I Want Better Sound...

[accastil]

Well , you've bought a better power amp with the Rotel RB-03 than the Behringers ..{in your other post / query} and its probably a better amp than those Marantz use in the Receiver - indeed it seems so as you notice the improvement ! Now you have a component that is worth keeping , if you decide something more is lacking in your system . Still hear a better CD player one day , best wishes , Chris . [INDENT] P.S. Frenchmon - thete is very little audible difference between 70 watts and 90 watts , but a lot of audible difference between some types of power amplifier circuits , and / or , how well the designs are implemented .

hi bluechris, yes, i believe a better CD player would make things even better than as it is already today. do you have any suggested CD player in mind? would a good CD player be better in music reproduction than good universal players? or do you suggest that i must have separate players for music and movies? right now i am using a pioneer 655 universal DVD player...

[2bluechris]

I listed the CD players that I think are good value in the low to mid price ranges in my post above :- 12-24-2005 , 12:18 AM ------------ #110 . I recommend you take your Pioneer to the shop and compare it through the same amp and speakers with some of those CD players . Use the most challanging music CDs that you have - ones that you think are critical to reproduce well . As you have written you understand about design and parts , etc ... for Receivers versus dedicated Amplifiers , apply the same thinking to Universal players versus dedicated separates . Most people trust their eyes more than their ears , and Manufacturers know this , thus for lower priced Universal players most of the design and components budget is spent on the picture quality ; next is spent on "new technology" such as any included DVD-A or SACD , and least is spent on "old technology" CD audio . Denon ; Marantz : Pioneer : Sony : Teac , and some others , can make good Universals with good CD audio if they want to , but any such will be very expensive - for both the extra parts ; design ; assembley costs , and that only a small number of these will sell , because most people do not care , or know about such as better for CD audio . seriously , Chris . .................................................. ..................... P.S. :- as well as the Marantz's and NAD CD players I have heard and recommend in #110 above , listen also to the Rotel RCD-02 . I compared it to the NAD 542 and heard both got equal detail from my CDs and both played equally well in terms of rhythm and timing , but each had a different "timbre" {presentation of tone of instruments and voices} - both were equally good , but simply "different" in that aspect . The Marantz 6000oseLE version got more detail off the CDs than the NAD and Rotel , and replayed the lowest pitched bass notes with less of their "fundamental" filtered off than occurred with the NAD and Rotel-02 . You have wide-bandwidth speakers , so you may wish to consider these aspects , so chose your test CDs carefully and compare all the CD players through the best quality amp and speakers that the shop will allow you . If you can afford one , listen also to the more expensive Rotel RCD-1072 . I have not heard it , but some Rotel enthusiasts say it is better than the RCD-02 , and it should be at its price !

[accastil]

i can see that these dedicated CD players have better designs and performance to music as compared to universal players. now i am thinking if its worth the cost...is it gonna be that much difference? well of course ill be considering to buy one in the future but i guess not know..thanks a lot bluechris!