[Giacomo]

Dear forum members,

I am writing to ask for your advice on assembling a dedicated headphone system, i.e. one with no loudspeakers at all.
As far as the headphones themselves are concerned, I have already chosen and bought the STAX SRS-3030 amplifier + "earspeaker" system.
Now I am looking for a good CD player which can be considered a suitable match for these headphones: which would you suggest?
Please keep in mind that my remaining budget is $ 1,000, and this figure must also include interconnects - by the way, I would be grateful if you would advise me on this point as well, since my ignorance on the subject is almost complete. I could possibly spend a little more, but only if that leads to a considerable improvement in quality.

Perhaps the following details about me might be useful, although I am afraid they might just as well be simply boring - if so, I apologize in advance.

I only listen to classical music, with a preference for symphonic and piano works of the Classic and Romantic periods, say from Haydn to Richard Strauss.
While I consider myself a moderately demanding and spendthrift listener, I hardly qualify as an audiophile, and actually I have no experience of really sophisticated hi-fi rigs. In fact, I am quite satisfied with my current system (which is technically my parents' system), composed of:

- KEF Reference Series Model 103/3 loudspeakers;
- Amadeus "Gold" Class A+ integrated amplifier;
- Linn Axis turntable with Linn Basik Plus tonearm and Goldring G1042 cartridge;
- Marantz CD 63 Special Edition CD player.

The only criticism I would confidently make is that the turntable sounds rather more full-bodied, warm and lifelike than the CD player, provided the source LP is good. I have repeatedly been told that this is more or less unavoidable, the real difference being vinyl vs. digital rather than Marantz vs. Linn; yet I'd be very glad if I could find a new CD player (and a costlier one: the Marantz cost about $ 500 some six or seven years ago) which sounded more like our old turntable.
Aside from this, I am not yearning from any improvement over the quality level I am accustomed to, although at the same time I would really like to avoid any change for the worse.
I am also perfectly satisfied with the STAXes: to my ears, they sound detailed without being clinical (they even do well with recordings of really poor quality from the 30s and 40s), and they offer a nuanced, natural rendition of both a full orchestra and a solo instrument. Furthermore, in spite of much expert opinion concurring on this point, I do not even personally feel they lack bass: for instance, the organ pedal in Also Sprach Zarathustra sounds fine to me, if anything better than with loudspeakers.
What I do perceive is a certain lack of punch, of sheer power in fortissimo passages, especially when brass and tympani are involved; but I accept that it must be so with earspeakers, and particularly with electrostatic ones, since I assume I must be listening with the ears only, and not with bones (and possibly guts) as well. At any rate, I have not noticed in these headphones any distinct bias which I would like the CD player to
counterbalance - though I cannot exclude that my current CD player is already acting as a counterbalance, since I have not tried any other source.

On the technical side, I need the CD player to be able to read CD-R and CD-RW discs.
International power compatibility (125 - 230 V, 50 -60 Hz) would also be a definite plus; at least, it must be possible for a technician to switch the unit from American to European power supply specifications if I need that some day.
I do not know if these are standard features or not.

A final issue: I know that a serious buyer is supposed to listen to as many alternatives as possible before choosing a hi-fi component, but this strategy is rather difficult for me, because I'll be in Boston from August and I do not know the city, nor of course any hi-fi dealer there. Any advice on finding a good one would once again be most welcome; otherwise I am strongly considering on-line purchase (I already got the STAXes from Japan
directly).

Thank you very much for the help.

Yours sincerely,

Giacomo Ponzetto

 

[tom hankins]

A used Rega Jupiter 2000 can be had for around 1000.00. they are one of the more liquid and warmer sounding cdp's. They lack a little on detail but are very musical. If you don't mind something that has a little more of a digital sound but a ton of detail you can get the Modified Music Hall CD25 from www.underwoodhifi.com These are 975.00 shipped, new. If I was going to buy a new player in the 1000.00 range this is the only player I would get. I think I would check the used market and see whats out there first. If you want SACD you can get the Sony 555ES and get it modified for a little over your price range. You could also try one of the Jolida cdp's from underwood. Good luck.

 

[edstrelow]

I can't really advise on the cd player. I would have thought that you have lots of choice at this price range and it is unlikely that any one will be clearly the best.

However, having a similar headphone only set-up I would suggest that you save some money for a number of accessories. Start with an upgraded power cord for the Stax amp, say $60.00 and up. It can do a lot to improve sound of the amp. I personally also avoid power strips and plug the Stax amps in directly to the wall socket.

Sorbbethane feet or cones will also help the amp, and probably
any CD player you get. Ceramic RF filter's, these at least are only few dollars, are useful on the input interconnects to the amp and finally I am a great fan of Herbies Grungebuster, a $20.00 cd mat which is by far the best of several I have tried.

