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Do you still need a CD player?
Have audiophiles become too obsessed with nostalgia when it comes to CDs? The same case could probably be made for vinyl, cassettes, and reel-to-reel but what really matters is not just the format but the sound quality — and access to it.
Listening to music on physical media isn’t dead and vinyl records (and even audio cassettes) and CDs continue to remain extremely viable formats.
The ability to own music on a physical medium is important and we discovered that to be very true during the summer of 2022 when Rogers’ mobile and wireless networks collapsed all across Canada forcing almost 33% of Canada’s population offline. No Wi-Fi. No cable. No music or video streaming for over 24 hours and even longer for some customers.
CD players like the Marantz CD60 don’t become inoperable when you can’t access the internet, which is more than we can say for Spotify, or TIDAL.
Streaming may represent 85% of the North American market (it’s much lower in Asia and Europe), but there is clearly a demand for physical formats and there is great value in ownership.
Having worked for Barnes & Noble on their nook eReader launch and as a Digital Lead that helped train booksellers (ironic) on how to sell it — I knew from the onset that it was destined for failure.
People who love to read put enormous value on the ability to physically hold and read a book.
Many of us consider a home library to be the most important room in the house; and have you ever met anyone with a room filled with Kindles or nooks?
So why do people still care about CDs?
One of the reasons why CDs are climbing again in popularity is clearly cost — it’s hard to say no to $3 or $5 used CDs that are still in decent shape. That becomes an even better deal when you look at how expensive new vinyl releases run. Why purchase 1 new vinyl release when you can have 5 to 10 CDs?
New CD sales are not great but the used market will continue to offer enormous choice and value.
The final reason is sound quality. Audiophiles conveniently forget the days when they spent thousands on separate transports and DACs, before the hi-fi press decided that a CD player was good enough. Before moving on to streamers and very expensive DACs again.
Our “Best CD players of 2024” list only includes models that we have listened to over the past 12 months in a variety of settings. Many of these have been formally reviewed or listened to during private demonstrations at local retailers or during visits with manufacturers.
FiiO DM13 Portable CD Player ($139)
The DM13 not only harkens back to the portable CD players of the past (remember the Sony Discman?) but also provides users with Bluetooth connectivity to today’s wireless headphones and earbuds as well as multiple wired outputs.
Featuring both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs, the DM13 can be used with a wide range of headphones including FiiO’s FT5 Planar Magnetic headphones, the FT3, and FA19 in-ear monitors.
With aptX HD Bluetooth connectivity, the DM13 can connect to wireless headphones or speakers. Also, with a dedicated analog line-out, the DM13 can be connected to most existing audio systems, powered speakers, or a portable speaker with an auxiliary input.
The DM13’s built-in battery provides up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge; you can also use the DM13 in desktop mode with an AC power connection.
Bluetooth codec support includes SBC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX Low Latency.
It’s also rather compact at 5.4 x 5.7 x 1 inches (W x L x H) and only weighs 1 pound; the build quality is surprisingly good — the rear panel connections are all recessed.
The FiiO DM13 also doubles as a CD ripper where tracks are copied directly from the player to a USB thumb drive you plug into the rear panel; the player will read discs with FLAC, AAC, WAV, WMA and MP3 files.
The DAC converts everything to 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV files.
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Support for a wide range of Bluetooth codecs
- Wireless Bluetooth headphone support
- USB-C connection for your laptop
- CD ripper
- 8 hours of playback on a battery charge
- Clear, detailed and surprisingly good sound quality
- Multiple digital outputs for connection to a wireless speaker or DAC
Cons:
- Not really designed for portable use
- CD rips limited to 16-bit/44.1kHz
Where to buy: $139 at Amazon
Rotel CD11MKII ($599)
Over the past three years, I have been fortunate to review numerous Rotel Integrated Amplifiers including the Michi X3, A14MKII and A12MKII models. All of them have proven to be well made and sonically excellent.
The CD11MKII and A10MKII (integrated amplifier) represent upgrades to Rotel’s hugely successful Tribute Series models which were inspired by — and co-operatively engineered with — the late Ken Ishiwata.
The new products seek to enhance the performance of their predecessors while remaining faithful to Ken’s design philosophy and continue to proudly pay homage to Ishiwata san’s 40+ year legacy in the audio business.
