2. digital
  3. 1149914320

What is the best redbook CD player for 6K to 8K?

I am looking for the best redbook CD player for 6K to 8K that will project a 3 dimensional hologram-like sound image. I am considering the Mark Levinson 390S CD player. I am open for suggestions concerning comparisons between this and other CD players of equal or better sound quality. Universal players are out of the running since I own only redbook CDs. The fickle finger of fate has not made up it's mind about the next generation of media technology. So until then I will be patient and enjoy what I have.
redwoodgarden
jp1208
502 posts
 
Yes I believe modded players have evolved especially in the last year. Now you can start comparing apples to apples. Even reviewers get there equipment modified. Esoteric, Reimyo, and Linn gear just to name a few. You will see more and more of these modded players at CES and the like for years to come.
trelja
3,226 posts
 
Alex, thank you for your involvement in this thread!

A couple of questions, if you would be so kind... The laser pickup and the transport are the parts likely to fail. What, in your estimation, is a reasonable life expectancy for these parts in 95%+ of the cases? 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? Or, more?

And, many audiophiles see a player as shot when they insert a disk, but nothing happens. Is this simply the laser pickup? If so, and it's easily repairable, for some of us who are willing to try to do it ourselves if the day ever arose where we saw this failure, is it a relatively inexpensive part?

Thank you for all of your insight!
Joe
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Trelja, in 95% of the cases, when it comes to a well designed digital player that does not have faulty processors like the Philips SACD1000 for example, the laser pick-up is the only part that would fail. Whether it will start skipping or it would say "no disc" when you load a CD, it is still the laser.

When it comes to a regular CD player, it can work even 20+ years, especially when it comes to top-line CD players built around the flagship Philips and Sony (an couple of others) transports/laser pick up assemblies.

Unfortunately, this does not apply for the laser pick up designed to read CD and DVD/SACD. These latest technology devices are a lot more complicated than a usual CD laser. Also, the actual laser diodes in a CD/DVD laser are working much harder compared to CD only pick up.

Of course, it really depends on the usage. If you have CD/SACD player only, you may have it working for 5 years and more given you're not using it 24/7, and especially if you are playing CD's most of the time it will last longer. When it comes to universal players, and if you also watch DVD movies on them, the life expectancy is shorter. Depending on the quality of the laser, the life can be from few months to couple of years.

In 99% of the cases, replacement laser assemblies are available in the range of $90-200. It is fairly easy to replace them too.

Bottom line is, if you like the sound of a certain player you own and it stops reading the disc, there is nothing to worry about.

Regards,
Alex
ludimagis
130 posts
 
I can say from over a years experience that the
Audio Aero Capitole MKII (preferably SE) on the used market is worth a listen.($4-5K) Totally revitalized my entire redbook collection. Full layered 3D soundstage and a very natural sound. Or get a dealer to discount the newer Capitole Referance. (Retail $9500) Truely a world class player.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
TVAD, yes of course you are correct, the comparison of an APL 1000 vintage late 2004, even sporting the very latest engineering changes available at that time, is not a fair comparison with a player which retails for approximately twice as much, even though the latter was released in Japan at a similar time. In some sense that was my very point, the APL 1000 was quite a good performer at its price point, yet not necessarily the very last cry in performance at any price that it was sometimes claimed to be.
As you correctly also point out, I have not had the opportunity of auditioning an APL 3910, nor an NWO-1, nor an NW-02. Comparing one of them directly with an X-01 Limited -- the current latest and greatest in TEAC single-box purely audio players -- would be an extremely intriguing musical experience. Of course any unit involved would need to be completely broken in prior to any serious listening, or the entire exercise would be devoid of meaning. Still, at least in the case of an X-01 Limited pitted against the NWO-1 and NWO-2, the comparison would be in a sense that of an apple -- or at least of a tangerine -- with a couple of oranges, if you only consider the significant list price difference of a stock X-01 with these UX-1 based reingeneered units.
More to discover