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Vinyl guy seeking recommendation for a top level cd player

I know cds are dead.  Best time to buy a cd player, the way it looks.  I want an all in one box.  I don't stream so a separate DAC is not required.  Most of my cd collection have been ripped to a PC as Flac files and then down loaded to a Sony HAP-Z1ES.  Currently about 3000 Redbook and perhaps 100 SACDs.  The way cds are being dumped I figure on becoming a buyer again so these numbers will go up.  I have looked at Marantz SA10, Esoteric K1 (lightly used), and Luxman D-10X, so far.  It would be good if the sound could approach vinyl.  The Z1 does up to a point.  Listening this morning to the same recordings, the Z1 compares to a high end MM cartridge, but not to a SoundSmith Experion.  Maybe I am asking too much, but in any event a new cd player is being sought.  Thanks in advance for any advice.
Bill
billstevenson
pengun
79 posts
 
Just rip your CDs to an NVMe drive. They play much better from one really. A DVD/Blueray burner is incredibly good at this kind of thing and is about $40 these days.
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
modwright’s modded sony or marantz or oppo units with tube output stage are very hard to beat for sound quality, but you have to deal with multiple boxes, umbilicals, tubes etc etc

levinson’s top players were excellent, there is one just fixed up on the other used gear site

the vacuum state modded top tier sony’s are also really wonderful solid state units

i still have a modwright and a vsei sony scd-1...

among current players, the hegel mohican has had excellent reviews, i have not heard it, but hegel only makes stuff that sounds great


billstevenson OP
352 posts
 
There are a couple of things I don't want:  Any kind of a computer integrated directly into my sound system or any other kind of an Erector Set of subcomponents such as disc drive, DAC and clock just to play silver discs.  I view this as a secondary source.  That it why I specified a one box solution in my OP.  As far as PS Audio is concerned a couple of thoughts:  First, their two box solution does much the same thing as the Marantz SA10, different approach but net effect quite similar, but at twice the price.  Second, the company screwed their dealer network over last year and have effectively fixed their prices in an anti-competitive manner.  I own their excellent power supply equipment, but don't think I want to get further in bed with them.
Back to the Marantz SA10, What HiFi is the only resource I have found so far that has rated both it and the Luxman D10X (although there are other ratings for one or the other).  The ratings were done at different times, however, and I don't know anything about the credibility of What HiFi.  Can anyone offer insight?
I am unfamiliar with Hegel.
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chilli42
111 posts
 
Suggest you have a look at the Ayon players.  The CD 10 or CD 35 (generation II Ultimate).  Does PCM to DSD then runs it through a slow roll off filter (if you like). Tube output stage.  The strength is musicality … analogue like for a CD player.  If money allows, consider the Weiss DAC (two different models depending on your budget) and Transport.  
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