The CD11MKII CD Player replaces the existing CD11 Tribute model and includes over 10 critical components upgrades in the digital circuits surrounding the TI PCM5102A 32-bit/384kHz DAC.
The smooth action tray loading CD mechanism, LCD display, intuitive front panel controls and included IR remote control ensure simple installation and operation. RCA outputs provide easy connection to your favorite audio system.
The CD11MKII also includes a coaxial output allowing the unit to be used as a CD transport. The 12V trigger input and RS232 connection allows seamless integration with control systems.
The CD player is available in both black and silver and looks very sharp on the desktop; the build quality and quiet operation make it a strong option at its price point.
A rather smooth sounding CD player that offers very good clarity, detail retrieval and good pacing.
Pros:
- Solid build quality
- Very quiet and reliable transport
- Good remote
- Plays CDs and CD-Rs
- Clear, detailed and surprisingly robust sounding
- Can tailor the sound with an external DAC
Cons:
- No USB output
- CD11MKII does not play FLAC files from CD-RW
Where to buy: $599 at Crutchfield
Marantz CD60 ($999)
The CD60 features an industrial design and sturdy build that not only looks good but contributes to stable performance free of unnecessary vibration. The chassis is quite large; perhaps even too large for everything that resides under the cover. Marantz is sticking with a similar chassis for all of the components in this lineup because it is easier to manufacture that way and there is a consistency to the industrial design that most buyers will like.
The Marantz CD60 has a rather warm and organic tonal balance and it is one of those components that makes even the worst recordings sound almost listenable; it does some truly wonderful things with DCC, MoFi, and JVC XRCD recordings that pushed the envelope when it came to digital recordings in the 1990s.
CD playback compatibility includes CD/CD-R/CD-RW discs. CDs with MP3 and WMA files are also playable. HDCD discs are playable, but access to the 4-bit extension is not provided. SACD playback capability is not included (according to the specs provided by Marantz).
How good is the CD60? After living with it for two months, I bought the review sample because it proved to be reliable, easy to use, and most CDs just sound fantastic through it.
You can read our review here.
Pros:
- Modern industrial design that is robust
- Very quiet and reliable transport
- CD playback compatibility includes CD/CD-R/CD-RW discs
- Can tailor the sound with an external DAC
- Warm and organic tonal balance
- Makes terrible sounding CDs listenable
- DCC, MoFi, and JVC XRCDs sound phenomenal
Cons:
- No USB output
- HDCD discs are playable, but access to the 4-bit extension is not provided
- No SACD support
Where to buy: $999 at Crutchfield | Amazon
Rotel DT-6000 DAC/CD player ($2,299)
The $2,299 USD Rotel DT-6000 DAC/CD player includes a PC-USB input supporting MQA and DSD audio playback and renders PCM 32-bit/384kHz music files through the coaxial and optical inputs supporting music streamers and media players with the included tray loading CD mechanism providing playback flexibility.
There is a rather long design development story in regard to the DT-6000 that convinced us that Rotel’s development team went back and forth for over a year trying every possible DAC chip before settling on a heavily modified version of the DAC referenced below.
Their initial enthusiasm for the ESS Sabre was met with a level of disappointment when it didn’t deliver the overall sonic performance they were looking for in such an expensive CD player/DAC.
Rotel went back to the drawing board until they felt ESS got it correct.
The focal point of the DT-6000 is the 8-channel ESS Sabre ES9028PRO Digital to Analog converter configured to dedicate 4 mono DACs each to the left and right channels. Redundant signal processing of the digital data streams extracts nuances of audio with exacting clarity and detail with an exceptionally low noise floor.
The DAC feeds custom engineered fully balanced differential output filters with sonic components critically tuned for life-like reproduction of the audio.
The DT-6000 is powered by an in-house manufactured shielded toroidal transformer with high efficiency slit foil smoothing capacitors reducing stray emissions and delivering independent, isolated, low noise power to all critical circuits, further reducing noise and distortion.
Rotel invited us to a number of private listening sessions in NYC so that we could compare the DT-6000 to the less expensive models in the range which also includes the CD11 Tribute and CD14 MKII which retails for $1,000 USD.