If you do all the above and put about $100.00 into interconnects that would leave about $700 for a cd player.

 

[darkclouds]

I'd disagree. Spend as much as you can on the cdp now. You can always add the "accessories" later. You don't want to skimp out on the cdp just to get the accessories now. Remember, you're more than likely will be stuck with whatever cdp you choose for quite sometime. So get the best that you can afford. Accessories, OTOH, come and go.

And check out this tube cd player, it could be the sound you're looking for.

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=37557

 

[khollister]

IMHO, the best stock candidates:

* Rega Planet 2000 (new about $750)
* Rega Jupiter (used about $1000)
* Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 (new $700)
* Jolida ($800?, referenced in previous link)

Once you get into modded (and especially used modded) players, there are probably a lot of other options.

I have a Planet 2000, and I think it is a really nice player - very musical and somewhat analog sounding. I also like the top load mechanism.

If I wanted to tinker with tubes I would consider the Jolida - no op amps, only 2 12AX7's in the analog section. The Ah! uses opamps along with a pair of 6922's I believe.

 

[tom hankins]

Listen to what darkclouds said about getting the best source possible. The cdp (Jolida) is the one from www.underwoodhifi.com Tweaks can be added as needed. The new Planets run 950.00, get a used Jupiter for around the same price. I've owned both of these and they are both very nice. The Jupiter is a much better player though.

 

[khollister]

The street price on new Planets is often less then the $895 list (they just went down $50). I just got one for $740 shipped. The problem can be the new Rega distributor's territory restrictions. The dealer I used had to get permission from them to sell me one mail order (my nearest Rega dealer was 300-400 miles away. If anyone is interested in where I bought mine, contact me off privately. I don't want to get these guys in trouble.

I may get a Jolida later this year just to play with

I have heard mixed reports on how much better the Jupiter is than the new Planets. Given the substantial differences in the digital circuitry, I would expect a significant improvement. Ya never know, though ...

 

[tom hankins]

I no about the shipping. I went through hell trying to get someone to ship a rega ear to me a few weeks ago.
khollister, I had the Planet and jupiter side by side for 3 weeks when I upgraded to the Jupiter. The improved power supplys and double the dac's made for a much cleaner, faster, and way more dynamic sounding player. Anyone who likes the sound of the planet2K will really appreciate the jupiter. The only downside would be that even though I find the Regas forgiving, the Jupiter is much less than the Planet. It retrieves alot more information off of every CD.

 

[Giacomo]

First of all, many thanks to all those who have kindly offered their advice. Here I am, asking for more !
Some specific issues:

1) Tubes:
Two of the recommended players use tubes. Although I have never tried them, I am told and believe that they are good for sound. But is there not a heavy drawback in terms of practicality?
I am afraid that tube components are more fragile, need more maintenance, must have their tubes changed not as infrequently as I would like, need to warm up and must not be left on too long lest they should overheat ... Is any of this true?

2) Tweaks and Mods:
I am sure I will not be tweaking any audio equipment in the foreseeable future - even changing tubes seems beyond my depth. Yet I have no prejudice against modded components.
Are there specific pros and cons?
By the way, doesn't the Ah! fit into the category?
Furthermore, would spending an additional $250 for the Underwood Jolida mod be a good idea, if I could afford it?

3) Used:
Actually, I have never bought used equipment, and I am somewhat uncomfortable about doing so. Is this just silly? Is there no significant risk of malfunctioning? Should I avoid worrying about the lack of warranty?
If so, which used equipment sources would you recommend?

Thank you very much again!

 

[darkclouds]

Personally, I've never had any trouble with tube equipments. I've left them on all day, in a well ventilated rack, so overheating was never an issue (even for my large 300B tube amp). With a cd player, there's even less to worry about, but you should have good ventilation, ei, don't stack other equipment on it or cover it. Basic common sense is all that is needed.

I'm not familiar with mods so I'll let someone else answer that.'

As for used equipment, audiogon.com is a good site to purchase and compare prices for good used equipment. I don't buy anything less than a rating of 8, check the seller's feedback comments and ask lots of question about the item's condition. I've only had positive experiences on audiogon.

 

[tom hankins]

First, don't be afriad of tubes. I felt the same way until I started using them. I have never had any problem with used gear. If you don't feel comfortable wait and get a demo from a dealer. The cdp I just bought runs 8700.00 new. I bought a demo for 6000.00 and I get the full warranty. The modified Jolida is supossed to be a big upgrade from the stock player, and the stock player is good already. If your looking for a more detailed player the modified CD25 from Walter(underwoodhifi) is better. I ended up keeping my CD25 from underwood and selling my Rega jupiter, it is a great player for 975.00 shipped. Send walter an email and he will fill you in on the differences. Also there are reviews of both players at www.6moons.com. The cd25 has reviews of the stock-level one- and level one plus cd25's. Either player would suit your needs. Of all the cdp's in the 1-2 thousand dollar range that I have heard, none sound as good as the Modified CD25.

