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Better CD Sound: The Search

Went Big into Vinyl last 2 years, then re-discovered my many CD’s, mixing it up plenty now.

I continue to try and find a CD Player with better sound than my existing cheapo Sony Changer that surprisingly keeps on keeping on.

I am hoping recent upgrades to the system will more readily reveal differences:

99.9999 copper speaker wires and interconnects, locking rca connectors, mx110z tube tuner/preamp overhaul by Audio Classics; cayin a88t bias by VAS; 16 ohm L-Pads replacing 8 ohm pots; and finally a I bought a sound meter to balance/refine the speaker’s L-Pads (it ain’t easy) for the best sound ever.
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CD Quest So Far:

I want dual processors, go used to keep cost down, even consider older vintage.

1. my Onkyo Grand Integra (DX-7500 I think), fixed the damn drawer opening problem several times.

2. This cheapo Sony Changer given to me, eh, use if for parties, why not.
surprisingly sounded as good as the Onkyo to me and friends, gave the annoying Onkyo away.

3. tried used Oppo 83 Video Player for it’s audio

Laser was weak, ’no disc’, found it is a common problem with heavily used lasers. Back it went

4. lightly used Oppo 105. Everything worked, but didn’t sound better than the Sony. Oppo is big, single, expensive, not sellers fault, so I sold it myself rather than return it, lost $205. on that attempt.

5. ’new original stock’ KLH (made by?). played a few discs, then the discs started mis-tracking on discs I know are ok.

found small black bits clinging to the surface in the area of the problems (cds play from the inside out, just guess how far out). Turned out, the belt(s) were dried out, thus when put into motion after years of storage (where?), they shed bits of rubber. Back it went, full refund including return shipping. never compared it to the Sony’s sound

6. Resolved: if vintage, make sure belts are available, get a low price, open it up when it arrives, watch it move ... use, replace belts, return as last choice.

7. Just Bought Two, in transit, One Single; One 6 Disc Changer. (both with oem remotes and power cords, most for sale are missing).

a. Denon DVD-2910 Single Player (big dent on the top. $52. del’d, eBay) (crutchfield keeps old info on their site)
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-6TIPMQKBMUZ/p_033DV2910B/Denon-DVD-2910-Black.html

b. Onkyo Integra CDC-3.4 six disc changer (open box/demo) ($51. delivered) (bserplus.com)
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_164CDC34/Integra-CDC-3-4.html

c. a bag of belts. because I will be keeping something, and I have other old stuff with belts
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334135204014

d. spare rare OEM remote for Integra 3.4, eBay

Keeping My Ears Crossed!

elliottbnewcombjr
elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,480 posts
 

I found/think, after the DAC(s) it really is the combo of an OEM's bag-o-tricks (over ... up.... re-..., anti... ) you 'prefer', why I finally found something I prefer to prior Sony which I preferred over many.

Still thinking about SACD DSD out the RCA jacks without conversion to PCM.

I have been reading about some older SACD players. It's the aging of the lasers, belts, motors, dried lube that concerns me, but some tempting finds:

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Sony SCD-XA5400ES, 2009

SACD DSD out the RCA jacks, no conversion to PCM. Upscales CDs 8x to SACD numbers, then out same as SACD.

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Sony SCD-XA777ES, 2001, 6 audiio dacs, 3 left channel, 3 right channel.

2 lasers: 1 sacd, 1 cd. some lasers were 'fixed' the disk traversed while spinning.

https://www.stereophile.com/hirezplayers/491/index.html

note: XA... is front loader, the top loader was SCD-777ES, 55lb beast

2 fixed lasers, 6 audio dacs, 5 selectable 'filter' sounds.