Is it worth the extra $1,300 over its less expensive sibling?
It’s a more forward sounding CD player with better clarity and detail but whether that justifies such a huge uptick in price is up to you.
Pros:
- Excellent build quality
- Very reliable transport
- Supports hi-res playback including DSD and MQA
- Single-ended and balanced outputs
- Very high level of resolution and detail
Cons:
- Not inexpensive
- Forward sounding presentation might not work with certain amplifiers
Where to buy: $2,299 at Crutchfield
Luxman D-03X ($4,195)
CDs still sell very well in Japan and it’s clear from the D-03X, that Luxman does not plan on abandoning the format anytime soon.
The D-03X incorporates MQA technology, which enables you to play back MQA-CDs as well as MQA audio files up to 24-bit transferred via USB, optical and coaxial inputs. The USB input also supports PCM data up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD data up to 11.2MHz while the optical and coaxial inputs accept PCM signals up to 192 kHz/24-bit.
Yes – the D-03X is also a high-resolution DAC making it the hub of 21st century digital system. Connect a streamer to one of the digital inputs and you’ve simplified your system with one cable and upped the sound quality by quite a few yards.
For $4,200, you have every right to expect a superior level of playback and the Japanese CD player never fails to deliver; the balanced outputs sound decidedly fuller and less neutral than the single-ended outputs. Bass has more weight through the balanced outputs and there is a noticeable increase in soundstage depth.
Pros:
- Battleship construction
- Balanced output
- High levels of resolution, detail, and a massive soundstage
- Can be used as a hi-res DAC with support for 32-bit PCM and DSD
- One of the top CD players available
Cons:
- Not inexpensive
Where to buy: $4,195 at Music Direct | Find Luxman Dealers
Hegel Viking ($5,000)
The Viking is a standalone CD player that does not offer streaming capabilities and nor can it serve as a digital hub for the rest of your digital sources.
Hegel is very aware of what the competition is offering, but to offer the same thing would be a rather steep departure from its design ethos.
The purpose of the Viking is to be the best sounding 16-bit/44.1kHz CD player on the market and whilst that might be a rather lofty goal — the Mohican model that it’s replacing due to supply chain issues, was a rather high performance CD player during its run and that means the Hegel had to offer something better.
The Viking uses a dedicated laser and CD drive to ensure optimal data reading alongside a “state-of-the-art DAC” that delivers high-quality digital-to-analog conversion with minimal levels of distortion.
The slot-loaded CD player does not support SACD, MQA, or offer any form of upsampling.
It only plays 16-bit/44.1kHz CDs?
That definitely feels out of touch with the rest of the market but Hegel refuses to apologize for that.
The Norwegian manufacturer designed every aspect of the Viking to deliver the best possible CD performance because they believe that it offers superior sound quality to other digital sources including its own streaming components.
The Viking CD player has one pair of balanced XLR outputs, one pair of unbalanced RCA outputs, and one BNC digital 75 Ohm output, making it easy to operate and integrate into any audio system.
The Viking CD player also features an OLED display that is specifically selected for its low noise, resulting in a clearer and more detailed sound. The analog stage in Viking is developed specifically for this model.
It incorporates their analog low pass filter and Line Driver technology, ensuring fully balanced and noise-free handling of the signal all the way to your amplifier.
The “we only aim to offer the best 16-bit/44.1kHz” pledge might seem totally boring at a time when DAPs can offer 32-bit/384kHz and DSD, MQA, DXD, etc…
But here’s the thing.
The Hegel Viking is so good at digging every last bit of detail and presence out of your CD collection that you might forget that you even own a DAP or network player after listening to this.
Yes…access to millions of tracks through a network streamer is a great experience, and one that we totally endorse — but you really need to listen to your CDs through something this good.
Pros:
- Reference quality 16-bit/44.1kHz playback
- Stunning design and build quality
- Designed to make you want to buy more CDs
Cons:
- $5,000 is a lot of money for a CD player that does not offer hi-res support
- Can’t be used as a high-end DAC
- Did we mention that it only plays CDs?
