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Cambridge 840c vs. Bryston BCD-1 vs. Ayre CX-7e

I’m looking for a new CD player in the $1500-$3000 bracket. As my Sonic Frontiers Line 3 preamp definitely sounds best when run fully balanced, I’ve narrowed my search to a player with balanced out.

Besides the much discussed relative merits of the Cambridge Audio Azur 840c, Bryston BCD-1 and Ayre CX-7e, I’d welcome opinions on the following two specific questions.

(1) As my budget maxes out at 3K, would it be better to:

(a) get the Cambridge and splurge on 2 pairs of up-to-date balanced interconnects (possible candidates include: Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II; PS Audio xStream Resolution Transcendent; Synergistic Research Alpha Sterling Discrete)? or

(b) get the Bryston or Ayre and stick (for the moment at least) with my (original version) balanced AudioQuest Emerald cables?

(2) are there any other balanced-out players out there in this price bracket that I’ve overlooked and should be considering? (For instance, the Cary CDP-1, though it doesn’t seem to have been as well received as my other three contenders.)

Thanks to all.
128x128twoleftears
know_talent
34 posts
 
Stick with the IC's you have and invest as much as you can afford in the CDP...

The BCD or Ayre are both good choices but I would also consider stretching for the Consonance Droplet 5.0 which I believe is close to $3000.

http://www.opera-consonance.com/products/DropletCDP50CDplayer.htm
know_talent
34 posts
 
forgot to add the Primare CD31...

It gets decent reviews as well!
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears OP
5,318 posts
 
Thanks Know_talent!

So, besides the three mentioned in the thread title, other balanced-out CD players in this price bracket that I'm aware are:

Cary CDP 1
Consonance Droplet CDP5.0
NAD M5
Primare CD31
Raysonic CD-168
Vincent CD-S5

What am I missing?

Any thoughts on these?
countingbackwards
138 posts
 
Can't comment on a direct comparison or what would work in other systems, but in its first 2 weeks in my system, the Ayre CX-7e has been fantastic. A night-and-day improvement over my last player (a Meridian).
ckoffend
684 posts
 
At just about you price range in the used market would be a Resolution Audio Opus 21 with GNSC mods (probably have to stretch your budget by about $300-400). This is an excellent player and should be considered certainly above several of these other players and in-line with some. I would put this more in line with the better Ayre players. Since I have not personally listened to the Raysonic, I better not comment on that unit, having heard good things about it (mostly by dealers on this site).
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