CD Budget Champ

[Paul Laurens]

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for suggestions for CD players under the $600 mark that have good sounding headphone outlets. The couple I've tried weren't very good at all (an Onkyo, and a rather expensive Micromega). I need something that will work with my trusty Grado 125s.

 

[Neruda]

$600? Why don't you buy a Denon 370 for at the MOST $250 (I know a place that sells them for $200) or buy a really cheap one off of ebay, then use the rest of your money to buy something like a Creek OBH-11SE?

 

[Vertigo-1]

Another possible route, with a bit more work, would be to get a used Sony SCD-333ES off Audiogon and then contact JMT and have him build you a full sized Cmoy amp. This combo would utterly smoke the Denon DCM-370, if you've got $600 to spend. The Denon really is an entry level player (as I discovered with my own ears after much debate and defending the Denon myself)...it's well worth taking the next leap ASAP to a higher end player if you can.

 

[Paul Laurens]

Both good suggestions. I have also been wondering about some of the cheap new DVD movie players that play CDs, though I've yet to audition them. I am afraid though that these hybrid machines are trying to do everthing, but probably do nothing particularly well. I am tired of the bad sound that comes out of my two portables and need something at least adequate. Strangely, my Koss Portas sound better than my Grados through both of the portables, which frustrates me. Is the Cmoy more than the Creek?

 

[Xander]

Just about every CDP out there uses opamp circuitry to drive headphones. In my opinion, no opamp is sufficient to drive a good headphone to it's full potential, such as the 125's.

 

[wasifazim]

US$600 for a player with a good headphone output? A better choice would be to spend the equivalent of US$300ish at www.everestaudio.com, a Saskatchewan-based audio store that's got the Cambridge D500SE for a ridiculously low price (for comparison, Value Audio has it for US$429). Spend the balance on an MG Head DT and you're set.

 

[Russ Arcuri]

Quote:

Originally posted by Xander Just about every CDP out there uses opamp circuitry to drive headphones. In my opinion, no opamp is sufficient to drive a good headphone to it's full potential, such as the 125's.

What kind of amplification would you suggest, that doesn't utilize opamps, to drive headphones to their full potential?

 

[raymondlin]

Whay don't you get a CD player at around $300 and spent the other $300 on a amp and interconnects?

 

[robert]

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ Arcuri What kind of amplification would you suggest, that doesn't utilize opamps, to drive headphones to their full potential?

well, i suppose a discrete circuit (built discreetly) using those plastic cylinders with a side lopped off and three steely legs; along with resistors, condensers, diodes, coils, etc.. haven't seen one in the flesh since HS. there was a longish article in either Stereophile or Absolute Sound within the last year discussing the (de)merits of opamp use. i remember finding it quite interesting. might be on the web-site.


toodles,
robert

 

[Nezer]

Quote:

Originally posted by robert well, i suppose a discrete circuit (built discreetly) using those plastic cylinders with a side lopped off and three steely legs; along with resistors, condensers, diodes, coils, etc.. haven't seen one in the flesh since HS. there was a longish article in either Stereophile or Absolute Sound within the last year discussing the (de)merits of opamp use. i remember finding it quite interesting. might be on the web-site. toodles, robert

Dude, those "plastic cylinders with a side lopped off and three steely legs" you speak of are likely transistors and they are probably used in an "op-amp" configuration.

Don't discount integrated op-amp ICs just because they are small and cheap. There are some great op-amps out there (and a lot of crappy ones too).