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$5000 universal player ... am I a fool ?

So now ... recently my old reference source player finally died and I needed to upgrade to keep up with the times, and I'm not sure if I played the part of a fool or no.
Redbook CD is of the utmost importance to me, even though it is done in the context of my home theater system, Egads ! So I went on the search to find a DVD player that would hold it's own against about any CD player in the $5000 range on down. I'm fairly sure I found that in the Lexicon RT-20 I purchased used off these forums. SQ is as good as any CDP I have owned up to about $7000.
Here is my dilema though : Blu Ray seems to be the future, and this "universal" player does not play Blu Ray.
I've read EVERY long post on these forums about Blu Ray playing 2ch audio, but there seems to be absolutely ZERO concensus about this subject.
So simply put, are there ANY Blu Ray players that MAY equal my RT-20 from it's analogue outputs ? Anyone heard a good comparison, or are we still just guessing ?
timtim
theo's avatar
theo
2,688 posts
 
Another option is Denon will be releasing their new BluRay later this year. This will replace the 5910ci. The new player will play all discs and Bluray. I currently have a 5910ci as well as a Ayre C5xeMP. I use the denon for movies and multi channel but use the Ayre for 2 channel. Although the spec calls out the same D/A convertors, Ayre has a much-much better sound. But stereophile nrates the 5910ci as a top player. I am assuming the new one will be better it is will certainly cost more than the 5910ci, look at denons website they have it on there.
psacanli
535 posts
 
I use a Spectral/MIT system and the Lexicon is a "remarkably" good player allround. An incredible bargain.
Really shines with good AC conditioning. The DVD video is excellent as well.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
opinions will vary....buy what you can afford, and like. as to the differences in all players....digital front ends are still 'just that', no matter the money spent.
timtim OP
84 posts
 
OK, back to the thread at last. Some of you mis-read my post. I do not have a $5000 budget to spend. I bought a $5000 Lexicon for $800 off this forum .... and it is just that, a FABULOUS sounding cd player with probably the single best DVD picture that is non HD.
But it won't play Blu Ray. Soooo, do I keep the Lexicon as simply a CD player and then add a $500 Blu Ray player to it, or are relatively inexpensive Blu Ray players soooo much better at playing Redbook Cd's that I can just replace the Lexicon entirely ...
Players the Lexicon equals or betters ? Naim CDX, Naim CD5, Sony SCD-1 , Linn's $5000 player, Arcam FMJ 36 ? , Theta Miles w/ Theta Pro Gen 3a, and others I have owned.
Why don't I just get a great Pre-pro ? Because I already own a nice B&K AVR-307 that has better SQ than literally ANY big receiver I have ever heard, and I mean ANY of them. Much more musical and realistic than Sony, Yamaha, ect, ect. Having said that, I've never heard a Pre-pro that sounded as good as most good separate DACs do, unless they are REALLY expensive, and I just can't afford those anymore.
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