CD Player Choosing HELP

Hi,

May I ask your budget?  What sort of music do you listen to?

Not heard Audiolab's own CDP, but people seem to like them.  The Rega Saturn is a great player and amazing value.

Cheers

Mac

You can pick up the excellent Harman Kardon HD990 for under £300 if you shop around.  Heard that a couple of years ago and was very impressed with it - great across the high/mid/low frequencies and offers a DAC option for another digital source to plug into.  Was £500 and was part of a system of the year back in 2009 or so (with its parterning HK990 amp).  

Failing that, used options abound; my own faves are Kenwood's DP7090 which was simply brilliant - fabulous build and check out the 5090 which is also very decent by all accounts.  Good for modding apparently - I think there's one on Ebay just now for about £35.  What do you have to lose?!  

See also some of Sony's late 90s models - the CDP790/791 though I think the 930 you have just now is probably going to be absolutely fine.  I'm unsure how far you'd need to go to improve on that one, but try a few out.  Don't write off universal players either - if you happen upon a Denon DVD-3930 for under £300, just buy it.  It's brilliant value for money used now ahving been £1000 on release.  I got mine a few weeks ago and have been knocked out by just how good it is.  And this from someone who didn't think there was a massive difference between most digital sources.  

(Hey, look, I can't be right all the time...!) 

marantz cd6004

i have an expensive Cyrus. I used to have a marantz 63KI, and a Cyrus cd6s

for the money I can't imagine the marantz can be bettered, my friend has one and it is brilliant. I beleive you have to spend a lot more money to better it

can you get to hear an audio lab one. you obviously like there kit

Budget is I suppose max £300 but obviously would like to keep under that and dont mind second hand as they offer the best bargains sometimes. New I was looking at a Marantz CD6004 or a Cambridge Audio 840c (249 in richer sounds)

I would recommend you would listen to a AH! Tjoep cd player. It is a modified Marantz with tubes. Some are also upgraded with a superclock. Not easy to beat this performer!

Ok next question where can I buy The Ah! Tjoeb and how much do they cost? I am intrigued

Good luck finding one. It came out about 10 years ago was based on the then Marantz CD6000 - much like the Heart version which was a similar idea, I think this was a short run, so the secondhand market is probably your best best.

Yes, that is correct! More info: http://www.hifi-notes.com/index2-nl.htm

Another gem is the Rotel RCD-991 which is a great player, I used to have one but was stupid enough to sell it. There's one on ebay at the moment for a decent price.

EDIT: If Bretty sees this thread then he will wax lyrical about the Rotel.....he loves his.

Of course the Rotel I use now I bought for £75 in mint condition, absolute bargain.

I have never heard a CD player which beats my Marantz CD-63 mkII KI, and I would heartily recommend one.  I've heard players which sound just as good but different (such as Rotels, which tend to be more laid back).  I'm sure much better ones exist of course if you hunt down something new with a four-figure price-tag, but when you can get a CD-63 mkII KI off ebay for about £200 max (and often much less), spending more is difficult to justify.

I am inclined to agree. I used to have a Marantz CD67 but found it lacking bass and that was the only reason I sold it. 

Another frim (also from Holland ) does the Marantz uprades too. 

If interested read this article: http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/heartcd6000_e.html

Another firm(also from Holland ) does the Marantz uprades too. 

If interested read this article: http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/heartcd6000_e.html

If you know of a richersounds outlet with a CA 840c for 250£ please let me know sharpish!

Oh and can't recommend my current disc spinner highly enough.  The Denon DVD3930 does a sterling audio job.  Picture's not bad either, but for music it's a winner.