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Suggestions for adjustable gain CD player

I am looking for a relatively high quality CD player with adjustable gain, and I have been looking at the Wadia 302 player for one example. I do not need a unit with a volume control since I will be using it with a preamp. I currently have an Ayre CX7e player, which has an output level that is too hot for my system, otherwise I would keep it. I have tried Rothwell attenuators and did not like what they did for the sound quality. I am interested in players in the $2,000 to $3,000 price range, and do not need multi-format or DVD. Any further suggestions would be appreciated.
mitch2
mitch2 OP
3,752 posts
 
Thanks Newbee for the thoughts. My system has changed and is not finalized, so I have not yet posted the changes. I do like to keep the system simple, and I still have the Aerial 9's and DNA 500, but I sold the Muse gear. I currently have the Ayre source and have been trying several tube preamps including the VTL 5.5 and an Atma-Sphere MP-3 (both nice). I want to stay with an all balanced system and I am considering getting back into vinyl so I will probably keep the MP-3. Therefore, the player will go through a preamp. The Ayre player ran hot through the MP-3, so that I could only use one or two clicks before the volume was getting quite loud. That is why I am interested in the Wadia players that allow you to adjust from 0.5 to 2.0 V output. Do you know of any others?
getheleadout
144 posts
 
Greetings,

I suggest you keep your Ayre and spent $1,000 on a Placette RVC to go between your Ayre and Amps.

Placette is pretty much the best volume control on the planet and would far exceed anything you're going to get from a variable output from any source unit.

With the Placette, you also get remote volume control! I'm not sure life gets much better than that...Happy Listening
pawlowski6132
592 posts
 
I had the Cary 303/300 and loved it.
peterb
108 posts
 
The APL NWO-2.5 has this feature.
gregm
3,397 posts
 
Your Ayre is a good product, as many have noted. Its preamp stage is good ASAI can tell.
So, my suggestion is, keep the Ayre for now and consider a ladder volume control (like a placette, above) or a transformer volume control (like Bent? I think).
Later you can bypass the Ayre's attenuation altogether. These "passive" control units also offer switching capability so you can accommodate other sources (phono, etc).
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