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CD player choices

Hi,  I have a NAD M5 running through a Yamaha A S 2100.  Speakers are Mirage M3 or OM5.  Cannot decide between them.  I was looking at other players for a little more vertical extension as the NAD is very good but not a lot of air.  .  I am not into hyper detail and do not like that grey sound I seem to hear from the Oppo 105 and 95 I had  I think it is an ESS thing? Richness and body to images is a good thing.  I was looking at

Denon DCD 1600NEYamaha CD S1000Sony 5400
I tried the Sony before I go the Amp and felt the NAD and an older Sony were more full bodied.  I owned a Denon 1650AR for 10 years and really enjoyed it and the Denon DBP 2012 universal SACD Blu Ray player I have is really good.  I just wish the stage was bigger but everything else is really good about it.

I am not looking for anything different then these OK maybe a Marantz SA 8001 available locally but have had the 8005 and 8004 and felt others were better  I guess the question  is has anyone compared the above players head to head?? Thanks
128x128geph0007
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 
Pioneer elite dv-58avi. And. Pioneer elite dv-79avi.
best players I’ve ever heard. 
 Yamma cd-s300 pr newer s303 I think?

great players. 
New Yamaha cds303 is better than the 300, better dac.
mahler123
3,418 posts
 
Budget?  Without knowing what it is, consider Bryston.  I own the DAC3, which has the same AKM chip, and I think it is what you are looking for
curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
4,931 posts
 
I have an Oppo also, and you are right, it doesn’t sound great on its own. Heck, my Sony CDP 2700, from 1992, sounds better than the Oppo! But when hooked to an external DAC it’s a fine transport. I’d definitely suggest you look for an external DAC and keep the Oppo as a transport.

All the best.

JD
geph0007's avatar
geph0007 OP
184 posts
 
Hii,  Using the slow filter on the NAD opened it up .  Not wanting separate DACS (extra cables more variables never ends)  The ones above are the ones I am looking at. Nothing else.
8th-note
420 posts
 
Have you hooked up two CD players to your Yamaha and compared them directly with each other using the same song? Play a song or section of a song through one player and then switch to the other making sure that the volume is the same. Don't do this just once, do it several times over the course of a week and note the differences you hear on each listening. An even better way is to get an extra copy of one of your favorite CDs so you can toggle back and forth while the song is playing.

I wouldn't make a judgement on CD player sound if you haven't done a comparison like this. I have 3 CD players, one transport, and two DACs ranging in price from $500 to $8000 and when I compare any two of them head to head I'm surprised how similar they sound to each other. I think you will be chasing a rainbow if you are trying to significantly change the sound of your system by getting a new CD player. One of my players is the Marantz SA8005 and it holds its own with just about anything. If you had an 8005 and didn't like it I'm concerned you will never be happy.

BTW, for many years I ran a pair of Mirage M3si speakers using a Krell KSA 300S amp. I still have them but a few years ago a friend sold me his Thiel CS6 speakers which are a significant improvement but those Mirage's served me well for a long time.
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