Author Topic: Best CD Player Under 15k  (Read 24737 times)

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Offline accastil

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #60 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 03:32 PM »
very good advice..straight to the point...mejo mataray lang ang dating..hehe

another good option would be to visit as many forumers as you can to listen to their systems. gain familiarity, gain experience, gain friends, enjoy the hobby.
im allan - 09178087173

Offline oweidah

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #61 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 04:18 PM »
i agree with you sir hiddenakho. (lurker or ?)

pinagdaanan ko rin yan noong wala pa internet. pasyal dito doon magazines brochures etc only to buy something na pag-uwi ko eh iba pala sa expectation ko.

@sir lakambini - trust your ears and wallet. at the end of the day, ikaw ang makikinig sa binili mo. iba ang tunog ng gears sa showroom at sa ibang bahay/setup ng mga members sa tunog nito pag kinabit sa setup mo. its all about mix and match to achieve system synergy.

« Last Edit: Jul 09, 2009 at 04:30 PM by ojof00l »

Offline macdon

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #62 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 04:35 PM »
sir macdon;

Have you already compared the two?  What are your impressions of these cdps?  What are their stregths and weaknesses?

Tnx



I was with 3 other pdvd members when we auditioned the 640c in shang - at that same time, we also asked the seller of a Rotel RCD-1072 flagship cdp to come to shang as I was considering to buy it pending the audition.
Once we were all in Shang, we compared the Rotel flagship to the 640c and the sound was similar - however, the cdps were connected to a Cambridge amp, so what we heard from the 640c was matched.
Still, I ended with the Rotel flagship 'coz my amp back home was a Rotel - I was offered a home audition by the seller so I took it.
When I got home & connected the flagship to my Rotel amp, thats when I heard it better than when we were in shang - so matching is one consideration you have to weigh.

Of course, the Rotel flagship is way beyond your 15k price both in bnew or preowned condition, but if you really have to stick with the 15k budget - then i would go with the Marantz 6002. while I know they werent released here in Pinas, we have a lot of pdvd members in Singapore that may be willing to help you out.
Marantz cdps seems to be good with whatever amp brand you connect it to - i know as I've tried it with both my systems (SS & tube) and it performs well.

You can get a Marantz 5003 for 15k over here, but I'd still go for the 6002 if you're patient enough to go thru the hoops ;)

Offline lakambini

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #63 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 04:48 PM »
Gentlemen:

It just so happens that I live far away from Manila.

Sa mga nakukulitan pasensiya po, again, sa patuloy pong sumasagot salamat po sa mga inputs nyo.


Sir Macdon;

I guess I'll have to choose between a Marantz and Cambridge Audio, comtemplating on a Rotel set-up but that would be way beyond my budget.

Tnx again sir

Offline macdon

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #64 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 04:55 PM »
Gentlemen:

It just so happens that I live far away from Manila.

Sa mga nakukulitan pasensiya po, again, sa patuloy pong sumasagot salamat po sa mga inputs nyo.


Sir Macdon;

I guess I'll have to choose between a Marantz and Cambridge Audio, comtemplating on a Rotel set-up but that would be way beyond my budget.

Tnx again sir

Saan kaba sir?
I'm now chatting with my SG friend - I could also ask if he can help you out with a 6002 if you like.

Rotel setup? Thats a coincidence - I'm actually planning on selling my Rotel bedroom setup to fund a car purchase ;)

Offline lakambini

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #65 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 05:29 PM »
sir,

ygpm

tnx

Offline oweidah

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #66 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 05:44 PM »
Thanks ojofool. An ordinary lurker but definitely not a ?. Kung ? dapat walang sense ang post or tipong may sayad ang dating. After a long regodon, i wish Lakambini will end up with a good cdp. Good luck guapo!

a belated welcome to pdvd ! sana you could participate more sa mga threads

@lakambini,

i understand your situation. noong nasa abroad ako, sa liblib na disyerto, ang main cities ay 1.2k km distance, 2-1/2 hours plane ride at 16hours by bus. iisa ang nagtetenda ng arcam/mordauntshort/teac/qed 90s cambridge audio na di pa sikat. all i had was whathifi and hifi news mags na minsan ay pinupunit pa ang pages (na may sexing babae o alak na ads) ng mga authorities kaya di ko nababasa ibang page.

