Hello, I have B&W 705 speakers, slightly bright, smoothened by a + or - warm ampli NAD C352. Now I need to add a CD player around 500 US$, as well hopefully not on the bright side. I'm also attracted by the idea of using my system to listen to HiFi soundtrack while watching movies (and not the opposite!, that would be listening to the music with a DVD player), so I'm looking to DVD players that don't reduce audio quality. Is that ever possible with 500 US$? What about the NAD T562? Does it manage to provide the NAD typical excellent performance while having also DVD capabilities? Which are the competitors to this model? What would you recommend? Thank you.
Never heard the B&W 705's described as bright before. If you don't want to buy dedicated CD and DVD players, which is the best way to do it, then I recommend giving the Cambridge Audio Azur 540D. It is one of the best sounding of it's type for less than $500. Good luck.
Lucio: I, too, have B&W 705 speakers - but I can't describe them as "bright." Open and clean, but more accurate than bright - even in my "overly bright" listening room.
As to a universal player. I'd have to agree with Art IF you don't play SACDs. I don't think the Cambridge unit plays them - might be wrong in that.
I suggest you also wait - along with me - for the new Harman Kardon DVD-47 - supposed to be out now, but delayed a bit. A friend who got an "advance" player says it's absolutely stunning for both video and audio. Full price $399USD - discounted to $349 or less Online.
Larry, I believe that the original poster is interested in CD/DVD playback as the NAD he's interested in does not play SACD's, perhaps he'll clarify that for us. Best idea is to go out and listen to as many as possible.
i'd like to suggest a denon 2200 or 2900 on the used market. they retail for about $1000 and $1500 respectively but I see a few of them for sale here in europe for about $500.
I've owned both, and dont think the 2200 is that far behind my rega apollo cd player when playing cd's. both are very good at sacd and dvd-a, as well as having excellent picture quality(so i'm told)
if you havent already, maybe try putting up some wall-hangings or a throw-rug on the floor if you find your system a bit bright. could open up your choices as far as your front end goes.
1. OK, OK, don't shoot me, I'll put a carpet on the floor and some wall hanging to help my beloved speakers
2. It looks like the CD/DVD player has been disqualified as a premise, compared to the pure CD player.
3. It looks like the NAD T562 has been rejected straight away....why?
4. The best CD/DVD on the market are Cambridge Audio Azur 540D, HK-DVD47 and Denon 2200/2900 (as long available on discount).
Now the next questions:
1. Are these players at the same level of quality of the rest of my equipment? Or should I increase the budget to a superior CD/DVD player? Or going in the other direction, should I give up the DVD capability and focus on a 500 $ CD player so that it can arise it to the proper quality?
2. What about Rotel, compared to the ones recommended from you?
"It looks like the NAD T562 has been rejected straight away....why?"
I don't think it sounds bad at all. It just doesn't sound as good as a stand alone CD player. The 521 BEE, which is $300 sounds better to my ears.
If you're going to spend $1000 and need a DVD player, as stupid as this would sound, I'd get a $500 CDP and a $500 DVD player, or more on the CDP and less on the DVD depending on your priorities. Personally, I'm happy with my $200 DVD player.
"What about Rotel, compared to the ones recommended from you?" Rotel doesn't pair well with NAD. If you had a Rotel integrated amp, I'd recomend a Rotel CDP. Rotel CDP's are very good, esp. when paired with Rotel gear. You have a NAD integrated (a very good one BTW), and the best match IMO is the NAD C542.
The C542 is a very good CDP, and an upgrade is gonna cost you a lot more. I think a worthwhile upgrade will probably cost twice the price.
Also, your integrated amp is more than worthy of being in the same system as anything mentioned in this thread.
Lucio: I'm old and a bit dense, but please, sir - exactly what discs are you most interested in playing? CDs? DVD movies? SACDs? DVD-Audio?
If ONLY CDs and DVDs - I'd think about a great CD player, and a fairly good stand-alone DVD player. But everybody has his own idea - and mine is to simply go with the best universal player I can afford.
- I would even be leaning towards SACD and DVD-A, but to be sincere I've never seen them around (Brazil and music shops in airports) ... I got MP3's as well, but... we can't have everything in life, isn't it?
- OK, I got convinced to give up the DVD capability
- I like NAD (I had a 3020 ampli with a NAD CDP too in my parents place), and it is half price than Rotel, but I want to build up THE SYSTEM in my place now (that's why I got B&W 705): is that true that the NAD C542 and Rotel RCD1072 are same quality? So where Rotel puts all that money more? Can I sleep happy in the night or should I upgrade?
- What I don't understand is why should they be coupled with the relative amplifiers to play well: this theory sounds new to me. Please explain
- Is NAD baking out a new series of models, therefore it's wise to wait for a while in order to see the descendent of the C542, or not?
Lucio, Art, et al - I finally see the light! OK - I don't blame you for overlooking the SACDs and DVD-As - they may not be around much longer, anyway!
I turn this over to Art, Jan, Rantz, and all - who will all happily explain why you need better equipment, and why some stuff works better together than others.. . .and why, once you start upgrading, you may never sleep happy again (there's always something "better" just around the corner).