Related reading: View our latest Editors’ Choice Awards
James Chater
February 11, 2021 at 4:44 pm
Have the Cambridge CXC coupled with an Arcam irDAC going through Chord C-Line interconnect to a NAD C316BEE amp and finally, Dali Spektor 2 speakers. To me this set up it sounds fantastically accurate.
Re the vinyl/CD ‘debate’. I am old enough to have owned a substantial collection when CD was introduced in mid 80s. In retrospect I got rid of my collection too hastily as decent turntables are now very affordable. But, at the time many retailers stopped stocking vinyl overnight as some record companies stopped releasing new material on vinyl. Yes, I get the argument that vinyl is somehow more ‘musical’ as actual physical vibrations are happening…But do I miss loud surface noise, replacing needles etc.? As for the ‘psychological’ aspect? For me now to re-purchase titles on vinyl is just a bit too sickly nostalgic. Thankfully, re-mastered sometimes re-mixed recordings on CD sound great.
Ian White
February 11, 2021 at 5:06 pm
James,
There is definitely a nostalgia angle for everyone. I’m 50 and have been buying records since 1982. I inherited a lot of them from parents and grandparents which was a nice way to start. I do agree that there is a lot more involved when it comes to vinyl/CD and you really do have to set-up your table properly to hear what all of the fuss is about. I own both really high-end digital and analog systems and they both give me joy. I like listening to records because it feels more “human” if that makes any sense. I own 2,000 CDs and have 3,000+ albums saved on Tidal/Qobuz…but you don’t own any of the streaming music. It can all go away. Thank you for reading BTW. Greatly appreciated.
charlie
February 20, 2023 at 8:04 pm
sweet rig
craig allison
February 24, 2021 at 3:13 am
As the newest crop of players sports not only the latest, greatest dacs , but also
multi- format utility , I’d like to let one cat out of the bag : The best dac ever made for cd was the Philips Gold Crown TD- 1541 AS1 ( can’t remember all the nomenclature.) What is to be gleaned here is that chip was designed to
only decode 16/44. No multi- format , no ‘ chip of the month club. ‘
An experienced digital audio engineer who has done OEM work for many
high end outfits assured me that my perceptions are correct. We retro-ed one into
my Tandberg 3015 A thirty years ago in place of the original stock 1541. To this
day, anyone who hears my player comments on the sheer beauty of the sound.
Nick
May 11, 2021 at 1:33 am
How can you possibly have omitted the Technics SL-G700??
Ian White
May 11, 2021 at 1:57 am
Because unless we’ve actually listened to it, it doesn’t make the list. I have another 20 CD players on my list that might be better than all of these from Metronome, Naim, Mark Levinson, ATC, Esoteric — but I’m not going to randomly just add things to the list just because they exist.
When I have a chance to try the Technics and others on my list — this article will be updated.
Thank you for reading.
Ian White
Joshua B
November 14, 2022 at 1:57 pm
If you have others that have not been tested, and only list what you have listened to, this list should be designated as “favorites” and not “best”…. there are simply too many very good players not listed that are better than any on this list.
Ian White
November 14, 2022 at 2:37 pm
Joshua,
It is impossible to test every available CD player and we have a very specific cut-off in terms of price. We don’t review CD players over $5,000.
Best,
Ian White
MadMex
June 11, 2021 at 1:13 pm
YAMAHA is a long distance runner for the CD player. Pay respects.
Ian White
June 11, 2021 at 1:20 pm
100% for longevity but have not heard a Yamaha CD player in many years so I can’t comment on its sound quality.
Ian White
Matt
August 6, 2021 at 9:26 pm
Rotel cd 14. Sounds great
Scott Lylander
August 11, 2021 at 8:23 pm
Having a top loading CD player is a must for me; I’ll take the Rega. Long Live Physical Media.
Ian White
August 11, 2021 at 9:19 pm
The Rega is really good. The Naim would be my second choice.
Ian White
JS
September 19, 2022 at 5:27 pm
Nad 516 bee owner here. Affordable and great sounding machine.
Steven O'Farrell
August 13, 2021 at 2:59 am
The “drawer” design has been a problem with several players I’ve had over the years. The Rega and the Naim eliminate that concern from the equation, which appeals to me. In my experience, Rotel has a good reliability reputation, but that Rega Apollo intrigues me, I must say. Nice article with a diverse selection of possibilities.
