[tooler]

I hate to post a "what's the best.." question, but I'm looking for a good cheap used CD player that I can rip open and tweak for the hell of it. If I can find it on Ebay for about $100, it's perfect.

Videoshielded suggested the Samsung DVD-709 but I don't think DVD players support CDRs. TNT-Audio has some great articles on tweaking Marantz CD players but apparently they're a little too warm for my tastes. I'd like a player that's cold and detailed and I want to be able to extract as much dynamic impact as I can from a cheap player after some mods. I'll use it to listen to hardcore and metal; I'll worry about classical later.

I'm hesitant to go into stores to test CD players myself because I'd feel obligated to buy there at full price if I wasted a salesman's time. I just need someone to point me in a general direction toward the sound I'm looking for at a cheap price, and I can tweak the sound to my taste later.

 

[Possum]

Some (maybe even many) DVD players do read CDRs. You should look into it, maybe a search on www.deja.com (now Google.com) to see if anyone else uses CDRs with a DVD player of a particular model, or ask Videoshielded himself.

 

[tooler]

From my earlier research, it's hit-or-miss with the DVD-709 when it comes to CDRs. Why chance it? There are better transports out there.

 

[Videoshielded]

Sorry, but I don't have any CDR's, so I can't say how the dvd709 does where they are concerned.

I am still very happy with my modified 709 for CD use. If anybody's interested, there are a bunch of them on EBAY right now for $89, open box from Hi Fi.com. I'm going to pick up another one and modify it, to keep as a spare for the day when one of my other players dies. This thing rules the price category. If anybody wants the spreadsheat with the DIY mods, email me.

 

[tooler]

Okay, I think I'll just get one of the Samsung 709s. All the CD players I want to modify go for $2-300 used. This will last me long enough so I can save up some money and audition the players I'm interested in.

Videoshielded, do you remember if that company that was selling remanufactured units on Ebay has a website? They don't have any up for auction right now.

 

[Videoshielded]

I've picked up two from Hifi.com for $89 each, through EBay. I checked their web site, and they don't seem to have any listed there.

You just missed a huge raft of them from a couple different sellers on EBay. If you can wait about ten days, they'll relist them in a bunch, I'm pretty sure. They seem to list a batch every ten days or so.