Good CD Player

Hello all!
Can anyone please give some good suggestions on a good single disc CD Player that's under 500 bucks! Thanks in advance to everyone!

I've heard good reviews on NAD cd players.

Thanks Spike!
yeah I was kind of leaning towards the C521BEE but thought maybe I was missing something better.

There’s always something better. But we all have to draw a line somewhere.

Then again, once in a while there is a product or two out there that can give you a much bigger leap by spending just a little more such as Outlaw Audio product. Speaking with the same tone, if you can just squeeze out little more of that green paper, you can get yourself a very good CD player for it’s price. Take a look at Ah! CD player Njoe Tjoeb 4000 (“New Tube” 4000). www.upscaleaudio.com carries it. It’s been getting excellent reviews. I just ordered one myself.

To Jonathan or other curious gunslingers who are thinking about getting a CD player:

It’s been little over a week since I received my Njoe Tjoeb 4000 and I am pleased with the quality I’m getting from it. I won’t go into technical details which are already posted in their website but to simply describe it, it uses tubes. I am planning on adding tube amps as well but for now its being amplified by my Outlaw 7100. The warmth of sound was noticeable from day one even without any burn-in and its getting better. Not to mention, the superior clarity, sound stage, imaging and much less fatigue. Ok, so the tubes need to be replaced once in a while but the benefit you get outweighs the price (relatively small for this unit) of replacement tubes.

If you haven’t, give it a try. For $700 base price, it may not be possible to find a better CD player.

I have the Jolida JD-100, tube cd player. It is a little above the price range you stated ($900), but it is one of the best cd players i have ever seen or heard (build quality, sound quality, etc.) You may check into one of these. It won the Budget Product of the Year, or something like that, and has nothing but rave reviews.

I will go out on a limb here and assume this will be attached to a Pre/Pro like the Outlaw 950.

If yes, find an older Adcom GCD-575 player on ebay; they can be had for about $100. They sound great on thier own but they have an older 16bit DAC. Purchase an Outlaw COAX digital interconnect (or any digital coax IC) and connect it to your Pre/Pro so you can use the newer DAC in the Pre/Pro.

Disclaimer: I like Adcom. I have an Adcom GCD-600 5-disc changer that I think was ruined in the NYC blackout. The RCAs output static (the DAC may be dead) so I am going to keep it and try it via digital coax when I get my Outlaw 950. For now, I just purchased a new-old-stock Adcom GCD-700 5-disc changer for my 2-channel stereo system.

If no, get an NAD, Rotel, or Arcam which are all known for being good "mid-fi" players and all have models within your price range.


[This message has been edited by NYC-EMT (edited March 09, 2004).]

Here’s a tube operated DVD / CD player for less $ but said to be better than Njoe Tojeb base model.
http://www.decware.com/new%20site/mainmenu.htm scroll down and click on “DEC-685” then click on “design notes”.

Thanks guys on all your helpful inputs.

I will be connecting this cd-player to my 1050. I recently placed an order on the new Cambridge Audio Azur 640C CD player. I bought this player just on it's looks and the great review it got from whathifi. It costs 450 shipped. I'll post my thoughts on it as soon as I receive it.

http://www.cambridge-audio.co.uk/noflash/640c_cd.html

I got the DEC-685 about 3 weeks ago...very nice. I am really back into 2 channel stereo. This player is unbelievable. I can shut my eyes while listening and there is just a wall of the most clear realistic sound I have ever heard. Great CD player,great SACD player, very good DVD player. I am using a 1050 and 750

I have a quick question for you as a user of this player. Do you find the tube placement to be an issue? As in, does it interfere with your interconnects at all?

I saw this player on the decware website. It sounds cool but I don't neccesarily love the idea of the tube sticking out the back.

Thanks

Jason:

Go to their website and click on “DEC-343” (predecessor of 685), then click on “Features” and you’ll see how little the tube is. It looks like ICs will take up more room than the tube.

The tube does stickout about 3 inches on the DEC 685, but it has not caused any connect issues. I am listening to it right now......

Thanks for the info...I'll keep it in mind

I have one and TOTALLY agree with you an EXCELLENT component. I'm waiting on a backordered upsampler for this unit which is supposed to blow the current performance out of the water

RayBan:

Don’t forget to post the result after it’s well broken-in.