Ian White
August 13, 2021 at 10:13 am
Steven,
I still have the original Rega Planet in a box somewhere. I prefer the Rega design in terms of reliability but the Naim CD players have always been my cup of tea sonically.
Ian White
Larry
August 15, 2021 at 6:45 pm
I really, really wish that Oppo was still making CD/DVD players. Oppo switched to making cell phones and it was a real loss for audiophiles.
Larry Southerland
Ian White
August 15, 2021 at 7:37 pm
Larry,
Don’t we all. My BDP-95 is still working but it won’t last forever.
The prices on the last generation of players are crazy. $2,500 and up for a Blu-ray player.
They’ve made a killing on the smartphone side so they probably see it a a huge win.
Modwright has an incredible sounding modification for the last two Oppo players but that takes them up to $4K or more.
Ian White
Mike Little
August 4, 2022 at 7:44 pm
I still have my BDP-93, great player but a way to complicated remote due to all of the DVD and video options.
Modwright has stopped offering mods but you do see the odd one pop up on the secondary market.
Will you be offering a companion article on just transports?
Ian White
August 5, 2022 at 12:38 am
Mike,
Most of these are also transports, so it would seem rather redundant at this point.
I’m thinking of a follow-up in regard to some vintage CD players including Micromega, CAL, Krell, Sonic Frontiers, PS Audio, Naim, Linn, Spectral, and Meridian.
Best,
Ian
MDC
August 5, 2022 at 3:38 pm
That would be excellent if you did a review of some vintage players. I currently own Sony 777ES and it’s still running fine.
Richard L Johnson
August 27, 2021 at 8:07 pm
I bought the Marantz CD6007 to match my PM700N (which I bought as a temporary replacement while my APT Holman preamp was being rebuilt).
I was not just pleasantly surprised, I was truly shocked at just how good the CD6007 sounds – CDs that previously were ‘nails on the chalkboard’ were dramatically improved – smoother, more detailed, more coherent, less ‘digititis’.
For reference my analog rig is a VPI Prime with a JMW Memorial 10″ arm and a Hana SH moving coil, and I listemn to either Kef LS50s or Magnepan .7s with a Sunfire SDS8 subwoofer crossed over at 80Hz.
Ian White
August 27, 2021 at 8:43 pm
Right?
CD players have taken a backseat for far too long over the past 10 years.
I’m listening to CDs all the time now.
Ian White
Lash
November 9, 2021 at 5:32 pm
I only wish someone was still making players that decode HDCD, as well as SACD.
Ian White
November 9, 2021 at 5:49 pm
Lash,
I want to say Copland but I might be wrong on that one. I did own a Copland CD player that decoded HDCD and I still have all of those CDs with that encoding.
Finding one that does both HDCD and SACD is definitely rare. You might find a used high-end unit that does both but I doubt it will be inexpensive.
Ian
Brad Clemens
January 14, 2022 at 11:41 pm
Marantz makes SA-10 SACD player which plays CDs, Hi Rz dvds , others as well as can burn them for you. Came out beginning of 2017 and still can hardly find a used one cheap. Considered one of best to own as it streams and has its own unconventional dac which they claim is not a dac. Stereophile never mentions in any detail in articles and almost mute about the player. I think it’s because, Marantz didn’t buy into the MQA hype. Will process any file you can think of otherwise. Read about it as there are many excellent reviews besides marketing hype.
Jim
November 10, 2021 at 6:39 pm
I sold my CAL Audio Cd/DVD player and Denon Cd player/recorder both of which played HDCD. I still have the Eastern Electric Mini Max tube CD player which also plays HDCD. Ashgrove by Dave Alvin is a great HDCD from start to finish, “Out of Control” really rocks if you are ready to head out on the town 🙂 I saw him perform this whole CD in Washington DC in front of just 300 people(max capacity) in 2004.
Ian White
November 10, 2021 at 6:50 pm
The CAL CD players were really good. I missed my chance at one recently.
Dave Alvin is great music.
