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Best used Red Book Player for Rock-N-Roll

Hello people.
I am starting my journey into hi-fi beginning with the CD Player.I am looking for a used player in the under 3,000 range.
My amp and speakers are Mid-Fi to be sure but are good enough to hear the differance in sound of the two CD Players I have tried so far,wich are both Naim units.The CD5 W/Flat Cap2 and the CDX W/XPS.
I found the CD5 good but after a while the cymbols being rolled off and not much openness was starting to bug me.
So next I went to the CDX.The cymbols are very good with good sound staging,air,space,and detail.I don't think it is going to cut it either though.It lacks mid bass detail and bass slam for rock and roll.
I have orderd a Meridian 508.24 from someone here on Audiogon and am looking forward to evaluating it.

My music is Rock-N-Roll.Bands I like are:
Steveie Ray Vaughn
Yes
Tho Who
Michael Schenker
Rush
Scorpions
Black Sabbath
Led Zepplin
Hoobastank
Uncubus
Red Hot Chillie Pepers
Iron Maiden
Metallica
Judas Priest
DIO
From mild to wild.As you can see I need a player with good P.R.A.T
Some of these recordings have tons of midbass action and articulation,with bass slam and plenty of cymbol work.Yes some even have been recorded with openness.The CD5 didn't show that but the CDX did.

Some of the players that I am considering are:
Linn Ikemi
Cary 303/200
Wadia 830

I have heard that the Sony SCD777ES is good but light in the bass department.Any thoughts on that one.

Chris
tweakster
tweakster OP
19 posts
 
Lazarus28 & Pardales you could be right about the rest of the components.

The amp is a Plinius 8200 integrated(175w) and the speakers are Paradigm Studio Reference 100's.They are both on loan and this combination is what I have been using to compare the CDP's.My personal set up is a Yamaha DSP-A1 (110w) Cinema reciever and B&W DM303 bookshelves.Now you know why I am looking for more.I realize that a cinema reciever is not going to cut it for quality reproduction of music,especialy at the sound levels that I wish to attain.
I think that maby the Plinius doesn't have the ummph to push the Paradigms 8inch woofers.The power requirement if I remember correctly is 100w-300w.
tweakster OP
19 posts
 
Ohlala-
The Carry 303 with no bass slam? I have read a few reviews that stated it does have a good slam.Maby more hyp to sell CDP'S.I do like a smooth midrange though,guitars being my favorite instrument.
What are some bands you listen to?
danlevy
34 posts
 
Lazarus28 is on the money.

The Naim CDX, with or without the XPS, is utterly fantastic for rock and roll. It RAWKS! It's a great value used these days now that Naim has released the CDX2.

Not to challenge your ears or your spinal column, but if you have a chance spend a little more time with the Naim.
tweakster OP
19 posts
 
I have listend to it quite a bit for about two weeks. I actualy bought a CD3 out of curiosity from someone at Ebay and gave it a quick listening to today.It had been plugged in and allowed to warm for one day.

I put on Iron Maidens Somewhere In Time and listend to the first track(I forget the name).About one minute into the song the dummer is quickly double bassing while Bruce Dickenson is going off vocally.This very quick double bassing is where I am making my observations.

Though it doesn't match up to the CDX's detail,extention,or imaging,I believe that it has the best bass slam.
I thought maby I was imagining things so I actualy put my DM303's in place of the Paradigms thinking that since the DM's are lacking in bass (being a bookshelf) to begin with, the one with a better bass slam would make it's self known.
The CD3 still led the way with bass slam.Remember I'm talking bass.Not midrange,imaging,detail,highend,or imaging.

The CDX is a better all around player.I am just looking for something comparable with more slam.
ohlala
1,235 posts
 
I should have qualified my statement with a comparison with the Rotel 971. The 971, having more prominent high and lows is more of what I consider rock 'n roll. The Cary has signficantly less 'thump', so I made a generalization. Its not a total wimp. The bass is nicely done, and I have no problem with the bass output. You might though as I have Hales Rev Two (8" sealed, (86db 1w,1m)) with about 100 watts. There is large difference in bass output between this and 175 watt-driven 100s.

I don't know anything about the conditions of other reviews, so I can't even begin to bridge our two positions together. I still don't think of it as a typical rock CDP, like I consider studio 100s to be typical rock speakers.

I don't think the bands I listen to aren't going to help you out, but: NIN, My Bloody Valentine, a little Metallica, S. Pumpkins, Rolling Stones, Velvet Undergound. It seems like you are doing the best thing by trying CDPs in your home. Keep going until you find one that floats your boat.
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