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Upgrade my CD player or futile effort?

I would appreciate you guys input. I listen to 90% vinyl  and 10% CDs due to a lot of new music I get into only comes out on CDs. My analog system sounds fantastic to my ears but unfortunately my digital falls short. My analog system consists of:
-VPI Classic 1 TT
-Lyra Kleos cart
-PS Audio Stellar phono preamp
-Prima Luna 100 preamp
-Parasound Halo A21+ amp
-PBN Montana XPS speakers
-Dual Rythmick
F-12 subs
My CD player is a Marantz CD6005 running through my analog system.
Compared to my vinyl, overall the sound from my CDs lacks the depth and definition in bass, comes short in the soundstage and overall space in presentation and does not have the
same clarity in treble.
If I rate my analog sound a 9, I would rate my digital CD a 7.
My question is, would I benefit from a better CD player, even so the CD6005 is no slouch, or am I gonna end up in a goose chase?
I realize my CDs may never sound as good as my vinyl, but I would try to improve it if you guys think it would be worth the effort. Are there really some outstanding CD players out there that can measure up to vinyl? Personal experiences only please, do not need sales pitches by equipment associations you may have never listened to. Also all my cabling and room setup is a 10 to me with the analog so I wouldn't change any of that for my CD player listening.  Thanks.

128x128baylinor
orenstein
68 posts
 
I realized you've already committed to a specific upgrade but I'll add my 2 cents anyway.  As important as a DAC may be, the transport is at least equally significant.  The elimination of vibration and an accurate reading of the disc is where all the sound originates.  If that part of the system is inferior, everything which follows will suffer.

That being said, if you ever want to jump into the DEEP end of the CD player world, probably the best CD player ever made is the Naim CD555, coupled with the Naim 555 power supply.  It's even better when using two of the 555 power supplies, one to power the analog circuitry and the other to power the digital circuitry.  This is what I use along with a very high end analog system.  (Kuzma Stabi XL DC turntable w/ the Kuzma 14" 4 point tonearm and a Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum cartridge)  All of this plays into a Naim Statement system and then into Grandinote Mach 36 speakers.  All the cables are Luna (Noir).

Anyway, the Naim CD 555 is very expensive and is no longer in production (since 2017) but you can occasionally find one on the used market (as I did) for around $15,000 (including the power supply)
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baylinor's avatar
baylinor OP
1,445 posts
 
I appreciate the suggestion for a CD transport. After I see what the DAC is doing, I will probably go down that road. But doing one change at a time is something I need to stick to. In the past I got multiple new parts to my system at once and it became a real challenge to find out what piece had improved what. For now I am excited to see what the Denapris Ares II will do for the CD6005. Patience is a virtue 🙂
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@baylinor,
It should be interesting to see the outcome of your quest.

I’ve tried various CD players over the years and they all sounded more or less the same.

Therefore I stopped at my current deck, the Marantz CD6000ki.

I gradually diverted my energies into finding better masterings of various CD releases over the years - and yes, there are easily discernible differences to be found.

Differences which simply dwarf any of those to be found between any of the CD players I’ve heard, and I’ve heard quite a few.

These included various Marantz and Arcam decks, the Rega Saturn, the Linn CD12, Pioneer SACD, a few UK tuned Sony’s.

The only ones I haven’t heard are those strange hybrids which feature a tube output.

Perhaps it’s also worth bearing in mind that whilst not all LPs were not all equally well recorded and mastered, with CDs the search becomes increasingly more difficult.

It’s far easier unfortunately to compress the sound of a CD than it is of vinyl. Therefore we audiophile fans of mainstream music rarely get to hear just what they are capable of.

Not that those who produce the music could care any less of what we may think.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
@orenstein,
" I realized you’ve already committed to a specific upgrade but I’ll add my 2 cents anyway. As important as a DAC may be, the transport is at least equally significant. The elimination of vibration and an accurate reading of the disc is where all the sound originates. If that part of the system is inferior, everything which follows wilOrnstein,


Words of true wisdom and experience. Too often I read well meaning advice in regard to digital audio. It generally over emphasizes the DAC and treats the transport as an afterthought (Any run of the mill CD player will do). Yes a CD player or cheap transport will function, but not at a high level.

Choosing a high quality, well designed/engineered transport will result in a significant improvement (Compared to any old CD player will do mindset) in CD playback sound quality. They deserve the same level of thought and consideration as the DAC. Both are important and should be viewed as a matched pairing. No one would saay I have an excellent cartridge so the turntable,  tone arm or phono stage don't matter as much. The entire front end chain matters.
Charles
"
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