Ian White
John
December 5, 2021 at 2:28 pm
I would like to suggest adding the Bryston BCD-3 to your list to audition. Thanks for these. CDs remain equal to vinyl in my home. No streamers as I’ve been committed to physical media for years. Convenience has never been a priority. My stack of 45s will attest to that. Convenience in audio playback is a conceptual necessity we’ve made up with no real value, especially in a field where you often literally need an expert just to help you set up and calibrate your system. I am fit enough to get off the couch and I’m OK with that. The Bryston is a wonderful player (w/ a balky remote).
Gregger
January 12, 2022 at 8:57 pm
Are you aware of a newer CD player that will accept multiple CD’S?? The ‘one at a time’ thing gets old!
thank you.
Ian White
January 12, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Gregger,
I’m assuming you mean a CD changer. Integra and Yamaha still make 6-CD changers. The Integra model (basically a Onkyo) is quite good. Yamaha also makes really decent CD players still.
Best,
Ian White
Steve
February 28, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Hi Ian.
Recently, I purchased an Onkyo DX-C390 6 disc changer.At present I’ve got it connected to a very old Denon DRA-435R (hope to upgrade when $’s allow). Any comments on the DX-C390?.
Thanks
Ian White
February 28, 2023 at 5:48 pm
Hi Steve,
Unfortunately, I’ve never had the chance to listen to one.
If it still works and you like it — enjoy it.
Best,
Ian White
David
June 21, 2022 at 11:48 am
I would really like to purchase the Audiolab 6000cdt but keep hearing chatter about CD’s getting damaged due to the slot loading system. Do you have any opinions about slot loaders? Am I better off buying a player with a tray?
Michael King
August 4, 2022 at 4:32 pm
I too wish that Qobuz was available in Canada. However, I would like to put in a plug for Deezer. Their CD resolution tier sounds wonderful and the library is vast in all genres. Spotify is still compressed and I don’t care about Tidal as MQA is a solution for a problem that no longer exists. If Qobuz, Linn, McIntosh etc. eschew it, that is good enough for me. Since this is a column about CDs and CD players, I spin mine on an old Pioneer DV-353 DVD player feeding a Moon 280D DAC. Don’t laugh :). I had an unfortunate experience with a McIntosh MCD201. The model was a rare lemon from this company and it had to go back to the factory twice because of a faulty transport. This was a common problem with this model and I was glad to see it go. After that, stand alone DACs only for me.
Dennis
August 4, 2022 at 11:32 pm
CD sales have climbed , in part, because there’s not much capacity to produce vinyl, so if you want to own a physical copy of an album then CDs may be it. CDs are also more durable and transportable than vinyl, and most new music isn’t mastered in a way that matters with regard to format. Used sales don’t factor into the statistics for cd sales and I doubt too many people who’d buy a $1000 plus player are shopping used CDs for anything except what may be out of production.
These CD player prices are nuts, or more politely, aspirational. There may be a qualitative difference between a nice new $200 player and one costing thousands, but I’d go vintage first. For the record, I don’t fault anyone who buys expensive gear. I own some, so I get it.
Tony Dyson
November 14, 2022 at 3:11 pm
CD is far from dead, even in the US. Have you noted the number of expensive transports that have appeared recently? I’m a recent convert to Pro-Ject, with the S3 MaiA amp and S3 CD Box. I couldn’t imagine buying a replacement system without a means to spin my CD collection. Discogs will ensure that collection continues to slowly grow.
Ian White
November 14, 2022 at 3:54 pm
Tony,
CD sales in N. America are definitely not strong compared to Europe and Asia in 2022. There was some momentum last year during the pandemic that saw CD sales increase for the first time in almost 6 years, but that momentum seems to have dissipated. CD sales in Japan, India, Europe, and China are a very different story. Streaming has not yet hit the same type of critical mass as we’ve experienced in N. America but it will happen eventually.
I love CDs. I own 3 CD players and will use them until they die. Hopefully that is at least another decade.
Best,
Ian White
nwwoods
November 14, 2022 at 10:17 pm
I purchased one on impulse last year. I have listened to exactly two CDs since then. I have thousands of digital tracks on my NAS and they duplicated on the micro SD in my Fiio DAP. Why the heck would I want to fumble with CDs, I ask myself.
