DVD or CD Player

[Mingus]

I am in a market for a CD player for a small office in the house. The question is since DVD players are heavily discounted would it be better to purchase a DVD player and use it just for playing CDs. What is the benefit of a CD player vs a DVD player for play playing just CDs.

[joel2762]

You're right there. DVD Players, the do way more than cd players are a lot cheaper. Weird hey? Well anyways, If you're looking for something cheap to play cd's on, then I guess a dvd player is it. You'll have a lot of extra features you don't need, but that's fine because it was a lot cheaper. Then if you have a dvd player if you needed one sometime in the future.

[psonic]

What amp / receiver are you using? a cheap dvd player will have terrible sound quality compared to a decent inexpensive cd player; ie sony, denon. If you are using decent electronics and speakers, a dvd player is fine, but not a cheapie....go with a music first company like denon, marantz, Harman Kardon, etc. These will give you the quality audio DACs in addition to the dolby decoding chips, this is where the cheapie dvd players skimp, the audio area.

[F1]

..... a cheap dvd player will have terrible sound quality compared to a decent inexpensive cd player; ie sony, denon. .....

I guess you have to define "terrible sound quality". Will inexpensive DVD player make a CD sounds like cassette? I don't think so. Even the basic model from Pioneer, JVC, Panasonic etc will produce very decent sound comparable to dedicated CD player at the same price or probably more. But why so cheap?? Simply because the demand is huge, such that good DAC can be included in inexpensive player.
So to the original post, get DVD player, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

[psonic]

It is all relative to what gear you are running, ie high quality amplifer should be mated to quality frontend, why? it sounds much better, and you make it obvious you are using low end gear having made these comments, which in that case you are right, a $99 receiver may not benefit as much from a $399 player. I tried my inexpensive dvd player on my system, it sounded thin lifeless & dull, the speakers lost transparency as the sound stuck to the speakers more, and the soundstage way smaller when compared to my new denon player, this is on both a decent HK receiver and a NAD integrated, same results... Now if you have a receiver with good DACs like my H/K, then you can use the digital out and get away with a cheaper dvd player used as a transport. It is well known in the audiophile community that a good cd player is very important, it is also a known that most dvd players do not have excellent cd quality, the quality defined above. The $500 Denon 1600, for example is the same as the Panasonic CP72 besides the audio gear, the Denon has all Burr Brown DACs and the ability to shut off the video circuitry when playing music (so there is less elecrical noise in the player), these are excluded from the Panny for $$ reasons. So you don't find any value in quality CD players? Do you listen to much high-end gear?

[F1]

...So you don't find any value in quality CD players? Do you listen to much high-end gear?

It's not like that. If I were given a choice between $150 CD player or DVD player, I take DVD player. I don't think you will find any difference in sound performance. Sure there's value in quality CD players, but at what cost? Besides, look at the context of the original post. He's talking about discounted DVD player and it will be used for home office. I don't think it will be used for critical listening. An inexpensive DVD player is suitable for this. He still can use it for video application if needed later on.

[Mingus]

Thanks for the replies. The receiver I am using is Technics SA-GX390 which is basically a AV prologic receiver. The speakers are Boston Acoustics Subsat six which is a three piece system. These are very good speakers when used in a small room.These components used to be in the bedroom. When I added a new bedroom system, these went to the attic for storage and then to the home office. My current CD player is Sony CDP-361. The problem with player is once in awhile a message "No Disk" appears in the front panel. Recently it's happening more frequently. That why I am shopping for another unit. I want something that plays music well. The stores I visited while searching for a CD player advertised heavily for the DVD players. As matter of fact one my neighbors was bragging that he purchased one for $19.95. Can you believe it.

[recoveryone]

Thanks for the replies. The receiver I am using is Technics SA-GX390 which is basically a AV prologic receiver. The speakers are Boston Acoustics Subsat six which is a three piece system. These are very good speakers when used in a small room.These components used to be in the bedroom. When I added a new bedroom system, these went to the attic for storage and then to the home office. My current CD player is Sony CDP-361. The problem with player is once in awhile a message "No Disk" appears in the front panel. Recently it's happening more frequently. That why I am shopping for another unit. I want something that plays music well. The stores I visited while searching for a CD player advertised heavily for the DVD players. As matter of fact one my neighbors was bragging that he purchased one for $19.95. Can you believe it.

DVD player may be going dirt cheap, but may not offer what you really want. go to ebay and check out some deals their on CD players. I would go for 5 or 6 disk platter. You can get one for under $50 now days, and thats not a chepo brand.

[mtrycraft]

It is all relative to what gear you are running, ie high quality amplifer should be mated to quality frontend, why? it sounds much better,

Sheer speculation on your part, sorry. No such evidence. Plenty hype and hearsay, very little else.




and you make it obvious you are using low end gear having made these comments,

More nonsense. Facts are not relative to what gear one has.



I tried my inexpensive dvd player on my system, it sounded thin lifeless & dull, the speakers lost transparency as the sound stuck to the speakers more, and the soundstage way smaller when compared to my new denon player, this is on both a decent HK receiver and a NAD integrated, same results...


Your bias had nothing to do with your unreliable perceptions, right?


Now if you have a receiver with good DACs like my H/K, then you can use the digital out

How do you know that is not what he was going to do?




