[bogo2]

I want spend about 700 to 950 Dollars for a Cd Player wiht excellent Price Performance . I hear and read that the REGA Planet 2000 MK2 should be a great choice. I hear all kinds of music. I have the Meier Orda HA-2 Headamp and the Sennheiser 650.

Thanks.

Andy. Switzerland.

 

[joejr]

Do yourself a favor and audition the Cambridge Azur 640C
upsampling player.Street price around $450
Gives many players under $2500 a run for the money.

 

[LeasingGuy]

I would use your current CD/DVD player as a transport and look at the Musical Fidelity A3.2/24 DAC. They are going for around $750ish (used) now with the new MF Tri-Vista 21 DAC is available. Good Stuff!

$0.02

 

[LeasingGuy]

REGA Planet 2000 MK2? When and where are these available?

 

[tom hankins]

Buy the Musical Fidelity A3 24 bit CDP that immtbiker has for sale in the gear for sale forum for 600.00.
If you must buy new the CD25 with the level one plus mods from www.underwoodhifi.com is a much better player than the Planet and on par or better than most players up to the $2K price range. I think they are seling for about 870.00.
The Musical Fidelity for 600.00 looks like the best deal out there right now though. Good luck.

 

[kartik]

It never really works out as you plan. I too, had planned to spend a total of 800 bucks for cans, amp and maybe a source. Now, >3500 down the road, I'm still upgrading components and tweaks. Don't keep fixed price limitations, it only makes you bitter. Buy the system which you like, never mind the price. The money will come, it always does.

 

[yage]

Does the Cambridge actually upsample? Sure, the Wolfson DAC can handle 24 bits/192 kHz but the literature says nothing about upsampling. The only thing it mentions is "data re-clocking" which seems to be a jitter reducing method...

 

[lini]

All reasonable advice so far - and this one should be worth a try, too: http://www.arcus-audio.de/arcusseite...nbankpageid=50

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[elrod-tom]

If you are looking for a redbook player, I can't recommend anything higher than the Jolida JD-100. It's listed at $900, and probably available for less. It's not the most detailed player I've ever heard, but it might be the most musical. It's tubed analog stage is what makes the difference....it's really sweet sounding, with an enourmous soundstage!! There are also a couple of places that do mods, which although I've not heard them, are said to make it a LOT better. It's the best CD player I've heard under $1500...by a lot.

If you want to spend even more on a redbook player, the Wadia 302 is also a very musical player...but with a LOT more detail, and soundstage that will blow your mind. It will set you back about $3500, however...which says something when I can call it "best for the price" with those kind of $$ on the table.

 

[Alex Altorfer]

bogo2,

Though I haven´t auditioned any of the great CD players mentioned here, I´m sure they all must be excellent choices. I´d like to add that I´m very happy with the Rega Planet 2000, so much so that I´ve reached a state of temporary stasis regarding my spending with audio equipment. I know that if I keep hanging out around here for too long upgraditis will strike again, but for now I´m just enjoying the music. Anyways, I heartily recommend the Planet 2000. It´s warm, natural, and very musical. No trace of digital harshness at all.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

.

 

[rsaavedra]

Am in a similar situation as bogo2, at least for now in principle I would also dedicate some limited budget for a new good source.

From readings I feel interested in this new Cambridge Audio Azur 640. WhatHIFI January2004 gave it 5 stars, and lists NAD C521BEE, and Arcam Diva CD73T as its "Leading rivals".

Have anyone listened to those and/or the Rega Planet 2000 to provide some comparison with the Azur? Or maybe a comparison between MMF CD25 and the Azur?

Cheers,
Raul

 

[Edwood]

Don't forget the ghetto cheap route.

NEC CD-rom (CDR-601, CDR-602, 3xp Plus) as a transport and a nice external DAC.

-Ed

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally posted by Edwood Don't forget the ghetto cheap route. NEC CD-rom (CDR-601, CDR-602, 3xp Plus) as a transport and a nice external DAC.

Would that route cost less than $499 == price of the Azur in AudioAdvisor )?

What models would you include in those "nice external DACs"? Some external DACs are really very expensive, e.g.:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/pr...og%20Converter

 

[caliguy100]

I agree with Kartik. If you are looking at audiophile equipment and really enjoy music it is cheaper in the long run to throw down the cash and buy what you really want now. You will end up selling your equipment at a lose to upgrade later. If you don't mind buying used equipment you can save your self a lot of money on premium equipment. For a red book player I would recomend Meridian CDPs. They are the best. I sold my Meridian 588 to a head-fier who also has a Wadia 302 and he agreed that the 588 has more detail, more accurate, has a bigger sound stage while still sounding musical. I can not say enough about Meridian CDPs. If you look on audiogon you can find a great deal on a 508 or 588. Give it a try. I know you will enjoy it.