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$2,000 Used CD Player or Modified Oppo 105

I am looking at picking up an Oppo 105 to run directly through a Parasound P7 into a Parasound A21. My question is would I be better off buying a used Redbook CD player than spending an additional $2,000 in mods on the 105 to produce better 2 channel analog sound?

What would be the best used Redbook CD players up to $2,000 price range if this is the best course to follow?

All comments are much appreciated.
Bullitt
bullitt731
jafant's avatar
jafant
20,118 posts
 
Bullitt-

I would venture to suggest the new Rega Saturn-R or Naim spinners. I like both, but would choose the Naim- very musical for red-book cd only. This player can be bought for $2K or less. I concur on a Sony ES cd player as well.
Happy Listening!
dbphd
1,632 posts
 
I bought the Ayre used, but it was still more than twice the price I paid for the 105 new. The 105 sounds etched, especially compared to the Ayre, and is unable to deliver quite the sense of transparency of the Ayre -- the Ayre has an uncanny ability to make jazz trios, quartets, chamber groups and soloists seem as though they might be sitting around the KEF Reference 107/2 speakers. Neither the Oppo or Sony possess that ability. The Ayre uses XLR, the Oppo and Sony RCA, but I've used both the Oppo and Sony with XLR. The other XLR input of my JC-2 is devoted to a JC-3 phono stage.

db
bullitt731 OP
25 posts
 
Dbphd
You nailed exactly why I am having such a hard time deciding the best course of action. I have no interest in computer orientated source material at this particular time and HT has taken a back burner as well. I thought I might be able to upgrade my HT set up and 2 channel rig together using the 105 as a one source unit. I currently use a Oppo 83SE, but find the audio section much too sterile and actually use an Arcam DV29 for 2 channel. The Ayre C-5xeMP is at the top of my list for a pre owned CD player. I suspect I might be happier picking up a pre owned Ayre and keeping the 83SE for HT for now. Then possibly upgrading the HT set up down the road.
dbphd
1,632 posts
 
I expected the Ayre to sound good after all the rave reviews, but I was surprised by how good. Of course it's superb with DSD as expected, but it's also superb with CDs, and that was unexpected. If you play mostly DSD, the Sony is close, but if you play a lot of CDs, I think trying to find a pre-owned Ayre is a good way to go.

The 105 is no slouch, though. I think it's just not quite in the same league as the Ayre.

db
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
Why not go ahead and get the Oppo 105 and see for yourself how it sounds? Oppo give you 30 days in-home trial period, avail yourself of that. Who knows, maybe it will be just fine right out of the box...

-RW-
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