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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
 
EMC-1 MkII?
Now there is one I haven't herd of before.
Know of any good reviews?
I try to read all the online reviews I can to research.
Then search the posting boards for pro's & con's.
dennis_the_menace's avatar
dennis_the_menace
467 posts
 
WADIA... transparent and extended
coffeey's avatar
coffeey
363 posts
 
i gotta say Arcam cd92 if you can find one used,i think these are a STEAL at 7 bills or so,7 seems to be the going rate,dont even bother with the lower Arcam stuff its not anything like the cd92.The 92 is outstanding,Al
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
If you go to pinkfishmedia.net (UK's unofficial naim board) you'll find many posters have dumped Naim players for Densen B400 CDP. It's only available in the US via audio outlet in NY state (www.audiooutlet.com), and I've never heard it myself (though I own a Densen amp, which I really like) but if you can demo it you might like it.

The Densen sound is rhythmic like naim, but with better treble, stereo imaging and detail. They're better known for their amps than the CD players, but if you can demo or find a rare used one it might fit the bill.

The meridian is supposed to be a refined polite player, so I'll be interested in your reaction.
goose
683 posts
 
Tweakster, I have a Cary 303 player and I listen to all types of music except Rap. Rock is Zep, Floyd, Govt Mule, Southern Rock, Hendrix etc. I have been upgrading my system over the last few years and the Cary is the one piece that has stayed. The biggest sound changes came when I upgraded my electronics from older McIntosh gear to Herron... and the amp made the biggest difference. The electronics tightend up the base and it was now deeper. The soundstage grew and air between the instruments was better defined. So the Cary is good selection, just don't forget the rest of the electronics.
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