luckily may nalaman akong na mga available audio sa main city - kaya lang mahirap, gastos sa longdistance phone calls (wala pang cellphones) at ayaw mag ship nung iba. buti na lang yung sa riyadh may nad & kef naim chord linn audioquest atbp hi-end products. to those in riyadh alam siguro nyo ang mate-hifi (thomas varkey.indian national) maayos kausap. bank deposit at via dhl oneday lang. i was able to purchase nad amps & cd ; kef coda7. WALANG audition! i trusted the magazines puro awardwinner at 5star ratings. ok naman!

then i established link to our kabayan in jeddah - joe tecson - products nila - wilson audio na iniinstall nila sa prinsipe at ginawang PA system lang daw...rotel roksan b&w etc... binili ko b&w601s2 and b&w602s2 same via bank deposit & dhl....

no internet, no pinoydvd at ako lang sa kompanya ang may "audiophile" gears the others mostly had PMPO compo and bose....

time will come you either have to visit metro manila for some auditioning at the shops or other members home or rely on internet info and pinoydvd posts. then decide for yourself.

goodluck!

* bagay ba handle ko?  ;D
« Last Edit: Jul 13, 2009 at 02:40 PM by ojof00l »

Offline oweidah

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #67 on: Jul 09, 2009 at 11:24 PM »
there are so many available cd players brandnew, used, or vintage, under 15k. they have their own signature sound. members here have different setup/gears matched with their cdps. some members may have the same cdp brand and model but different amp/preamp/ interconnects/speaker cables and room acoustic treatment so that same cdp may sound differently.

i have a vintage pier surplus cdp with tweaked opamp and an onkyo cdp both very heavy 9-10kg. i bought one from pier and another from original owner. both are near the topoftheline models. combined, they cost less than 15k, but im willing to test them sidebyside with any new production entrylevel totl cdplayers. ;D

bottomline...there is no best cdp under 15k. all have their unique sonic characteristics and might behave differently if partnered with different gears etc.

audition as much as you can. if you cant, then you might be disappointed if you purchase a certain brand/model that have glowing reviews but doesnt match well with your other gears...right mix and match = system synergy ;D trust your ears and wallet  ;D

as for me, ive gambled,risked trusted the magazines. ok naman, no guts no glory ;D
« Last Edit: Jul 09, 2009 at 11:40 PM by ojof00l »

Offline oweidah

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #68 on: Jul 10, 2009 at 12:53 AM »
@lakambini

sir,

since you live outside metromanila. if you are going to purchase a cdp and have it forwarded to your place, i suggest you consider the brand that has a TRANSPORT KEY LOCK feature. my nad c520 had this feature. it was shipped to me via dhl and arrived with torn carton and broken remote control but the cd player was ok, esp the tray mechanism and lens - di na-mis.align. & remember, hot and humid dito sa metro manila, pag nasa cold and humid ka baka magka-condensation. (btw, the remotecontrol was promptly replaced by the audio shop i bought it from- matehifi riyadh ksa)

« Last Edit: Jul 10, 2009 at 06:51 AM by ojof00l »

Offline lakambini

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #69 on: Jul 10, 2009 at 11:34 AM »
Sir,

Thanks for sharing your experiences and suggestions, appreciate it very much.


Offline Stagea

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #70 on: Jul 12, 2009 at 03:02 AM »
Which set-up will produce a better sound?

1. Maintain my existing cdp and add a dac/buffer hardware  or

2.  Simply buy a new cdp with better dac?

Tnx

Btw, I recently got a Musical Fidelity V-DAC for my PC and experimented with connecting it to different CDPs using Digital Coax (340C, 640C v2 and C525BEE). All I can say is that it's hard to improve on the built-in dac and output stage of decent CDPs with a simple device powered by a cheap IC-regulated power supply. Afterall, most CDPs have nice transformers. I ended up not using the V-DAC, because to my ears the CDPs sounded better on their own in most instances. The V-DAC will stick to the PC for now (where it soundly beats the noisy sound board).