Ian White
November 14, 2022 at 11:19 pm
Gord,
1. CD players can sound better than streaming.
2. Not everything is available on streaming platforms.
3. Who doesn’t want to squint reading the album notes?
Ian White
Michael Little
November 15, 2022 at 12:31 am
Ian,
I have been doing a ton of travel so just found this (gettingg Covid from a Calgary trip was not a great gift).
I really love my older OPPO BDP93? but in comparisons in the new system I built recently I have discovered that the DAC (Burr Brown in the OPP?) has a big mid bass bump.
I only discovered this when doing a comparison between the analog out and SPIDF with my Modi.
So I am hoping at some point your team has the time to do just a transport comparison.
Since the OPPO was originally bought as a blue ray player for the home theatre its got a remote that can run a space shuttle which is another reason I really want to go down the pure transport route.
Ian White
November 15, 2022 at 1:13 am
Michael,
Feel better and I think it’s something I’d like to do in late-january after we clear through our backlog of articles and reviews.
Best,
Ian White
jim
August 16, 2023 at 11:47 pm
Thanks for your reviews, Ian but I read hifi reviews and watch hifi videos to escape the political quagmire that permeates our society. My 2 cents fwiw.
Karl
August 20, 2023 at 7:27 pm
Could someone explain how a CD transport can sound different compared to a different CD transport, with all other things being the same (most importantly, the DAC)?
I use a Tascam CD-RW901SL as a transport connected to a Parasound D/AC-1100 and my sense is that since the transport is simply reading the data there ideally should not be any measurable difference from one transport to the next, much the same as a Microsoft Word document will appear identical no matter which hard drive or computer it’s decoded by.
Ian White
August 20, 2023 at 8:59 pm
Karl,
I’m in the same camp as you. The DAC and analog output stage is going to have much more impact on the final sound quality. Some transports use higher quality sleds and superior clamping systems but a transport should perform one basic function as any other transport.
CD players, however, are a very different story.
Best,
Ian White
Mr Timothy Cook
September 27, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Why the obnoxious dig at Greta Thunberg? Totally inappropriate I would suggest.
For what it’s worth I listened to a very interesting radio program on the BBC a few years back around the environmental impact of the music industry. I can’t remember the name of the interviewee now, but he calculated that streaming was more carbon intensive than CD production. The amount of energy being consumed by massive internet servers for music streaming alone, outweighs the carbon footprint of CD production. This was approximately five years ago, things might have changed re energy efficiency of servers etc.
Ian White
September 27, 2023 at 10:25 pm
Mr. Cook,
How dare you!!! How dare you!
We did a podcast with MQA and Meridian last year about the server versus CD carbon footprint topic. It’s in the podcast section.
Ian White
Mark Patterson
November 26, 2023 at 9:08 pm
Why would you attempt an insult toward Greta Thunberg, a young person who has dedicated her life’s energy so far to the well-being of our human family’s future? That snark is unnecessary, and colors the rest of your article in a questionable light.
Ian White
November 27, 2023 at 1:30 am
The little thug who demonstrated this week calling for the destruction of Israel? Where most of my family lives. Greta is not who you think she is.
IW
ORT
December 17, 2024 at 3:12 pm
I am now (about time, eh?!) the happily sastisfied owner and USER of a Marantz CD60. In silver/gold.
I use the headphone output daily and it sounds superb. It looks even more superb…Dare I say this (OOoooo DARE! DARE!) it looks superbly superb! It plays CDS in a (fragile frAudiophile’s ALERT!!) musicalifragelisticspecsbealidocious manner!
Yup. I got myself one and it only took a few years. I also ordered myself a new Denon Home Amp. Fear not gentile readers! This is NOT a sign of the crApocolypse! fraudiophilians need not tremble at my words even though they shake the very floundation of their effete souls!
Yes. I more than “back”. I really never left. Except for a bunch of hospital visits and other related stuff that shows I am not fry Krypton nor from Crapton. I am one of you. If, that is, you are an enthusiast of audio and video sort.
This is my favourite tyme of the year. Yup.
ORTson Welles
Ian White
December 17, 2024 at 3:53 pm
ORT,
It’s a very fine CD player that I also use daily. When I’m home. Which has not been very often the past few months. But it will reside with me for many years to come.
Glad to see you back.
IW