Budget CD Player search

[twich54]

Now that I have my "main" system with my ML Vantage up and running I am looking for a budget CD player(sub $500) to mate with my Jolida 302-B integrated and a pair of Totem Arro speakers ( yes the wife let me sneek them into the living room !!!). I'm interested in what to consider as well as what to stay away from.

Thanks !!

 

[ml360]

See if you can find a CAL DX-10.I beleive that is the model#,if thats not available look into any CAL cd player that has a tube present.

 

[twich54]

See if you can find a CAL DX-10.I beleive that is the model#,if thats not available look into any CAL cd player that has a tube present.

Cal makes something under $500 ????

 

[twich54]

Cal makes something under $500 ????

I meant to say "did they make something under $500". They ar no longer in business ??? correct??

 

[ml360]

Yea they did,it was one of audio's top buys

 

[dyazdani]

Rega Planet would fall in this price range as would the Music Hall CD 25 I think. CAL's CL-15 is a pretty good player, though it is not of the tube variety.

 

[twich54]

Rega Planet would fall in this price range as would the Music Hall CD 25 I think. CAL's CL-15 is a pretty good player, though it is not of the tube variety.

I looked at the Underwood HiFi Modded Music Hall CD25.2 although it is priced beyond what I currently am prepared to spend, maybe I'll save my pennies or ask Santa for help. Has anyone had experience with this company and their modified products ???

 

[audioraptured]

Budget CD

twich54: did you have any luck with your choice of cd or are you exploring other selections?

 

[conrad]

I was recommended the Marantz for CD player. I went the shop where my friend works and he specialises in all the "Japanese & mass market brands" types. Of course Marantz also makes high-end players but he told me that sub-$1000, the players has no or little difference. I followed his advice after auditioning at this shop to settle for the Marantz 6000SE CD player which they don't make anymore but most shops should still have stocks. It costs me less than US$300. I think it offers great value for money.

Happy to hear more of others' inputs

 

[esoxhntr]

You might also consider a Musical Fidelity A3. It's a nice CDP on it's own, and can sound awesome with the right outboard DAC later on down the road.

 

[SugarMedia]

You might also consider a Musical Fidelity A3. It's a nice CDP on it's own, and can sound awesome with the right outboard DAC later on down the road.

There are Two (2) for sale on Audiogon.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1139414629

(Any luck on that GPS?)

 

[twich54]

There are Two (2) for sale on Audiogon.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1139414629

(Any luck on that GPS?)

thanks for the update, I am currently rethinking and just might take my Rotel 1072 and put that in the second sysem with my Jolida 302-B and the Totem Arro's. Then look at an upgrade in main system, I had a chance to listen to the Musical Fidelity A3.5 just before Christmas....very nice. Do you know if the A5 is still available ??

As far as the GPS I'm leaning toward a Garmin unit like the I-5.

 

[SugarMedia]

Do you know if the A5 is still available ??

My local dealer has soldout on the Seven A5's they had recieved. However, I have no idea what is going on with any US dealers. I 'think' the main US distributor is: http://www.musicalfidelityus.com/

There is something new out from MF, and it seems relatively similar to the A5. http://www.musicalfidelity.com/mf/en/Products/kW/kW DM25 Transport

excerpt from Stereo File: Conversely, Musical Fidelity, that champion of the two-channel SACD, has just announced a new two-chassis player, an "affordable" derivative of its kW model. It's CD-only. As is its practice, MF has added some cool features: the kW DM25 transport and DAC connect to each other by mono left-and-right XLR connectors at 96kHz (the DAC will accept TosLink optical and RCA coaxial from other digital sources), and the user has a choice of—get this—solid-state or tube outputs from the DAC. It looks like another smash hit for Musical Fidelity. But I was puzzled by the change of philosophy. Was Musical Fidelity abandoning SACD? Then I read the sheet that accompanied the product description: "Why a CD player when SACD and DVD-A are available? Well, for all intents and purposes, DVD-A is dead—while SACD still has only a thousand or fifteen hundred titles, most of them re-issues of old analog tapes. And these discs are very expensive. So, thanks a lot. However, there are over 2½ million CD titles available, in every form of music you could imagine, and all at intelligent prices. For us, this means that CD is the only logical medium."

 

[twich54]

Thanks SugarMedia , Happy Holidays !!