My personal conclusion is that the CDP makers can integrate decent circuitry at a much lower price because they can buy and build components in bulk, the DAC's enclosure and power supply become essentially free (it just goes inside the chassis with the rest of the components), and they have to put less money into advertising supposed gains. It'd probably take a more robust external DAC to show marked improvement on these relatively inexpensive CDPs. Don't get me wrong, the V-DAC isn't a bad product. The output is very smooth and refined, but it just doesn't have the expansive stage, rythm and speed that I want.

I haven't tried it, but I suppose it'd make a bigger difference with entry level dvd players.

Offline lakambini

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #71 on: Jul 12, 2009 at 08:31 PM »
sir tnx 4 ur input, guess i'll settle 4 a new cdp, re 640c and 525bee, which sound do u prfr?

Offline macdon

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #72 on: Jul 12, 2009 at 10:00 PM »
sir tnx 4 ur input, guess i'll settle 4 a new cdp, re 640c and 525bee, which sound do u prfr?

I'd go for the 640c

Offline Stagea

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #73 on: Jul 13, 2009 at 03:34 AM »
I like both. Either will satisfy my needs, especially when matched well with accompanying equipment.

The c525bee sounds more dynamic and fun, but the 640c has good rythm, with smooth and extended highs. If you like liveliness and impact in your music, presented in an enveloping stage, you'd probably prefer the NAD. On the other hand, if you'd like a more polite output with focus on imaging and music's fine details, then the 640c may be for you.

Offline 5Speed

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #74 on: Jul 13, 2009 at 02:42 PM »
I have a Nad 525 cdp....I prefer it over Cambridge....personal preference lang....

depende talaga sa mga pinapakinggan mong materials...and matching or synergy with Amp...

previously it is hooked up with Denon and now with an Onkyo 876.....the sound is different in both setup....good thing is, I still like the sound it produces otherwise I might sold either of the two....

Marantz is a good cdp....before I bought my Nad (more than 2 yrs ago) I am auditioning Denon, Cambridge, Marantz (5001), Yamaha, and Sony on the same price point....after a tedious audition, one of the shop that accomodates most of my request brought out the Nad since there is 4 CDP's already lying on the shop and hooked it up.... I ended up buying the Nad even though it doesnt match the looks of my other gears....If it doesnt for the Nad, I may end up buying the Marantz (600x) which is over my budget at that time.....:)

I am more of function over form type of guy so it does not bother me too much if there is a different type of brick in my rack....hehehe

Offline oweidah

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #75 on: Jul 13, 2009 at 02:43 PM »
sir tnx 4 ur input, guess i'll settle 4 a new cdp, re 640c and 525bee, which sound do u prfr?

unsolicited choice - nad525bee ;D

you may want to start a "poll" thread ....
« Last Edit: Jul 13, 2009 at 02:44 PM by ojof00l »

Offline lakambini

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #76 on: Jul 13, 2009 at 06:13 PM »
sir , pareho po, nagtatanong at bibili

Offline levi

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #77 on: Jul 14, 2009 at 12:10 AM »
hhhmmmmm...........

Offline John E.

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #78 on: Jul 14, 2009 at 12:44 AM »

you may want to start a "poll" thread ....

that would be fun! para lurkers can also give their vote without being criticized.
You'll Always Go Back To This Hobby!

Offline kulapong

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #79 on: Jul 17, 2009 at 08:46 AM »
makisingit na rin po...kaysa mag open pa ng new thread.

Mine is:

602 s3
Denon 1907 & NAD 304

Ano ba magandang cdp...

tagal ko ng nag iisip kung:
surplus cdp
tube cdp
or as mentioned here nad/marantz etc

type of music:
lahat eh...kaya hirap mag decide...depende sa trip ko :-)

fyi...

roadmap ko nga pala....baka bumili rin ng tube amp in the near future,...cguro pamasko sa sarili.

When do we sail?

Offline Stagea

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #80 on: Jul 17, 2009 at 12:59 PM »
Naku sir mukhang mahirap ang dilemma mo. Mahirap pa naman makinig objectively pag nakahookup sa ibang gamit sa gagamitin mo.

