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Cambridge Audio CD Player Has Died

I have a Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD player that is roughly 15 years old. A year ago the left channel went dead & was subsequently repaired. However, yesterday the audio output completely died (no sound whatsoever). Although the unit has served me well, I am reluctant to continue to put more money into repairs of an older unit.

That being said, I have a question for those of you who have more expertise than I. Is there a discernible difference in sound quality between high-end CD players & those more moderately priced? Although I do have a high-quality audio system, I would prefer not to spend a lot of money on a new CD player unnecessarily.
Thank you so much.
Kit
kitjv
jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,620 posts
 
Two very nice players are Marantz or Yamaha ( Crutchfield.com.)Then add a dac later.
If you stretch your budget a bit a Cambridge transport (Audioadvisor.com)and a Border Patrol dac(LTA.com) is a great combo.And a digital cable of your choosing.No affiliation with these companies,just some places to browse as you research.
I'm auditioning a Parasound dac right now that I really like except the upper midrange has a very slight glare that is bugging me.I have a new cable ordered that may clear that up,fingers crossed.Other than that one area it does everything right,silky and detailed.

tomcarr
1,692 posts
 
+1 for Marantz or Yamaha, also the Tascam 200 
tomcarr
1,692 posts
 
If you pursue separates, the Oppo 103 plays well with a Schiit Modi Multi, using Blue Jean 75-ohm digital coax.
kitjv OP
69 posts
 
Thank you, tomcarr & jtcf, for the recommendations. 
kitjv OP
69 posts
 
I’m curious.....will adding a dac to a stand-alone player appreciably improve the audio quality?
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