need serious advice.

[audioblonde]

Question:If I replaced my Denon DCM 280 with say a NAD c542,or Rotel 1072,would my otherwise decent sounding setup sound any better.It sounds darn good to my ears presently.Thanks in advance!

[Resident Loser]

Question:If I replaced my Denon DCM 280 with say a NAD c542,or Rotel 1072,would my otherwise decent sounding setup sound any better.It sounds darn good to my ears presently.Thanks in advance!

...maybe...so if it sounds good to you, why futz with it?

With a minimum of info gleaned from a cursory surfola, the Denon is a changer and the other two are single-disc units...general rule-of-thumb is that changers probably make trade-offs for the extra mechanicals, etc. whereas the single disc players may incorporate better parts...the qualifier being price-point...the NAD uses some sort of high-falutin' caps and the Rotel uses Burr-Brown whatzis...Only price I could find was $250USD for the Denon...What are the respective MSRPs for the others?...not that price is automatically indicative of a better product...

Then of course we enter another realm...if you are struck down with the near-always-fatal upgrade-itis...you may see any change as a good one, however improvement in sound quality is dependent on many things, both real and imagined.

And then of course, you'll find folks who absolutely hate _______(insert product here) and who think what they own is the king of the hill, top of the heap. Recomendations are chance-y, you get what you pay for...keep in mind this is a free site.

My advice, if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands...then slip them into your pockets, far from your wallet until you actually become dissatisfied...even then give it some time...sometimes I'm happy as a clam, others...not so gruntled...it's dem mood swings...

jimHJJ(...of course, keep in mind, this is a free site...)

[audioblonde]

[QUundefinedOTE=Resident Loser]...maybe...so if it sounds good to you, why futz with it?

With a minimum of info gleaned from a cursory surfola, the Denon is a changer and the other two are single-disc units...general rule-of-thumb is that changers probably make trade-offs for the extra mechanicals, etc. whereas the single disc players may incorporate better parts...the qualifier being price-point...the NAD uses some sort of high-falutin' caps and the Rotel uses Burr-Brown whatzis...Only price I could find was $250USD for the Denon...What are the respective MSRPs for the others?...not that price is automatically indicative of a better product...

Then of course we enter another realm...if you are struck down with the near-always-fatal upgrade-itis...you may see any change as a good one, however improvement in sound quality is dependent on many things, both real and imagined.

And then of course, you'll find folks who absolutely hate _______(insert product here) and who think what they own is the king of the hill, top of the heap. Recomendations are chance-y, you get what you pay for...keep in mind this is a free site.

My advice, if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands...then slip them into your pockets, far from your wallet until you actually become dissatisfied...even then give it some time...sometimes I'm happy as a clam, others...not so gruntled...it's dem mood swings...

jimHJJ(...of course, keep in mind, this is a free site...)[/QUOTE]

[audioblonde]

the why is 'cause I got 'da bug,an I got it bad.Also I am (at least by my wife's account) anal.The msrp for the NAD and Rotel are,respectively $499 and $699.They both have Burr Brown,and 'lotsa 'reviews' say 'lotta good things about each.Then of course there is the 'new' Rega Apollo,which at least 2'reviewers are apesh-- about.I was hoping somebody had experience with the Denon and 1 of the others,and could offer a definitive (subjectively of course) answer.BTW,I enjoyed your composition,as it was,well enjoyable reading.

[Resident Loser]

the why is 'cause I got 'da bug,an I got it bad.Also I am (at least by my wife's account) anal.The msrp for the NAD and Rotel are,respectively $499 and $699.They both have Burr Brown,and 'lotsa 'reviews' say 'lotta good things about each.Then of course there is the 'new' Rega Apollo,which at least 2'reviewers are apesh-- about.I was hoping somebody had experience with the Denon and 1 of the others,and could offer a definitive (subjectively of course) answer.BTW,I enjoyed your composition,as it was,well enjoyable reading.

...irritate some folks, but a great many CDPs use off-the-shelf transports and assoc. electronics and connect them to DACs that have been built to sound different and house them in cabinets ranging from cheap plastic with LCD screens to milled titanium with soft, but eerie, blue lights.

Is different better? Does presentation play a part?

Different is just, well...different...one constant 'round these parts is diff isn't accuracy, but no one really knows which is really which because few (if any) heard the music, now the software, in the studio...Quite legit IMO. So in the final analysis, it's subjectve...a judgement call...it's your ears, your source material, your existing components, in your room...and your wallet...listen, listen, listen...it's all you really can do...the opinions of others are (like it or not) biased.

Packaging/presentation. What would you prefer, an off-brand open-box special (which may be perfectly fine in reality) OR a limited distribution, highly-touted player du jour? If they do have the same internals (which isn't impossible) most folks will gravitate toward the latter...Polk speakers were once the darling in certain circles, spoken of in reverent and hushed tones in darkened hallways...now, pick 'em up in BB or CC or Tweeter or...once loved, now spurned...fickle lot these audiopiles...and anyway, whatever you buy today was obsolete or manufacturer discontinued yesterday...always a state of flux, not always for a good reason.

I have an $8 (after rebate) el-cheapo supremo portable, a three-disc Onkyo changer and a single-disc JVC DVD/CD player...I also have vintage vinyl rig which isn't too shabby...with the same recordings on various media, they seem equally interchangeable...the CDs are quieter, generally speaking. I do like the vinyl ritual, bordering on the sacred, but given the choice, I prefer to load the Onkyo...being the inherently lazy sot that I am.

Me? I'd go with the changer...

jimHJJ(...but that's my bias...)

P.S. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it...

[daviethek]

a difference. Having said that, try something a lot cheaper that might have about the same degree of improvement like vibrapods at about 20.00 or a decent entry level interconnect
at about 40.00. You'll feel good about yourself and have some dough left over for a nice Valentines day present like that new Arcam your wife has been asking for.

[Mark111867]

I think that Resident Loser's words, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands," is some sound advice. If you are happy with what you have, I'd leave it alone. By the way, I tried to replace a Denon DCM-270 (the model before the 280) and it proved to be a bit more challenging than expected. In your case, you are taking a step up in terms of brand names (Rotel & NAD). I looked at cd changers in the same league as the DCM-270 (Onkyo, Sony, & a few others). The only cd changer that sounded as good to my ears as the Denon was the Marantz CC4300. I would have gone for the 280, but I needed a cd player that could turn on and off via remote.

[audioblonde]

Thanks for the input.I have done some diy vibe control,which may look somewhat like 'Gilligans Island' handiwork,but seems very effective.I have only found 1 review of the DCM280,and it was by Anthony Armstrong on About.com.I have no idea of his credibility as to audio reviews,however his opinion is that it is 'harsh in the mids,and bass thin.So that leads one to wonder if there is something better for not too much more.As far as the ic,I have a good one,IMHO,Better Cables Blue TRuth. Again,thanks for opining.