New CDP purchase. Advice, please.

[emaidel]

I may find myself in the market for a new CD player soon. My current Adcom GCD-600/GDA-600 combo still works, but periodically gives me some trouble: the coax digital output on the back of the player seems to have a loose connection, and the digital coax cable connected to it sometimes seems to "short out," resulting in no signal to the DAC.

I'd say the combo still works 98% of the time, but both components are quite old (over 10 years), and, while very, very good, are hardly state of the art. The initial retail price tag for both was around $1,300, but each usually can be had for a song today on eBay. I may finally have to break down and purchase a new player, and I'm at an almost total loss as to how to proceed.

My speakers (Dahlquist DQ-10's) and amp (Adcom GFA-5800) are quite revealing, so a good player is a definite must-have. I'd say that my budget would be around, but not higher than, $1,000. From what I've been reading on this site, it would seem that my best bet would be the Cambridge Audio 740. That being said, here are a couple of questions for my friends on this site:

1.) Is the 740 my best option?
2.) Is it reliable?
3.) Just how much better will it sound compared to what I currently own, and in what areas?

Please feel free to chime in with any comments any of you may have on this subject. I'm "all ears!"

[JohnMichael]

If you have any interest in SACD I recommend the Marantz SA8001. Of course I think you will hear improvements from any $1,000 machine compared to a ten year old player just from the advances in technology. The SA8001 gives more body to the sound. Instruments have real weight and texture along with good detail. Voices are incredibly natural and I enjoy hearing the differences in vocalists techniques. I was surprised when listening to a female vocalist and I realized she was singing in a different acoustical space than the band. I think the best way to describe it is definiton without listener fatigue.

[basite]

I'll first answer to your last question:
you'll notice, definately
Digital products tend to 'age' quickly, because the technology is ever evolving, and it's evolving quick. Modern cd players will sound more alive, more resolution, better detail and they'll sound less 'boring' as the old players, not that all older products sound boring, but you'll find the new cd players to sound more dynamic...

both the marantz as the cambridge audio are very good products. The marantz will maybe have a little more 'body' to it's sound. The CA will sound more british, but with a big resolution, and a nice detailed sound.

However, I also recommend the Rega Apollo, which is an exellent player for the money.

And I don't exactly know how much the 740 goes for, but I think it will fall somewhere in the range of the rega. Which then also means it will fall in the range of the Primare CD21 and the Naim CD5i, both exellent players for the money.

The primare is a rather interesting product too to consider, it has an extremely large resolution, is really detailed, but still smooth and warm sounding. All the primare product's I've heard all left me with the impression of quietness, it's like nothing else is going on besides the music. Really interesting to try out...


Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[emaidel]

Thank you kindly. I'll keep all of this in mind whenever I'm forced to make the purchase (or, can convince my wife that I really, really need a new CD player!)

[E-Stat]

I may find myself in the market for a new CD player soon.

I'm with Frank Van Alstine in his notion to use a generic "throw away" transport and invest in a really good DAC. Perhaps all you need is a new transport with digital out. Splurge $15 on a digital cable using Belden 1694A from Blue Jeans. I have a '93 Pioneer PD-54 (uses same stable platter transport as PD-65 with cheaper DAC) that I use with a Manley / Forsell DAC with tube analog line output. Look Ma, no preamp. While the Pioneer soldiers on, I know that at some point, I will need to replace it. The Manley, however, will likely last forever so long as I feed it a pair of tubes every five years or so.

Having said that, I would recommend a few inexpensive mods to any transport. Buy some Dynamat and damp the entire enclosure. Put it on some Ceraball feet for isolation (or at the very least, some squash balls cut in half). Buy a Marigo stabilizer mat (yes, they really work). Run it and the DAC through a line conditioner. Even a relatively cheap Monster / Tripp / Furman unit will keep RFI at bay.

rw