[Welly Wu]

Yes, I nominate the NAD C541i HDCD player as one of the best and most popular Red Book CD / HDCD players on the market. I owned it over a year ago. I auditioned the NAD C542 HDCD player at CSA Audio Design and it was certainly impressive for its asking price. I would roughly equate the performance of the NAD C542 HDCD player with my Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi strictly in terms of Red Book CD playback.

 

[rsaavedra]

Ah ok, added then.

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally posted by stuartr Well, I did not compare these players head to head, I just remember liking the audionote more than I liked the Krell, that does not mean that the Krell is overall worse than the audionote.

Understood. Still, your comment suggests the sound of the modded Audionote is competitive in the price range of that Krell, that's all the list reflects. If someone nominates the Krell it goes in its price range as well.

 

[rsaavedra]

I wonder if we should have HDCD as a separate format list. Will leave just CD at it is so far, unless people think it's better to split it into CD playback, and HDCD playback.

 

[eric343]

Cost No Object Redbook/CD:
Meitner DAC6 w/ Phillips SACD1000

Cost No Object SACD:
Meitner DAC6 w/ Phillips SACD1000

 

[rsaavedra]

Eric, I guess you mean the Meitner DAC6 with the Meitner modified SACD1000, not the stock SACD1000, right?

 

[eric343]

Yeah.

 

[Jasper994]

For a $150 computer source the Audiophile USB is pretty nice.

 

[bozebuttons]

Quote:

Originally posted by rsaavedr Eric, I guess you mean the Meitner DAC6 with the Meitner modified SACD1000, not the stock SACD1000, right?

I have a stock Phillips Sacd1000 player and it is an excellant sounding player on redbook & Sacd.But it has relieability issues that can be fixed with updates.
I will soon have the meitner combo in my possesion as well.

 

[TonyTripleA]

No nominations for the Marantz CD players... I have had the 6000 recommended to me more than once but... after listening to and buying the NAD C542... (enough said).

TonyAAA

 

[rsaavedra]

Bozebuttons and TonyTripleA, please make clear whether you are actually submitting them as nominations, and what price ranges you consider they are competitive in. In particular, for the stock SACD1000, is its CD playback competitive with the sound of dedicated CD players in this player's same price range, or maybe lower, or higher? If lower, then it probably shouldn't be nominated as one top recommendation for CD playback within its price range.

 

[RickG]

I've got several units including the NAD 541i, Sony SCD-C555es, Philips 963SA...

For redbook playback in the $600-900 range, I've got to nominate the Rega Planet 2000. The Rega just keeps my foot tappin' all the time.

A great sounding/musically involving unit for the bucks...

 

[bozebuttons]

Quote:

Originally posted by rsaavedr Bozebuttons and TonyTripleA, please make clear whether you are actually submitting them as nominations, and what price ranges you consider they are competitive in. In particular, for the stock SACD1000, is its CD playback competitive with the sound of dedicated CD players in this player's same price range, or maybe lower, or higher? If lower, then it probably shouldn't be nominated as one top recommendation for CD playback within its price range.

I feel the Sacd 1000 is competative In the $2000 range class
for both cd & Sacd playback, They are usualy found on the used marked for around the $700.00 mark and get sucked up as soon as they are put up for sale.Origional list price was $2000.
The Meitner setup is in the price no object Class.

 

[buzzlulu]

Best REDBOOK playback under $2500

NAIM CD5

As part of putting my "old" system back together I spent 1 month auditioning the following: Rotel 1072-Rega Planet 2000-Linn Genki-Linn Ikemi-Arcam 73T-Arcam FMJ23.
I bought the NAIM

Gregg

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally posted by stuartr I will not nominate it though, since I own it.

It makes no sense to nominate a component you never heard before. It makes more sense to nominate a component you've owned before, as you would be very familiar with it's sound. There's no conflict of interest here, unless you make/mod them and sell them of course.

-Ed