CD Player into amp?

The Oppos also have a variable output controlled by the remote. Mate one of those up to a good amp and you have the maknings of a very fine sounding system for cheap.

-RW-

RW,

You are correct. The Oppos have remote controlled variable volume. However, I believe it is a digital domain volume control which drops bits in order to decrease the volume. Digital volume controls have generally been attributed with losing some amount of resolution once they are turned down more than a couple of steps from max.

I own an Oppo 970 with level 3 mods from EVS. It is a very good player all around and I do use it connected directly to my power amps using the built-in digital volume control. I haven't noticed any major sonic degradation when playing it a lower volume levels, but I do sometimes feel that it is giving up a bit of resolution at lower volumes.

I believe that the Cary uses an anolog domain volume control. Same with the Theta Miles, Quad 99 CDP and resolution Audio Opus 21 players that I also owned and used CD direct to amp. These units control volume in the analog domain, so they do not lose resolution as the volume is lowered.

Enjoy,

TIC

Everytime I've tried running a CDP direct, I lost macrodynamics. This loss was greater than any of the advantages put together.

Arthur

I had a similar experience as Arthur. I ran my philips cd-80 direct into my amp cj mf2500 at the time. Could not tolerate the sound I had to go back to using an active pre cj premier 17 at the time.

I think it all depends on whether the cdp was designed to drive the input section of an amp. DCS, Audio Aero, Wadia have up to 6 volts of output.(I've had all three). I can see where a typical cd player with an off the shelf out-put op-amp at two volts is going to have problems. The quality of the volume control also is important at such low voltage.
I had a Placette passive volume control woth a Marantz cd player and it was great...but only at 75% volume and up. the rest of the volume range had the dynamics problems mentioned here. I just think if you took the money it costs for a good preamp and put it in the player it is a better value...assuming youa re cd only. Good luck.