Better sound with single disc player vs. multi disc?

Michael Smith New member Username: Spkerguy Post Number: 2 Registered: Jun-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 15:57 GMT I'm in the market now for a new CD player since my old Sony ES just went. Is it true that you get better sound quality from a single disc player vs. multi disc? I'm looking at the Rotel RCC-1055 vs. the Rotel RCD-1072. Both are around the same price. The convience of the changer would be nice but would I be sacrificing sound quality? My wife really likes the multi disc. I'm initially going to be using it with my Marantz 7300 receiver but within the next couple of months will upgrade to separates (Rotel RSP1068 and RMB 1075). Thanks a lot for your replies!
Stu Pitt Bronze Member Username: Stu_pitt NYC, NY Pakistan Post Number: 58 Registered: May-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 16:09 GMT Theoretically, single disc players sound better than multi disc one when the prices of the two are equal. Multi disc players have more parts, which makes them more expensive, thus less of the money is going to sound quality components and more is going to changer parts such as motors, larger trays and casing, and so on. This doesn't mean that its impossible for a changer to sound better than an equally priced single disc, but highly unlikely. The two you mentioned are made by the same manufacturer at the same price, therefore the single player should sound somewhat better because more of your money is going to the parts that make the music rather than going to the parts that change your disc. This is all just theroetical though. The best sounding one and best value is entirely up to you. You know what you would like it to sound like and how much that sound is worth. Everyone's ears and value of money are different.
Stu Pitt Bronze Member Username: Stu_pitt NYC, NY Pakistan Post Number: 59 Registered: May-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 16:17 GMT I wish NAD would make a multidisc version of the 320BEE. I wouldn't mind paying extra for a five disc version of a CD player with the same internal components as the 320BEE. I guess that a lot or people have it in their heads that any single disc player will sound better than any multidisc player. Maybe the companies don't make high end ones anymore because they don't sell too well because of this thinking.
Michael Smith New member Username: Spkerguy Post Number: 3 Registered: Jun-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 16:39 GMT Thanks for your reply. When I'm comparing the specs for CD players what are the things I should look for? Here are the specs from the CD players Rotel RCD-02 http://www.rotel.com/products/specs/rcd02.htm Rotel RCC-1055 (Changer) http://www.rotel.com/products/specs/rcc1055.htm and then lastly the Rotel RCD-1072 http://www.rotel.com/products/specs/rcd1072.htm If I go with one of these CD players and then upgrade to a Rotel separate processor would I be using the DACs on the CD player or the processor? Which would be better? Thanks again, Ken
Stu Pitt Bronze Member Username: Stu_pitt NYC, NY Pakistan Post Number: 62 Registered: May-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 17:29 GMT If the process or has a digital input and you connected the digital outs on the cd player - or dvd player, same general concept with the two - to the digital input of the processor, then you would be using the DAC in the processor. The digital out of a digital source (cd, dvd) will send out a code of 1's and 0's for the DAC in the processor to decode and turn into an analog (sound) signal. If you use the analog outs (usually rca's) from your source, then the signal has been decoded and sent to the pre-amp/processor as an analog signal. The pre-amp will send the signal unaltered to the amplifier to be amplified. If you're going to use the digital outs on the cd or dvd player, then (in my opinion) their isn't going to be much noticable difference between different cd players. This is because the only thing the cd player is doing is reading the material from the disc, and not making it "sound" any one way or another. In this set up you are using the cd or dvd player as a transport. There are differences between transports. Some are more suseptible to what is called "jitter" or errors. I would be surprised if the three you mentioned had different transport mecahnisms (the part that reads the 1's and 0's) in them. Because the is no real big difference in price - you're not comparing a $50 KLH cdp to a $2500 McIntosh cdp - I don't think there would be any real audible difference between them when using the DAC in your processor. This is just my opinion though, and I'm sure many will disagree and agree. If you could hear the different players using the DAC in the processor, this would most likely confirm or dispell my opinions. In regards in which to use, the cd player's DAC or the processor's DAC - which ever sounds better to you. They may even have the same DAC if they were designed at the same time and are the company's same level of performance. The specs in the links you provided don't say which specific DAC is used, but they do say that they use Burr-Brown DAC's, which are very good. The best way to answer the questions for you would be for you to go to the store and listen to them in all of the different ways mentioned - ie. the RCD-02 using the analog, then the digital outputs; and so on. This may take a while, so try to go when the store is the least likely to be busy. On paper (specs) their seems to be very little difference between the three, the best bet would be to listen to them all. Also, ask the dealer which DAC's are used in the three CDP's to determine if they are the same or different between them and the processor. Or even better - E-Mail Rotel under their contact us section of their home page. They will give you the most accurate technical information that anyone can. I don't know how long it would take them to get back to you though. Some are a day or two, some seem like forever.
Michael Smith New member Username: Spkerguy Post Number: 4 Registered: Jun-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 19:45 GMT Thanks again for your detailed reply. I emailed Rotel and hopefully they will respond soon. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything. I probably will be using the DACs in the CD player until I upgrade to separates. It would be nice if they could make a quality audiophile cd changer. Thanks again, ken
ollyb_newcastle Unregistered guest	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 20:01 GMT looking at all these players in my opinion the 1055 multi changer is well out of the picture due to it having not great reviews. the other two however have very good reviews. but the best review was that of the rotel rcd-02 which got an excellent review in what hi-fi sound and vision magazine saying, "punchy performer- bassheads will especially enjoy its tight delivery" they then gave it 5 stars (out of 5) whereas the 1072 got four and is more pricy. it is clear from my point of few that the rcd-02 is the one to go for. good luck in choosin olly
Stu Pitt Bronze Member Username: Stu_pitt NYC, NY Pakistan Post Number: 67 Registered: May-05	Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 20:46 GMT olly - The reviewer's ears and Micheal's ears are probably very different. Professional reviews are a good starting point, but not the be all end all of what sounds good. Here's something to consider - The cheaper model got 5 stars, but wasn't it graded based on it's price and performance against similiarly priced models? If they were compared side by side and with price not having any bearing on the rating, what would the ratings be then? Classic example - I have a NAD 523 CD changer. Two professional reviewers gave it a near perfect score, and two gave it very bad scores. One of them said it was only suitable for background music. Which one should I have believed? Compared to the competition at the time it came out (8 years ago) I thought it was the best CDP at it's price point that I heard. CD players have come a long way since, even though it's only been 8 years, and I'm going to replace it with a 521BEE. I'll still keep it for parties though.
ollyb_newcastle Unregistered guest	Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2005 - 18:48 GMT well if ur gonna compare them side by side, then go for the more expensive. it doesnt make sense, if ur gonna spend that much money on a cd player then why not spend it on one that has had better reviews at the same price, in my opinion it is all about the quality of sound for pound. it dont make sense to plump for the more expensive one without looking at the other players at that price, why limit yourself to one brand? at least go and listen to the others at that price if u dont like reviews. olly

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