+1: Go with the most recent Bryston cdp
Hybrid SACD`s can be played on any cd player.
Hybrid SACD`s can be played on any cd player.
Advice needed re: new CD player purchase
Hello everyone. New member but long-time lurker here. My system: Bryston 4B-ST amp, Bryston BP25 preamp, and Meridian 508.24 CD player (all purchased in 1998 and all performing flawlessly), Kimber KCAG balanced interconnects, Audioquest speaker cable, and Esoteric power cords. I have Thiel CS2.4 loudspeakers.
I have about 4500 CDs (about 3% of which are hybrid SACDs). I love my system, but I want a new CD player. Am I right to think that advances in audio technology over the last 24 years have left my Meridian in the dust, sonically speaking? So I have been looking at various players. A few parameters: I will only buy new; I want XLR outputs; and I’d prefer to not spend over 5k.
I’m looking hard at the Bryston BCD-3, and the Technics SL-G700. Having owned Bryston products now for almost 24 years, I’m extremely impressed by their build quality and performance. However, the BCD-3 is not an SACD player. I’ve read a few solid reviews of the Technics, but I’m suspicious of their long-term reliability. There are no dealers where I live or within 200 miles. I looked at the Marantz line, and their only player with balanced outputs is the SA-10, which I’ve heard is awesome but I’m unwilling, at this point, to pay $7500 (although my mind is not closed on the matter).
Anyone here have either the Bryston or the Technics player? Will I notice a marked improvement with a new player (as compared to my 508.24)? Like most of you, this is my life. After work, I listen 2-3 hours per day, sometimes more on weekends. Thanks in advance for your advices.
I have about 4500 CDs (about 3% of which are hybrid SACDs). I love my system, but I want a new CD player. Am I right to think that advances in audio technology over the last 24 years have left my Meridian in the dust, sonically speaking? So I have been looking at various players. A few parameters: I will only buy new; I want XLR outputs; and I’d prefer to not spend over 5k.
I’m looking hard at the Bryston BCD-3, and the Technics SL-G700. Having owned Bryston products now for almost 24 years, I’m extremely impressed by their build quality and performance. However, the BCD-3 is not an SACD player. I’ve read a few solid reviews of the Technics, but I’m suspicious of their long-term reliability. There are no dealers where I live or within 200 miles. I looked at the Marantz line, and their only player with balanced outputs is the SA-10, which I’ve heard is awesome but I’m unwilling, at this point, to pay $7500 (although my mind is not closed on the matter).
Anyone here have either the Bryston or the Technics player? Will I notice a marked improvement with a new player (as compared to my 508.24)? Like most of you, this is my life. After work, I listen 2-3 hours per day, sometimes more on weekends. Thanks in advance for your advices.
- ...
- 89 posts total
Nearly everyone is telling me to get a good transport with appropriate digital output, and a separate DAC. Then you can also use the DAC for streaming as well as SACD/CD Play. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/better-cd-sound-the-search No matter what, the drawer has to open/close; CD has to spin and be read: belts get worn; internal moving parts get dirty or lube gets sticky and lasers get old/weak or out of alignment and no longer read the discs. I checked date of manufacture and availability of replacement parts when considering. I want a combination of single and changer. Space considerations, and no desire to stream, I am staying with a units with internal DAC(s). Cost considerations I am going used. I researched, determined I wanted dual DACs and decided to try one with Burr Brown DACs; another with Wolfson DACs. Denon 2910 arrived played erratically for 2 days, then Laser couldn't find the discs at all. New laser arrives Monday, fingers crossed. It plays SACD and CD. Integra CDC-3.4 changer does not play SACD, I found one made in 2019, it arrives this coming Friday. Belts and Lasers are currently available. Many units are missing remotes, I limit choices to units with remotes, and it if breaks, replacement remotes available. Even then: sometimes an unidentified change is made, and a different remote used. Integra used one remote until they issued Mark 2 with a different remote. suffix letter M after the serial # means mark 2, otherwise there is no way of knowing mark 2 exists. It took me many emails to get that answer. |
You make a good case for why I ripped my ~600 CDs years ago and play them from a NAS. IME, it sounds better too, YMMV. With 4500 discs, that would be a real tall order! It's a shame; maybe some boutique company will start a renaissance of transport building. Where's the Wadia guys when you need them? Cheers, Spencer |
While I understand your concern about longevity and parts availability, your insistence upon upon 1) buying new and2) sticking with the old-fashioned, single-unit CDP place significant limits upon leveraging technological improvements, it seems to me it would be wiser to buy a recent used transport and a used DAC. However, if you are not open to approaches other than the one you've outlined, what's stopping you from simply buying the BCD-3 ? ? ? |
- 89 posts total