[tuoppi]

Currently my computer is the only device that can play CDs. As usual my computer is not the quietest and it's a bit inconvenient for that purpose.

So I am looking for a CD player. I am a student so I don't have too much extra money hanging around.
Anyway it seems like the only CD players available as new are quite expensive. 200-300€ seems to be the starting point. Because of this I was thinking how about those DVD or BluRay players. You can get BluRay players for a bit over 100€ and DVD players for about half of that.
I don't really need the BluRay/DVD playback part, but it's nice extra. The CD playing ability is the main thing.

So what do you think, are those cheap players any good? Is this a really dumb idea?

PS. I have a cheap Technics A/V receiver so I could probably use the digital output of the player.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuoppi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Currently my computer is the only device that can play CDs. As usual my computer is not the quietest and it's a bit inconvenient for that purpose. So I am looking for a CD player. I am a student so I don't have too much extra money hanging around. Anyway it seems like the only CD players available as new are quite expensive. 200-300€ seems to be the starting point. Because of this I was thinking how about those DVD or BluRay players. You can get BluRay players for a bit over 100€ and DVD players for about half of that. I don't really need the BluRay/DVD playback part, but it's nice extra. The CD playing ability is the main thing. So what do you think, are those cheap players any good? Is this a really dumb idea?

At least some of those are really dumb, as far as design is concerned. The cheap video players that I listened to apply way too much DSP sound effects and too much resampling (using a really bad alogarithm) when playing music CDs, and the effects and resampling cannot be disabled or turned off at all whatsoever (or if such sound-mangling features could be disabled, the setting to disable such features is buried deep in the menu systems). They spend a lot of their design and research money on great video quality while leaving precious little of their budget for audio (or more specifically, their internal audio circuitry leaves a lot to be desired). These have the potential to sound worse than the worst-sounding portable DAP out there for music unless you use one of the digital outs (which your audio amplifier might not accept).

If you want quality audio for music, you'll have to spend at least 500€ for any component.

 

[tuoppi]

Ok. As said I could use the digital output. My A/V receiver (Technics SA-DX930) is few years old so it doesn't support those new HD audio codecs, but it does support DD5.1 and DTS. Anyway those shouldn't matter with CDs. When using the digital output the DVD/BluRay players quality shouldn't really matter, because the receiver is doing to DA conversion, right?

I don't think the DAC in the receiver is very high quality either, but the quality has been fine for me so far.

I can't really afford using 500€ for a CD player at the moment and the other parts of the system are quite low-end too, so I don't really see the point either. I just want decent quality and to be able to play CDs with other than my computer.

 

[downsize]

Oppo blu ray is the answer for your needs. Save a small bit extra and buy used

 

[Vandal]

Since you can use the digital out, virtually any CD/DVD player with digital outs will do, since the player will just be a transport (for the digital signal). I have a thread going on the source section, that will interest you:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f7/hel...st-one-467887/

 

[striggy]

Just recently put a #30 gbp Philips dvd up against my Rotel RCD-02, both on analogue out - it wasn't as good (a bit to bright for me, less bass and not as detailed), but I could have lived with it. NAD make good dedicated CDPs at a budget price. HTH.

 

[Vandal]

But we're not talking about analog out are we? That's the whole point of buying a DAC isn't it?

 

[striggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandal /img/forum/go_quote.gif But we're not talking about analog out are we? That's the whole point of buying a DAC isn't it?

You seem to be confused (and abrasive). Buying a DAC isn't mentioned. Read the original post.

 

[tuoppi]

Yes. I am not buying an external DAC at this point. Could be a possibility in the future though.