 

[edstrelow]

If cost is not really an issue then I guess it's ok to spend the balance of your funds on a player. The risk is that you don't actually like the set-up when you get it going. Most of the mods/tweaks I suggest add musicality to the set-up and in my opinion reduce the likelihood of an unpleasant experience.

I see reports in this and other forums of persons who spend fairly significant sums on better grade equipment and then immediately dump them because they are unsatisfied. For some, it seemed the tweaks I suggest would have probably made the person happy, at a fraction of the cost.

I am very gung-ho in the Grungebuster in particular. It's a $20 tweak that adds $1,000.00 or more improvement to the sound.

 

[Giacomo]

Well, cost IS always an issue, but $20 is just 2% of my budget: so I could well get a CD-player and then consider buying the mat.
Besides, all the recommended players save possibly a used Rega Jupiter cost less than $ 980!

However, is there any way of listening to the mat before buying it? I am sure this can be silly, but I just cannot help being skeptical about exotic accessories - and I had no idea that CD mats even existed, so they are definitely exotic to me !

Thanks again,

Giacomo

 

[khollister]

I just got a Herbie's Grunge Mat myself ($20 was cheap enough to try). In my past high-end episode, I was a die hard user of the old Mod Squad damper as well as the Simply Physics stabilizer that was actually installed in the Philips mechanism.

My take on the Grunge Mat is that it does make the sound more natural and a little less glarey, but I would characterize tha effect as small, but audible. YMMV.

 

[Giacomo]

During the last few days, I have pondered the advice you have given and I have surfed the net a bit looking for reviews (the main reference being TNT audio, probably because they offer an Italian version which panders to my laziness).
In the end, I am impressed with the shortlist of players you offered: I like it so much I am substantially keeping it.
At the same time, I am still left with the unsurprising but difficult task of choosing among them - with little if any chance of an audition.
Can I ask for more help?
Any comments would be appreciated, and direct comparisons of the pros and cons of the players would be heaven-sent.

Most "stock" players I considered seem to have a fatal flaw:
- The Rega Jupiter is out of my budget if new, and I am not ready to go into used gear.
- The Marantz CD 6000 KI Signature seems not be sold in the USA.
- The Rotel RCD-1070 looks like a good player, but its list price of $699 suggests it's not in the league I was trying to attain.
- The Thule CD-100 suffers from an unacceptable price increase in crossing the Atlantic: its US list price is $1,200 when in Europe it's more like $800.

So the nominees at this stage are:

1. Rega Planet 2000 :
list price $895, so I hope I could get one for something like $750-$800; or is this wishful thinking?
This seems the "safer" choice: it's from a well-known brand, it has more than its fair share of good reviews, and its previous incarnation seems to be the only player under $1000 which has ever been recommended by Stereophile.
Since it's not modded, I could even listen to it before buying, and check if my ears really deserve the sum separating it from a Rotel, or an even cheaper NAD ...

2. Music Hall CD-25 with Underwood Level 1+ Mod :
$930, possibly including shipping - but anyway shipping ought to be less than $70.
This player has much to recommend it, but I am afraid it might be a compromise: neither a daring tubed source, nor a tried-and-tested Rega ...

3. Jolida CD-100A :
It seems this player starts at $750 unmodified from Underwood; but there's the rub: which mod is appropriate for this player?
Walter Liederman from Underwood says one should have his Level 1 for $1,240, or else stick to the Level 1+ Music Hall.
Tempting as the reviews are, I am afraid I had better stick to my original $1,000 budget.
Yet the Jolida seems somehow more fascinating than the Music Hall ... So what about Underwood's Mini-mod with Svetlana tubes for $900? Or the rival VeraStarr mod with Electro Harmonix for $800?

While I'm into tubes, two other players which I've found compared to each other but not much to the Jolida:

4. Heart CD-6000 :
$699 from FS Audio Web
The single-voltage power supply is a significant drawback for me, but the price is also much lower!

5. Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 :
$ 699 basic
$819 super
+$299 for the upsampler
Once again, a problem is being spoilt for choice: how many mods are good in a value-for-money perspective?
The $998 upsampling Tjoeb is the only upsampler in my list, which may or may not be a strength.
The real issue is that this looks like a tweaker's player: you have to install the tubes and CD-clamp, and buyers seem to love "tube rolling", while I'd rather have a good out-of-the-box package.

Thanks to all who still have patience left for my questions!