Time For a CD Player Upgrade


I've been using a Rega Saturn Mk 2.  I recently upgraded my turntable to the Mark Levinson 5105 w/ the Ortofon Quintet Black S.  In comparison my CD's are sounding overly bright.   Any thoughts on a comparable upgrade to my CD listening?  My budget is about $4000-5000, new or used.  The Hegel Viking looks interesting.  Any recommendation for an upgrade will be appreciated. 

 

 

mellowshifi

Might want to consider the Audia Flight FLS 20. Have heard the Audia Flight One multiple times and it reproduces piano at a world class level. Have NOT heard the new 20 but let's assume it's even better than the One. dCS/Esoteric/MSB/Playback Designs all make great digital products but the FLS 20 could be a bargain in comparison?

I have done a lot of investigations into using structures under audio devices that have a design intent to isolate the device from transferral of ambient energies within the listening area.

CDP's CDT's and DAC's have all benefitted from this type of Support Structure when used in my own home and on devices in systems in other homes.

To date I have found the best end sound had been through using 2 x Tiers of Panzerholz as Sub Plinths. The P'holz is separated by AT 616 Footers, the method  has superseded other methods and proved to be very valuable at creating the Support Structure that really tidies up the end sound.

More will be achieved, better/worse, when trying out additional footers types between the Top Tier and the Audio Device, bypassing the devices supplied footer.

I have learnt there is not a ubiquitous method that works for all listening environments, playing with configurations of materials is required.       

@nonoise  - I don't like worrying about positioning that type of vibration control - too much playing around with positioning and spring (or the like) tension. I recommend either a platform that has the springs locked in like the Townshend seismic one, or the Rollerblocks I mentioned that are solid and dissipate vibration inside the component and isolate it from outside ones via ball bearings inside two solid discs that absorb the vibrations.

Some who take it to the extreme even put the roller blocks under a platform for extra vibration treatment. I had to do a double treatment on my turntable - a wall shelf with a Townshend platform sitting on top of it. The Townshend actually created footfalls because of the springs, so adding the shelf eliminated them (as per Max Townshend himself-RIP - a kind of mad scientist). It was either that or don't use the Townshend, but that cleaned up the sound so much that I was going to either tread lightly and live with the footfalls or put the table and platform it on a wall shelf. Luckily the boss didn't object to the wall shelf in our den.

Also, solid platforms with multi layers can work well. Depends on the application and component. I use them for my speakers because I didn't want them to be bouncing around.

If you have a good DAC then the D.BOB DSD/PCM converter is hard to beat. It cost $700-$1000. I use a $150 used Oppo player as a transport to the D.BOB and the D.BOB connects into my DAC via SPDIF. You connect the D.BOB with the transport by HDMI.

My prior CD player was one of the best ever made, the SONY SCD-1 (modded by Vacuum State to 5+ level). The D.BOB is better in some ways and the SCD-1 is better in others. However, I have no need for a new CD player given the level of quality of the D.BOB.

 

+1 on the Marantz ruby sacd/dac.  Very smooth with great detail. The DAC is wonderful too.  I run horns in my bigger system and have no patience for harshness, glare or fatigue. 
 

But, like others, I’m surprised your Rega is the culprit.