Pero for me since you're planning to buy a tube amp din naman, might as well match it with a tube-equipped CDP. :)

Offline kulapong

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #81 on: Jul 17, 2009 at 08:29 PM »
Sir Stagea,

pag nag tube amp ba ko....kailangan ba tube cdp pa rin?

or pwedeng entry level na good cdp, tas match with tube amp?

or since SS na ko, tube cdp na lang....?

gulo ko he he..
When do we sail?

Offline Stagea

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #82 on: Jul 18, 2009 at 12:05 AM »
Sir Stagea,

pag nag tube amp ba ko....kailangan ba tube cdp pa rin?

or pwedeng entry level na good cdp, tas match with tube amp?

or since SS na ko, tube cdp na lang....?

gulo ko he he..

Hindi naman necessarily basta tube amp eh tube output din na cdp. You can always mix and match. Pero imho, not having ss opamps in the output stage of your cdp minimizes the stereotypical ss sound (as there is less exposure to ss components), and maximizes the opportunity to color the sound to your preference. Straight tube will usually sound more "tubish," if there is such a word.

ss with tube cdp or ss cdp with tube amp will also work. there is nothing wrong with hooking them up together. :)
« Last Edit: Jul 18, 2009 at 12:08 AM by Stagea »

Offline accastil

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #83 on: Jul 18, 2009 at 07:27 AM »
Sir Stagea,

pag nag tube amp ba ko....kailangan ba tube cdp pa rin?

or pwedeng entry level na good cdp, tas match with tube amp?

or since SS na ko, tube cdp na lang....?

gulo ko he he..

bro,
to make things easier for you, just listen and compare MANY MANY different gears. it doesnt matter if its tube or ss, high-end or lo-end, vintage or latest model, used or bnew. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER IS YOUR OWN LIKING....and there is no other factor you need to consider.
im allan - 09178087173

Offline kulapong

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #84 on: Jul 18, 2009 at 08:31 AM »
Sir Accastil,

Been hearing/reading this phrase many times "Consider to your own liking" "bahala na ang tenga mo"..etc..to same meaning...

But, "TAO LANG TAYO"...no contentment.

dati akong htib guy....kala ko ok na un, then naaya ng isang kaibigan sa isang audition..teteng...me ibang mundo pala ng sound listening at kalidad ang separates.

It's like being invited in a "PLAYBOY MANSION"...at sinabihan ka ng owner,....choose only one...just one!!

eh lahat ng centerfolds ng playboy nandun from January to December, 5 yrs issues..

Brader, anong gagawin ko, gusto ko lahat..kaso ..ang rule.....isa lang daw.

kaya syempre...ang isang novice na tulad ko, na indi makapag decision, magtatanong sa mga dati ng nag spend ng night sa "PLAYBOY MANSION"...baka me ma refer kau kung si Miss April or Miss November ba ang the best!! he he he.....ayos ba!

eto talagang bisyo na to...parang babae....masarap at di nakakasawa, eh kung mayaman lang ako, di na ko magtatanong...itatambak ko lahat ng gears sa isang kwarto, tas mag spend ako ng 1 month, para i mix and match lahat...sarap cguro.

going back to reality....need straight advise from my gears,...602 s3, denon 1907, nad 304....cd player ang hanap ko...baka meron ng nakapag mix and match sa inyo using my gears. un lang po.

MAraming Salamat!
When do we sail?

Offline dBinu

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #85 on: Jul 18, 2009 at 09:02 AM »
Hindi naman necessarily basta tube amp eh tube output din na cdp. You can always mix and match. Pero imho, not having ss opamps in the output stage of your cdp minimizes the stereotypical ss sound (as there is less exposure to ss components), and maximizes the opportunity to color the sound to your preference. Straight tube will usually sound more "tubish," if there is such a word.

ss with tube cdp or ss cdp with tube amp will also work. there is nothing wrong with hooking them up together. :)

most of the so called "tube cdp" are not really tube cdp.. they are mostly tube buffered cdp..they still have opamps after the dac chip..even cayin have lots of opamps at the output stage of their cd players..

dac chip >> opamp/ss output stage >> tube buffer >> out

Offline accastil

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #86 on: Jul 18, 2009 at 12:12 PM »
Sir Accastil,

Been hearing/reading this phrase many times "Consider to your own liking" "bahala na ang tenga mo"..etc..to same meaning...