It is well known in the audiophile community that a good cd player is very important,

Well known maybe. Factual knowledge, hardly.
Oh, what defines a good CD player, by the way? High price? Really?



it is also a known that most dvd players do not have excellent cd quality,

More uninformed audio sillyness.



Do you listen to much high-end gear?


Irrelevant audio sillyness.

[mtrycraft]

I am in a market for a CD player for a small office in the house. The question is since DVD players are heavily discounted would it be better to purchase a DVD player and use it just for playing CDs. What is the benefit of a CD player vs a DVD player for play playing just CDs.


Go for it. DVD and CD players are commodity components today. Audio is full of hype, mythology, voodoo, etc.

[StanleyMuso]

When my mid priced Denon CD player failed me at the beginning of this year, and after a costly repair bill continued to malfunction, I was faced with the same dilema - replace the CD player or use it as an opportunity to move up to DVD. I did a lot of research, looking for DVD players which also did a good job with CDs. After much soul searching, I finally settled on the Marantz DV4300, which I bought in March this year.

I have never regretted the choice. Not only did the Marantz cost a lot less than the Denon did a number of years ago, it actually plays better. I play it without using any external processing, having connected it to my amp through the analogue connection. In addition, I also have excellent film playback. I am a happy chappy.

[psonic]

mtrycraft, you see facts are relevant to what gear you have or heard, I have the gear and the time, I tested several players on my own quality gear, and I already clearly described the results, what facts are you basing your bias on? What testing or gear, specifically, are you basing your opinions on? Go to your local hifi dealer and do some extensive listening...let me guess you use a $79 receiver and a $59 dvd player or maybe one of those mini systems you see at sears? i did say it was all relative, meaning a novice such as yourself with no use for audio goodness would be satisfied with a cheaper system like the one you own, however some people have quality gear in an office, sometimes referred to as audiophiles. I have a good friend (studio tech) who has a THX amp in his office, and you can bet there is no $59 CD player in there (and there are plenty of members here like this), but it seems you are in disbelief that quality gear or audio even exists... you think that everything sounds like your minisystem so spending money on audio is a waste... Do you think there would be a market for a $400 or $800 CD player if your $69 unit offered the same sonic qualities? Well this brings us right back to the question you did not answer in the last post.... Do you listen to much high-end gear? if so, what? not to discredit you, but you don't seem to offer much in audio but disbelief...go out to dealers and listen to some good stuff - many of the members will offer auditions of their home systems as well...

StanleyMuso, nice choice on the Marantz, I have always admired the sound and quality with their gear

Mingus,
"My current CD player is Sony CDP-361. The problem with player is once in awhile a message "No Disk" appears in the front panel. Recently it's happening more frequently" - in my experience 9/10 times the laser just needs to be cleaned, pick up a kit at rat shack, probably due for a good cleaning...

[markw]

Do you think there would be a market for a $400 or $800 CD player if your $69 unit offered the same sonic qualities?

Good question... Nobody disputes the fact that electronics can be made to impart their own individual "sonic signature". ...and you better believe they do. Otherwise they would have nothing to tout in their ads.

Once that's accepted as a given (and logical minds do), then it boils down to a matter of preference and how much one is willing to pay for that. Lotsa people willingly shell out many bucks for heaping helpings of harmonic distortion claiming it's "more musical".

Perhaps to them it is, but again, that's a personal judgment, which should not be miscontrued as "better" as in "more accurate" sound.

Do you want steak sauce on that fine, aged perfectly done porterhouse? Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice but don't ever, ever try to tell me or anyone else what is "better" for me You'll just show the world what an arrogant fool you are.

[psonic]

greetings, its not about how the steak is done (this is for looking at stuff in same price bracket) - its the difference between a tough fatty steak and a filet mignon.....one is superior...in every area...not a matter of preference or how its done

[psonic]

markw, how do you like the NAD CD player compared to mainstream stuff?

[markw]

My example purposly mentions one cut of meat. Differences between CD players does not (IMNSHO) warrant a morethan 100x price increrase from the bottom to the top. But, people will spend what they choose for whatever reasons they choose, be they sonic or not.

The NAD (523) sounds pretty good. It most certainly "make my feet tap", if that's the terms audiophiles are familiar with. It allows me to concentrate on the music and I don't feel any nagging loss of quality in my life for not spending more. Most important of all, the music is all there, even with the maggie setup.

I chose it 'cause I got a really, really good price on it, it was controlable by the main NAD system remote and, for not having double blind tested it against every player on the market, it worked quite well with my main system then and It still does.

In the grand scheme of things, it was among the lowest cost of changers at the time ('98) and ... and it got some pretty good reviews at the time

My Toshiba (2805) changer, which is used in my HT system, serves double duty as a DVD player and also a CD changer. It also more than satisfies my musical needs. It cost $99 on sale at 6th Avenue Electronics. FWIW, my HT was selected with more odf an ear towards music than HT.

In all cases, the sound is more limited by the recording itself, not the hardware upon which it is played.

Not having switched them, I cannot say they are exact sonic duplicates but they both work quite well in their respective positions. But, I can say t hat musicians, singers and other (semi) pro music and sound people are morethan impresses with the sound thay my modest systems can produce.

...even Bose owners have to wonder if they spent wisely afer a visit to my domain.