Cambridge 740c or Rega Apollo with Linn and Sonus

A furthur thought: people sell things not because the item itself isn't superior to what they have, but sometimes because it doesn't SOUND like what they want it to sound like. People talk about "more bass" as though it means something, when it simply means they may have no idea what a real bass instrument, like a tuba, sounds like and may therefore want something exaggerated. That's why listening to the human voice is a better way of determining sound than other types of recordings, and opera is probably best, since one can always listen to a bass singer on several amps and tell which one give the best tonality, transparency, dynamics, both - macro and - micro and focus and bloom. And they are also not overdubbed. So, hard to tell about things by what shows up on the site.

Hi all,
I'm also intrested in changing my actual cd player (nad c-542), and one of the candidates is the 840c!!

But I'm worried that it's not the best player for the music I listen the most (Sigur Ros, Portishead, Ulver, Isis, Neurosis, Rush, King Crimson, Diamanda Galas, John Zorn ecc ecc) As you can read, It's music full of electronica and electric guitar and so on... Do you think there are better solution for this kind of music?!?!

Take in mind that I've truly a very powerful and warm amplifier, so maybe it can add the groove that the cd-player miss... What do you think?

P.S. Sorry for my bad english!

I recently purchased the 740c and now have over 200 hours on it. Once you dial it into your system with interconnects and a power cord it is an excellent player with detail and clarity. The largest difference I hear in this player that sets it apart from other players is that it unravels the musical lines, other players tend to lump everything together forming a unintelligible distorted mangled mess. I love this player but wish it had a touch more dynamic slam, bass drum kicks are ever so slightly soft which leads me to wonder what the 840c sounds like in comparison. I must add that I had the Apollo several months ago and sold it, even though it uses the same Dac as the 740c it sounds like a very different machine.

Phill

The original poster has probably already made his decision by now, but for what it's worth, I have heard both the NAD and the Rega, and for my ears, there is absolutely no comparison - the Rega is the better player in every respect. I have not heard the Cambridge, so can't compare that one. I bought an Apollo after hearing it, and I have since heard other brands that cost about 5 times as much and don't come close to matching its quality.

I agree with Phill that the Cambridge's strongest dynamics are not in the bass. While it HAS bass kick, it doesn't bulge out at you - or perhaps I should say it doesn't launch a wavefront of great power at you. The 840, and from what I read recently, the 840 amp and preamp are all of the same breeding. The sound doesn't quite let loose in the way the Rega Apollo does, but I will say the Cambridge is quite a bit cleaner than the Rega, although perhaps less exciting.
It is nice to hear the musical lines separated from each other, isn't it Phill?