But, "TAO LANG TAYO"...no contentment.

dati akong htib guy....kala ko ok na un, then naaya ng isang kaibigan sa isang audition..teteng...me ibang mundo pala ng sound listening at kalidad ang separates.

It's like being invited in a "PLAYBOY MANSION"...at sinabihan ka ng owner,....choose only one...just one!!

eh lahat ng centerfolds ng playboy nandun from January to December, 5 yrs issues..

Brader, anong gagawin ko, gusto ko lahat..kaso ..ang rule.....isa lang daw.

kaya syempre...ang isang novice na tulad ko, na indi makapag decision, magtatanong sa mga dati ng nag spend ng night sa "PLAYBOY MANSION"...baka me ma refer kau kung si Miss April or Miss November ba ang the best!! he he he.....ayos ba!

eto talagang bisyo na to...parang babae....masarap at di nakakasawa, eh kung mayaman lang ako, di na ko magtatanong...itatambak ko lahat ng gears sa isang kwarto, tas mag spend ako ng 1 month, para i mix and match lahat...sarap cguro.

going back to reality....need straight advise from my gears,...602 s3, denon 1907, nad 304....cd player ang hanap ko...baka meron ng nakapag mix and match sa inyo using my gears. un lang po.

MAraming Salamat!



bro,
to make things easier for you, just listen and compare MANY MANY different gears. it doesnt matter if its tube or ss, high-end or lo-end, vintage or latest model, used or bnew. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER IS YOUR OWN LIKING....and there is no other factor you need to consider.

you cannot reasonably pick any from among many options if you have not heard all of them...so you should listen, THEN compare them with each other and then, finally, to your own liking.

buying anything based on recommendations, reviews, hear-say, etc, would drain your pocket :)

goodluck bro.
« Last Edit: Jul 18, 2009 at 12:26 PM by accastil »
im allan - 09178087173

Offline rony

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #87 on: Jul 18, 2009 at 12:55 PM »


It's like being invited in a "PLAYBOY MANSION"...at sinabihan ka ng owner,....choose only one...just one!!

eh lahat ng centerfolds ng playboy nandun from January to December, 5 yrs issues..

Brader, anong gagawin ko, gusto ko lahat..kaso ..ang rule.....isa lang daw.

kaya syempre...ang isang novice na tulad ko, na indi makapag decision, magtatanong sa mga dati ng nag spend ng night sa "PLAYBOY MANSION"...baka me ma refer kau kung si Miss April or Miss November ba ang the best!! he he he.....ayos ba!




Kakatuwa naman sir yun sample.  ;D ;D ;D

Offline Stagea

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #88 on: Jul 19, 2009 at 02:14 AM »
most of the so called "tube cdp" are not really tube cdp.. they are mostly tube buffered cdp..they still have opamps after the dac chip..even cayin have lots of opamps at the output stage of their cd players..

dac chip >> opamp/ss output stage >> tube buffer >> out

At least the buffer isn't solid state (as equipped) heheh. There are some out there (usually more expensive cdps) that supposedly don't have opamps after the dac (they often have 4 or 6 tubes).

I did notice that the cayin cdps I've heard are detailed and dynamic in their output, complementing their tube amps. They partnered very well, pushing out a convincing performance. Compared to a Nad CDP on the same amp, the NAD's strong bottom end just emphasized the weakness of the tube amp.

Offline ProtegeManiac

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Re: Best CD Player Under 15k
« Reply #89 on: Jul 19, 2009 at 08:14 PM »
most of the so called "tube cdp" are not really tube cdp.. they are mostly tube buffered cdp..they still have opamps after the dac chip..even cayin have lots of opamps at the output stage of their cd players..

dac chip >> opamp/ss output stage >> tube buffer >> out

Is that for all Cayins? When I saw the guts of a CD17 I thought the opamps were there so you get a choice between SS and tube output, if this is true then it's just a choice between tube buffered or not?