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CD Changer?

I currently have the SONY CDP-CX90es 200 disc changer. This player sounds great with the rest of my very mediocre stuff. However, I've recently made a major upgrade to my whole system, by buying a whole bunch of stuff from Odyssey Audio - a new pre-amp (Tempest), two mono amps (Stratos) and a new pair of floorstanding speakers (Lorelei). I probably won't receive much of this until mid July.

My question is this - will I be able to get by with my CX90ES, or will it severely handicap my system? I have gotten spoiled by the changer, and don't really want to go back to a single disc player, but I will if I have to. I am very unsatisfied with the system I have now (Yamaha RX-V995 receiver and Polk Audio RM7200 surround) for audio, which is why I am doing this upgrade, and I don't want to be disappointed because of my CD player.

Does anyone have any impressions of my CD player? I don't have much comparison experience in this space so any information will help. If you think I am kidding myself by trying to keep this, are there any other CD changers that you think are good, or should I just stick to the single play ones?

Thanks for any advice you can lend me.
petequad
rcprince
3,070 posts
 
The only way to find out about your satisfaction is to hear the player in your new system; I'd wait until I heard it in the system before making any additional upgrade moves. If you don't like the sound, but your player has a digital output (preferably coaxial but Toslink can work), you could likely make a big improvement in the sound by using the player as a transport and adding a better quality DAC. That way you could keep your 5-disc versatility while getting better quality sound. Otherwise, there may be a few decent-sounding CD changers out there--I think NAD made/makes one, there may be others as well that others here can recommend.
killerpiglet
374 posts
 
I lived with a 400 disc Sony ES changer as my main source for a while.
I squeezed out as much as I could out if.

Glass toslink cable, DIP jitter reduction, damped the cover.
It always fell short of even a modest Toshiba DVD player.

I finally gave in and listen now mainly through a Sony DVP-S7000 player modded by Empirical for transport use.

This is far better than the mega-changer, but I still keep it plugged in. It is still a lot of fun.

It's particularly useful for rock, since there are few rock album that are worth a listen all the way through.
Since I mainly listen to traditional Cuban "son" the single player gets most of the use, since in that genre there are hundreds of discs that are worth a full play.

If you want to get some mileage out of the mega-changer, I suggest you at get an external DAC and a glass toslink cable (this will only set you back about $30).
Even if you eventually go the single player/transport route, you might still want to keep it around.

http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/2709.html

KP
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Don't hype yourself for now.
Try it out! Despite being a changer or some cheap stuff it may be well and synergistic with your preamp which is probably the most important thing in the system.
Even after buying another serious CD-player I'd still keep the changer in case of parties...
mlauner
250 posts
 
the source is the most important part of the sound chain.your new equipment will be handicapped by the changer.
a single play high quailty cd is necessary to maximize your
system
petequad OP
6 posts
 
Thanks for the advice! I will wait and see how it is. I currently use Fiber for my connection and would definitely use either that or coax for the connection.
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