Best Cd Player under $4000?

Hi Erasto,

You know I was thinking.., regardless of what you decide to do with your system, or speakers or whatever, you should give strong consideration, into not spending $4000 on a CD Player only.

First let me say that I absolutely put tremendous value on the importance of a top-notch front-end. I also think that we're all in agreement here that your Cambridge Azur 840C is no slouch. Now, I must admit, that I have not actually listened to it, but I have read the reviews and I have heard the buzz about it, and most people on this thread seem to feel that it's pretty good.

In my opinion CD Transports have not advanced that much in the past 5 years, unless you need a Transport that plays SACD, or some other new High Resolution Formats.

I don't know how tech-savvy you are with the computer, but the future of digital is a High Resolution Music Server Set-Up. So, here is what I was thinking..., regardless of what you decide to do with your speakers. I think you should keep your Cambridge CD Player, use it as a Cd transport, and consider buying an external DAC that can handle 24Bit/96kHz or a, Logitech Transporter that plays High Resolution 24Bit/96kHz Music Files from your computer, if you were unhappy with the internal DAC of the Transporter, then an additional future upgrade can always be an external DAC that plays High Resolution Music Files.

As a matter of fact, you could always buy the High Resolution DAC "first" and use your Cambridge as the transport now, and then later, purchase a Music Streamer. If you do buy an external DAC, then please make sure that it could natively handle 24Bit/96kHz files.

See, if you think about what I'm saying, I'm actually trying to lead you down the High Resoluion Music Server upgrade path now, instead of you investing $4000 now into a better, but somewhat lateral technology move CD Player.

As a matter of fact, anyone reading this who is considering putting a lot of money into a new expensive CD Player, should also consider this path.

Rich

I really loved the Consonance DROPLET CD Player.
Great sound and awesome looks!

Rich's suggestions are well worth considering. At least, I wish I'd thought more about along those lines last summer, when looking for a CDP at Erasto's pricepoint. I ended up with a redbook only CDP, and now have no uncomplicated path to a PC based front end, which I've decided might better suit my listening habits. At this point in technology, it seems a good idea to consider more flexibility. A modded Transporter would come in under 4k, I think, as would the new PS Audio DAC, which I'm personally keen to learn more about. John

Get a Raysonic CD-128........I have had them all from Cary to Meridian to Esoteric and everything in between.
All are great players. The Raysonic is a gem. Just does everything right.

I was never much of a "burn in" guy. Yes they all sounded better after time, but kept a trademark sound.
It took the Raysonic 100 hours to get into its own.
I haven't even thought about getting a cd player
since this purchase. My CLOSE second favorite is the G 08.
Good PRAT and dynamics.

i auditioned the raysonic. it sounded like a solid state player. that is, it did not present any characteristics of the "tube" sound. although i replaced the tubes, the sound hardly changed. based upon my perception, i don't think you will solve your problem of leanness with the raysonic.