 the AMR mounted the laser in a brass housing and suspended that entire assembly on damped spings, it took a brand new $9k machine to displace it.

Selling it for $3.5k very nice performance for that kind of money.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

Bill, Is SACD a requirement? As that would rule out the AMR player suggested above, as well another tube rbcd player Personally I wouldn’t offer more than $4500 taking into account what was covered in the service. though they’re accepting offers. I previously owned a CD-5s which I modded/tube-rolled & can attest that is a musical sounding rbcd player with good bass. It also has a very good linestage (once modded/tube rolled). That was Ayon’s best work up to the current series now that they’ve got their mojo back. But be aware that both the AMR and Ayon players are made in China. In the case of Ayon - in Koowloon, Hong Kong.

If SACD is a requirement, there is an Esoteric K-03 on A’gon asking $5200. That player also has the digital inputs you need. Though my only reservations are that it is a better SACD player than RBCD player, and has an unecessarily complex set of filter and other settings, although the TAS review provides some setup tips as a hack.

Another option out of left field. Have you considered a high end server/streamer in lieu of a disc spinner? I recently got to listen to and have a play with the Aria Piccolo + which has very good software, a good dac & has an optional fully automatic cd ripper. You literally insert the disc into the ripper & it is automatically ripped to the server which uses Accurate rip. There is also 3TB of HDD storage, or up to 2TB of SSD storage (optional). The new ’plus’ model is a 3rd generation product and has impressive build quality and specs for the money. I believe it has all the features you require, and you should be able to pick up one new with the optional ripper & 2TB of SSD storage for under $5k - http://ariamusicserver.com/products/aria-piccolo-plus/#1519918517070-90078e81-be63