For Audiophiles: How important is CD player?

[tweakmm]

In a decent system (DIY speakers(eq. ~$400), NAD 3020, good interconnects) how important is the CD player? If I have a DVD player as the CD player will I be able to hear a difference as if I had a nice CD player?

 

[Viperoni]

I'm pretty sure most DVD players would be fine. There should be plenty of older Nad, Carver, etc etc cd players for cheap on eBay

BTW: Are you gonna use the Nad 3020 to power the BR-1's?

 

[tweakmm]

<< I'm pretty sure most DVD players would be fine. There should be plenty of older Nad, Carver, etc etc cd players for cheap on eBay

BTW: Are you gonna use the Nad 3020 to power the BR-1's? >>


I'm thinking that I'm gonna build the BR-1s's and power them with my current setup(soundcraftsman 400 watt amp and soundcraftsman preamp) and then upgrading when I get $100 to the NAD 3020( if that would help improve anything)

 

[glen]

Well, except for onr of the original philips beta players, they all sound alike in double blind testing.
data

 

[RegaPlanet]

output can only ever be as good as the source right... so kinda just gotta think along that line. of course there's the preamp/amp and speakers that follow after the source but it still starts with your source. all have equal importance to me. I'd just spend alot more on speakers than any other component altho the speakers are the cheapest part of my system right now. I use Kenwood 3way floodstanders(12in, 5 1/2in, 2 1/2in drivers), NAD 317 Integred and Rega's Planet cd player. Use to have a sony 5 disc carousel in this system instead of the Planet. Then I got the Planet on a deal but really didn't notice much of a difference at first. Felt like there was one but I really coudn't stand there and say holy bizzam thats way better. UNTIL 3 months later my Planet started having tray probs and I had to take it in to get fixed and was without it for a month and was back to using the Sony 5 disc. That's when I noticed the big diff. Everything I listened to sounded totally diff and I didn't like it at all. So I dont really believe in blind testing. Think it takes awhile to get an actual apprecation for the better things in life ya know

 

[tweakmm]

<< output can only ever be as good as the source right... so kinda just gotta think along that line. of course there's the preamp/amp and speakers that follow after the source but it still starts with your source. all have equal importance to me. I'd just spend alot more on speakers than any other component altho the speakers are the cheapest part of my system right now. I use Kenwood 3way floodstanders(12in, 5 1/2in, 2 1/2in drivers), NAD 317 Integred and Rega's Planet cd player. Use to have a sony 5 disc carousel in this system instead of the Planet. Then I got the Planet on a deal but really didn't notice much of a difference at first. Felt like there was one but I really coudn't stand there and say holy bizzam thats way better. UNTIL 3 months later my Planet started having tray probs and I had to take it in to get fixed and was without it for a month and was back to using the Sony 5 disc. That's when I noticed the big diff. Everything I listened to sounded totally diff and I didn't like it at all. So I dont really believe in blind testing. Think it takes awhile to get an actual apprecation for the better things in life ya know >>



well, I am going to be spending $120 on a DIY speaker kit, but these can compare to speakers that cost alot more(because it was DIY) And I'll be spending about $100 on a DVD player or around $75 on an older high quality CD player. But I would rather save money and get a DVD player that can be a CD player as opposed to having to get a CD player and DVD player.
I would be spending around $100 on the NAD 3020 if I upgrade

 

[RegaPlanet]

yea, I'd totally just go with a dvd player in your case

 

[Farbio]

there's nothing wrong with using a dvd player as your cd player.....if you are going to be buying a new dvd player, sony makes a great one that works as a cd player as well, with cdr/cdrw, mp3 and sacd capability. its quite a nice player, esp for ~299. since you're not looking to spend a huge amount of dough at the time being, i would definitely reccommend something like that, because until you invest a decent amount of money, i don't think you'll see too much of a difference, as rega says, i think his planet is about the cheapest audiophile cd player you will find, unless you can find an older marantz cd 67se....great sounding player when it was new for about 350...check ebay for one, you might get a great deal on that one, but otherwise, a dvd player will suit you just fine

 

[tweakmm]

<< there's nothing wrong with using a dvd player as your cd player.....if you are going to be buying a new dvd player, sony makes a great one that works as a cd player as well, with cdr/cdrw, mp3 and sacd capability. its quite a nice player, esp for ~299. since you're not looking to spend a huge amount of dough at the time being, i would definitely reccommend something like that, because until you invest a decent amount of money, i don't think you'll see too much of a difference, as rega says, i think his planet is about the cheapest audiophile cd player you will find, unless you can find an older marantz cd 67se....great sounding player when it was new for about 350...check ebay for one, you might get a great deal on that one, but otherwise, a dvd player will suit you just fine >>



I'm actualy looking at the apex AD-600A This is much cheaper. Would CD performance differ much between the sony and the apex?

 

[Farbio]

apex is ok, nothing wrong with them, but nothing great with them either. it depends on what you're looking for....something to play movies and cds with to enjoy them or something to give great sound and video? if its the first, go with the apex and enjoy it fully. if you are after more than just the normal picture and sound, which i assume you are since you are asking audiophile help, i would steer clear of apex and samsung...stay w/ pioneer, toshiba, sony, panasonic, yamaha, etc

 

[tweakmm]

<< apex is ok, nothing wrong with them, but nothing great with them either. it depends on what you're looking for....something to play movies and cds with to enjoy them or something to give great sound and video? if its the first, go with the apex and enjoy it fully. if you are after more than just the normal picture and sound, which i assume you are since you are asking audiophile help, i would steer clear of apex and samsung...stay w/ pioneer, toshiba, sony, panasonic, yamaha, etc >>


sounds good! Thanks
The only reason why I was thinking about apex is because in the last issue of $ensible sound one of the editors recomended it as a good buy.

 

[Farbio]

tweak,
it is a good buy, just not the best buy....go check it out and make sure you like it, and if so, go for it and enjoy it highly

 

[Jerboy]

Better CD players have higher time-base stability and better Phase-Lock-Loop control with less jitter. The data is 0 and 1's and data itself stays constant, but jitter can cause miniscule lack of uniformitiy playing speed. The rest is pretty much up to DA converter. A good player should have optical output that will let you use external high quality DA converter(can cost $800 for best ones)

 

[tweakmm]

What would be a good DVD player for less than $200 that would have the best sounding CD playback?

 

[CraigRT]

in my home theater, out of my other equipment a CD player is not as important as the receiver, or speakers, or even speaker wire. I have a JVC CD player hooked up to a harman/kardon receiver with Mission 765i dual driver tower speakers with braided 8 wire speaker wire and it sounds fabulous. I will upgrade to an h/k HDCD unit soon but it sounds great and i enjoy it alot, for now.