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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
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
3,396 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).
jppenn
130 posts
 
I have used the Wadia 302's back panel gain control to better align its output between my player and my preamp. In my case, I actually bumped the gain up to its max (the opposite of your situation). The Wadia 302 affords you three levels of gain adjustment. BTW, the Wadia 302 produces an excellent sound...although I know that the Ayre is good too. Good luck, Jim
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