SONY BDP-BX58 3D Blu-Ray player $160

[Mash]

I bought one of these BDP-BX58 units for the kitchen. I checked on the OPPO 95 but its quoted price had risen from $650 to $999. And the BDP-BX58 has Wi-Fi built in for Netflix, huluplus, vudu, PANDORA, etc. I wanted to stream internet FM to the kitchen, and the previous kitchen CD player had died. We have an 802.11 dual band high speed N router and high speed internet.

One problem (for me, in our kitchen) is that a TV screen is required for programming the BDP-BX58, so I will have to place a (retired) 30-in HD-Ready monitor in the kitchen. Good thing I kept it.

Meanwhile, I am presently using the BDP-BX58 only for playing CD's. I am used to the "sit in the dark and listen for the nuanced improvements" drill, but that was NOT required here. The first CD was CSN Greatest Hits intended as a casual test disc, and the increase in detailing immediately caught my attention. I easily heard additional "material" that simply was never presented before. The frequency extension was improved, but the increase in fine detailing was the standout improvement. This very significant improvement in detailing really did catch me unaware, as I never expected it.

[I had first tried a Musical Fidelity A2 CD player in the kitchen. This unit had seen very light use but it suddenly had a distorted channel. THAT was disappointing for an expensive CD player! But any way, the BDP-BX58 was a lot better.]

One odd thing is that often I can hear a soft click as the recorded material begins.

I use Mackie HR824 Mk2 with a Mackie HRS120 servosub in the kitchen because these speakers accept XLR Balanced and my interconnect run from the sources to the sub is 50 feet. 50 feet is far too long for unbalanced interconnects. More XLR's connect the sub to the HR824's. The BDP-BX58 proved that the Mackies are far more capable than I had ever previously thought.

The player seems a bit slow to read a disc, and the remote is very good but a little too sensitive. I can easily get a double request which, if you hit "open", promptly opens and then closes the tray.

So maybe you want to check out 3D Blu-Ray players for your CD's.