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CDP home shootout Rotel vs. Arcam vs. Marantz

Hello,

I am puting together a system and have bought the following CDPlayers:

Marantz CD 67SE
Rotel 971 (awaiting arrival)
Arcam 7SE (awaiting arrival)

Throw in an MSB Link DAC 3 with upsampling board upgrade

Add one Creek 4330R Amplifier

Digital IC is custom Canare (True 75ohm + L-5CFB)
Audio IC's are custom:
http://signalcable.com/analog_interconnects.html

I am also awaiting the arrival of a Rotel RT-990BX Tuner :)
(having bought 3 other real cheapies, the best by a long way so far is Sony ST-JX661 (high bid $17.50!), comfortably beats the Yamaha TX-492!)

OK what CD player in your opinion will win this home shootout? I listen to a broad range of music from ACDC to Ray Charles.

My speakers are currently a temporary solution (due to room and space limitations) Blueroom Minipods http://www.minipod.com/html/images/front_black.jpg (B&W kevlar drivers) hooked up with homemade Cat5 - solid copper AWG: 11.08, -

I beleive in neutral AMP first, then source, and speakers last, garbage in garbage out!

I am hoping to like the Rotel 971 on it's own best and sell all the rest including the MSB :)

Any ideas what is the best combination here?

Thx,
Josh
joshcloud9
socrates
247 posts
 
I predict the sound to be indistinguishable between the 3 when fed through the MSB, and the sound superior to any stand alone with the MSB in place. I auditioned various audiophile brand CDPs only to end up with a 100 disc Pioneer Elite changer feeding a MSB Nelson Dac, which I wouldn't trade for anything short of $3K I've tried. With your budget, an external DAC is going to be your best bet. In my system, the upsampling is a small but significant advantage over regular sampling, greatly smoothing the sound while still allowing astonishing amounts of detail to be dug up. The top end is further extended, images better placed and more solid in the soundstage, a nice improvement. The Nelson upgrade puts the MSB in a new league, well worth the upgrade cost, and may be a better place to put your $$$ other then in the transport....
joshcloud9 OP
46 posts
 
If I keep the Dac, my transport of choice would be a Pioneer stable platter - of which I am particulary fond!

Maybe I should get one aswell to compare!

Updates coming soon :)

Josh
socrates
247 posts
 
Any update?
bundee1
147 posts
 
About the creek amp alternative, check out the Audio Analogue Puccini used, and the Audio Refinement Complete used. Both are under or around $500 used and both get excellent reviews.
joshcloud9 OP
46 posts
 
Still waiting on the Rotel CDP, the guy sent it USPS regular parcel post!
Hoping to get by Christmas, the Arcam will be here tomorrow :)

The Rotel tuner arrived and although the sound was obviously very good (I listen to just regular compressed FM stations so it really doesn't warrant such a good tuner), the sensitivity and seperation actually seemed better on the $17.50 Sony, so I sold the Rotel tuner!

Back asap!

Josh
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