Best CD player under $1000?

[RGA]

The same is most assuredly NOT true with CD players. Even a cheap $5 computer CD transport will sound MUCH better using a quality soundcard like my Creative Audigy compared to a generic brand, or integrated soundcard. The same is true with modern CD players. The top manufacturers use quality internal components, and you can hear the difference, even if they are all using the same generic transport, which they don't!

If you got 15 years out of a quality component that was $600 originally then I think you did pretty darn good. Denon STILL makes some great quality mid level priced CD players. Why would you advise other to buy cheap throwaway crap now?

I will agree that entry level players have gotten pretty good in the last few years. I myself have a midlevel JVC DVD player that plays CD's pretty damn well also. That being said, midlevel CD players ($400-$1000) are now as good as most of the absolute BEST players from a few years ago, and are for most systems, are all that you will ever need. These midlevel players are NOT a throwaway item, just as your Denon wasn't, and in most cases will last just as long. For me I like to buy things of quality that will last, even if they cost a bit more.

Well if nothing else your post dos indicate that the transport has no effect because as you say cheap cd players or cd players in the $400-$1000.00 range blow away the best from a few years ago...the best a few years ago had far superior transports from a technical and build quality perspective than ANY $400-$1000.00 current model comproised of cheap plastic clamps and drawers.

So we have established I hope that if any difference exists it ixists in the DAC and output stage(after all many are using tube outputs like the one from Marantz err Ah Tjoeb. Since these differences are measurable and significant spikes in the audible range then at least they theoretically can be heard over long listening without stress environments like tests.

[skeptic]

Of course the transport has no effect. It either works or it doesn't. The first thing that happens to the signal after it's converted from optical to electrical is that it is reclocked in a storage buffer locked to a quartz oscillator so its timing is dead on. If the speed varies too much, there is a complete breakdown because the register either depletes or is overfilled. If it doesn't, it works perfectly. No in betweens. Do they fail often? With literally billions of them being manufactured for computers, they are outstandingly reliable. When was the last time you heard of one breaking down in a computer?

[RGA]

Of course the transport has no effect. It either works or it doesn't. The first thing that happens to the signal after it's converted from optical to electrical is that it is reclocked in a storage buffer locked to a quartz oscillator so its timing is dead on. If the speed varies too much, there is a complete breakdown because the register either depletes or is overfilled. If it doesn't, it works perfectly. No in betweens. Do they fail often? With literally billions of them being manufactured for computers, they are outstandingly reliable. When was the last time you heard of one breaking down in a computer?

I have compared transports before SIGHTED and I and the dealer heard ZERO difference between a 4k+ Theta and a Pioneer Mega changer running into a Cal Labs DAC.

UHF magazine even said you can make PERFECT copies of cds on your computer which uses a $2.00 maybe transport - which means a $2.00 transport is extracting all the bits. It's not real time playing - and people have produced jitter measurements which are different...but is that at the output stage or just the transport itself? And if it gets bufferred anyway at the DAC who cares?

Though incidentally cd players on the computer do fail to read the bits from time to time which is why you have to re-put the disc in to get a program going...and that is not the disc's fault it is the player not reading the disc properly all of the time. Perhaps because they're just a bit toooooo cheap.

[junkeroos]

For less than US$1000 I nominate the following CD players:

1. Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 - It's actually a Dutch moded Marantz CD-4000 and it retails for $699. Later on you can install the TjoUpsampling upgrade which would be an additional $349. The unit and upsampler used to cost only $579 and $299 but went up because of the weakening USD. Reviews rate it from excellent to downright amazing.
http://www.stereophile.com/digitalso...ews/1103tjoeb/
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...0104/tjoeb.htm

2. Jolida JD100A - a $900 true tube cd player and you also have the option of rolling tubes to your taste and enjoyment. Like the Tjoeb it has many happy users. There is also a mod available if you want to that later. You may be able to get this cheaper at Audiogon or Ebay.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/jolida-jd100_e.html
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...lidajd100a.htm

3. Heart CD-6000 OSE LE - also known as the tube modified Marantz CD-6000 and it costs $996, shipping included. Although they are similar, more prefer the Tjoeb, however, this replacement model to the CD-6000 made a few improvements. It is less popular than the 2 above so I have yet to read reviews from actual owners.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/heartcd6000le_e.html

4. Arcam CD73T - The Arcam brand is well known in Britain in producing high quality audio. It's What Hi-Fi?'s product of the year 2003. The CD73 replaces the CD72, the main difference being that the CD73 has the latest 24bit Wolfson DAC. It's very new, so no reviews on the internet yet but if the CD72 is that good then this $899 cd player would even be better. You also have the flexibility of upgrading to their higher end models if you opt to do so in the future.
http://www.arcam.co.uk/diva/hifi/cd73.html

5. Rotel RCD1072 - This is the latest CD player from Rotel. It's the least expensive of the 5 retailing at $699 but cheaper on the market. This seems to be an excellent player given the high praises received by its predecessor the RCD1070 and it's sibling the RCD-02.
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/news...l_rcd1072.html

Unfortunately, one can only audition the Arcam, Rotel, & Jolida because the Ah! & Heart will have to be ordered overseas so one must rely on professional reviews and actual owners. It will also depend if you like the tube, hybrid or ss sound.

[zappafreak]

For less than US$1000 I nominate the following CD players:

1. Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 - It's actually a Dutch moded Marantz CD-4000 and it retails for $699. Later on you can install the TjoUpsampling upgrade which would be an additional $349. The unit and upsampler used to cost only $579 and $299 but went up because of the weakening USD. Reviews rate it from excellent to downright amazing.
http://www.stereophile.com/digitalso...ews/1103tjoeb/
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...0104/tjoeb.htm

2. Jolida JD100A - a $900 true tube cd player and you also have the option of rolling tubes to your taste and enjoyment. Like the Tjoeb it has many happy users. There is also a mod available if you want to that later. You may be able to get this cheaper at Audiogon or Ebay.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/jolida-jd100_e.html
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...lidajd100a.htm

3. Heart CD-6000 OSE LE - also known as the tube modified Marantz CD-6000 and it costs $996, shipping included. Although they are similar, more prefer the Tjoeb, however, this replacement model to the CD-6000 made a few improvements. It is less popular than the 2 above so I have yet to read reviews from actual owners.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/heartcd6000le_e.html

4. Arcam CD73T - The Arcam brand is well known in Britain in producing high quality audio. It's What Hi-Fi?'s product of the year 2003. The CD73 replaces the CD72, the main difference being that the CD73 has the latest 24bit Wolfson DAC. It's very new, so no reviews on the internet yet but if the CD72 is that good then this $899 cd player would even be better. You also have the flexibility of upgrading to their higher end models if you opt to do so in the future.
http://www.arcam.co.uk/diva/hifi/cd73.html

5. Rotel RCD1072 - This is the latest CD player from Rotel. It's the least expensive of the 5 retailing at $699 but cheaper on the market. This seems to be an excellent player given the high praises received by its predecessor the RCD1070 and it's sibling the RCD-02.
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/news...l_rcd1072.html

Unfortunately, one can only audition the Arcam, Rotel, & Jolida because the Ah! & Heart will have to be ordered overseas so one must rely on professional reviews and actual owners. It will also depend if you like the tube, hybrid or ss sound.

The AH! distributer is Upscale Audio in Upland Ca. They have them in stock and shipped nine immediately.Please see Upscaleaudio.com for shipping info and a whole bunch of data on the AH! cd player.
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