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Sell quality turntable to buy top CD player?

NOTE: A THREAD LIKE THIS CAN OFTEN TURN SOME MEMBERS'S RESPONSES Nasty.... HERE IS THE ISSUE:

I HAVE APPROX 55 LP'S. ON AVERAGE THEY ARE IN FAIR TO GOOD CONDITION. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED A FEW WITH REMASTERED CD'S There are several LP's that date from 1974-85.Some are getting to be noisy with loud pops. In addition I probably only play 20 of my favorites of the 55LP's

My CD collection is nearly three times the size of the LP's. Therefore, I want to make a major CD player upgrade. I am looking at used CD players and have considered, Ayon,( Saturn "R", Esoteric, Naim, Ayre, Krell

I calculate I can sell my TT and cartridge and upgraded power supply for $1100. I would also sell my Rega Apollo for $450-$500. So my slush fund would be $1600.00 and I would kick in another $1000-1100 to buy a used player for approx. $2700 that retailed new for $4500-$5000.

Previously, I have considered the Cambridge Audio 840C and the 851C, and the Sony XA5400ES. Some members have said, these player, may only provide small improvements in the sound quality of standard "redbook" CD's

My integrated amp does have a very good phono stage should I decide to keep 15 of favorite LP's and buy a Project Debut Carbon T/T with cart much later.

"Useful" advice and comments welcome!!!
sunnyjim
mgattmch
572 posts
 
For just over $1k you can buy an Oppo 105. A very versatile multi format player, you name it, it will play that disc format. Sound quality on Redbook CD is excellent, fantastic for SACD and Blu Ray. But best of all, it has an asynchronous USB B input you can connect to a computer and start playing computer audio files, including HD 24/96 and above. This is what I did, using a MacBook Air and Audirvana Plus. I could not be happier with the results. Redbook CD via Audirvana Plus sound better than regular CDs played directly. As for HD 24/96 files, an absolute revelation IMHO, as good as I have ever heard over the last 45 years as an audiophile.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
+1 Mgattmch & Needfreestuff. I would talk to Dan Wright and see if he recommends the Oppo 95 w the tube mods or to get the stock 105 and then save up for the tube mod for it. Having a digital input is, I think, key for the future. Plus Dan is great to deal w and provides excellent support.
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 
Thank you to those who have responded so far. The comments and advice are helpful and provide me with alternatives

To Mgattmch, without sounding like a yokel, I have never warmed up to computer audio because it requires more accessories. In addition, somewhere along the line, more computer music servers will be charging large fees for the service. I also want to keep the system simple

To Metralla, several members have recommended the Sony 5400; however a major caveat is:.... it may not sound that much better than the Rega Apollo. Therefore, I am looking to make a major jump in sound quality.

I believe I have the speaker in the Acoustic Zen Adagios that can reproduce the jump in quality of CD playback through a modded player, or an outstanding player that is ahead of the pack

My amp is a Rogue "Sphinx" integrated of 100RMS. So far, the Rogue Sphinx has been surprisingly better than what I anticipated. And, unless I am wrong, should not subtract from sound quality provided by a legitimate high end CD player.

Another related question is:.... how much better, or how big a jump in sound quality will the Modwright upgrades of the Sony XA 5400 produce?? Would it exceed the performance of a Ayre CX-7emp2, or the Ayon-CD-07???
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
SunnyJim, I haven't heard the Ayre or Ayon players, but the ModWright Sony 5400 is much, much better than the stock unit on both Redbook and SACD. If you could find a used ModWright Oppo 105, that, by all accounts, substantially betters both the modded 5400 and the Oppo 95. If you could stretch to $3800, you could probably get a new Oppo 105 and have it modded.

The ModWright route is a leap of faith on your first purchase. You buy something you can't hear, based on reviews and word of mouth. He has a lot of happy customers. On the other hand, if you are buying used equipment on AG it is almost always bought without audition.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
There's a used Ayon CD-7 for sale right now for $2650; a fair asking price.

From all the reviews I've read about the ModWright Sony and from Brownsfan's raves, I believe it is in the same class as the Ayon, Ayre or an ARC CD. In this upper class of CDPs, jitter is controlled thru the use of a superior master clock, laser system and isolation.
The sound quality is far better than the Cambridge 840C.

An excellent line of CDPs that I have auditioned is Naim. They often appear in the classifieds in your price range.
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