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SCD-XA1200ES, 2009, 8 DACs

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Pioneer Elite DV79AVi, 2007, 3 audio dacs, I want to learn more about it

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue30/pioneer_dv79avi.htm

elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,480 posts
 

Luxman D-03X Digital Player uses:

Dual Monaural D-to-A converters

LUXMAN engineers selected a pair of Texas Instruments 32-bit PCM1795 digital-to-analog converters to process digital signals with remarkable precision. Separating left and right channel conversion helps reveal the subtlest micro-dynamics.

http://luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=36

 

McIntosh MCD85 SACD/CD/STream

Conversion of the digital data stored on the discs or in the digital music stream into an analog signal for playback is performed by a quad balanced, 8-channel, 32-bit/192kHz Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). Four DAC channels are dedicated to the left audio channel, and four to the right audio channel to ensure truly exceptional stereo sound reproduction.

 

elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,480 posts
 

I sold my Integra CDC-3.4 II here. Kept the Yamaha DVD-C961 (plays SACDs)

found out about/bought a lightly used SONY SCD-5400ES, (surprised nobody mentioned it). Upscales CD's to DSD#s, and SACD out without PCM conversion.

 

 

 

 

 

AND

After my Denon 'lost the spring' Humiliation, Mr. Fixit goes for Redemption:

I just bought a non-working Integra CDC-3.4 Mark II for $53. delivered. (a hospital, they are unable to test things). I have the remote. Wish me luck.

elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,480 posts
 

$40. Integra CDC-3.4 Mark II arrived: 'Mech. Error'.

Cover off, revolving tray was resistant to movement, a bit of a forced spin, it freed up, works perfectly. Less than 5 minutes!

I think someone dropped it, or carried it upside down or something. 

some fresh lube, now what?

Sony SCD-xa5400ES due Sunday.

Makes up for the humiliation of the lost Denon spring. I didn't like the sound of the Denon, but someone might have preferred it and wanted it.

elliottbnewcombjr OP
5,480 posts
 

Absolutely LOVE this Sony SACD/CD Player SCD-xa5400ES

ALL CDs sound better, first 2 comparisons: equal to LP

SACD without intermediate PCM conversion: Awesome, now I know what some have been hearing. 

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If someone you let go regrettably used you as a job reference, and you get a call, you respond "I cannot say enough good things about ..."

I truly cannot say enough good things about this Sony SCD-xa5400es.

Very familiar, very revealing content, ALL CDs, all SACDs: ALL OBVIOUSLY, SURPRISINGLY BETTER. Not Preferred, BETTER!

Andreas Vollenweider’s White Winds; sounds of the Eurythmics Underground Train; Distinction of ’No More Tears’ duet by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer; Richard Burton and the Martian Death Rays in Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds; ah, there’s a second mandolin behind Kate Wolf’s guitar; the distinction of different string types of the 3 guitars on Friday Night in San Francisco; and finally, what SACD people who have been hearing that I never heard properly until now.

FUNDAMENTALS. I think there is a tighter, firmer, more solid, ... start to the fundamental of Each and Every Note. Improved overtones, volume and time decay all follow that BETTER start. I have never heard a CD sound so good anywhere.

The 3 guitars on Friday Night in San Francisco, my favorite music to refine my cartridge’s anti-skate. I am very very familiar, love this music. I could not imagine the added degree of genuine realism this player got out of a standard CD.

I am sooooo glad I kept going on the DSD/no pcm conversion search, the unexpected big win here is the redbook cd output from it’s 8x oversampling filter.

SACD. Among others I have a series of Oscar Peterson performances, ’exclusively for my friends’. my prior listening conclusion was ’lower noise floor’, eh, I’m not spending a lot more for that. OH holy crap, first one I tried, Mellow Mood SACD, just landed in the room.

You know how a visitor says, "sounds like they are right there" and you know your system, you know it’s great, but no, right there it is not. This seemed like Oscar was playing my Uncle Johnnie’s piano right there!

I can keep slobbering, or go listen. Bye!

EVERYONE: get thee an xa5400es!!!

 

 

 

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