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CD player

I mainly stream music but do have a considerable jazz and classical music CD collection which I like to listen to on occasion. My CD player is a NAD C515bee. I run it through analog connection or as a transport vis Schiit Modi 3 DAC. To my ears I prefer NAD internal DAC which appears more open and dynamic but also harsh. I am considering getting a better CD player but would prefer to stay between $600 and $1000. I am looking at Rotel C11tribute, Marantz 6007CD or Audiolab CDT6000 which I would use with Schiit Modi 3 DAC. I am wondering if Schiit Modi 3 DAC is good enough to use with Audiolab and which of these three choices would provide best audio results? Rest of my system is Naim Nait 5si, ML 35XTI and ML Dynamo 800X speakers/sub. Thanks

xti35
ghdprentice
7,341 posts
 

I would recommend concentrating on improving your streaming (Streamer and DAC). My streaming is as good as my CD, stored files, and analog. This is possible at many price points. A CD player is a combined transport, streamer, and DAC. If you put your money into a good streamer and DAC. Schiit makes some great DACs: Gungnir and Yggdrasil. A good streamer and you should be able to listen to a nearly infinite library (including the music you own on CDs) for almost no cost.

 

I have 2,000 CDs that I never listen to because I can listen to them without getting up out of my chair and often they are at higher resolution… although I seldom do because I have found so much new music to listen to.

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,543 posts
 

The Cambridge AXC35 at only 350 bucks would be a great match to your ML 35XTI folded tweeter. A really nice sounding unit. 

dafox
38 posts
 

I wanted to get a cd playing system that I thought would be good enough that I wouldn’t be upgrading from it for a while so got an Audiolab cdt 6000 and a Denafrips ares II, I’m very pleased with it. After buying the pieces, reading reviews and others' comments about them, and my own listening I think I made a good decision and am pleased with it, not looking to upgrade. My only recent comparisons are an NAD cd player that I thought was bright and fatiguing and a Schiit modi 3+ that was quite good- no sins of comission just omission, you loose some detail but the overall sound was pleasant.

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