CD Player to go with the rest of a small system
As the title really, I currently have a NAD C326BEE and Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 on a pair of stands. At the moment I mostly use my iPod through the headphone socket into one of the inputs but the time has come to buy a CD player.
I have approx £300 to spend and would like recommendations as to what will sound good with my amp and speaker combinations.
Thanks, James
Do you have a laptop? If so I'd wait a while, borrow or steal another 100 quid (I mean save up or bribe your partner :) ), and wait for the Arcam irDAC (a bit pricey at 400 quid) which you can connect your iPod to digitally, and of-course hook your laptop to the DAC as well, therefore saving you the space and obsolescence of a CD player. Even at that price it seems worth saving up for considering its features.
Unless you really want a CD player?
The OP clearly states its time for a CD Player, all this talk of laptops is hardly helpful.
To the OP you should look to audition the Marantz CD6004, or if you can stretch another £50, then the Cambridge Audio Azur 651C. Both will go very well with your sytem as it stands.
...... regardless of whether or not you have a laptop. 
I'd go for the Marantz CD6004 or the Denon DCD720AE. Both excellent CD players and either will work really well with the NAD (my other amp is a C326BEE and it is a great piece of kit).
Thanks for the replies. I'm after a CD player as all the tracks on my iPod are low quality and I feel I would not get the full benefits of a dedicated DAC. Due to a minor error when backing up all I have is the link to My Music and not the folder itself, the 7 year old laptop with the higher quality versions on also gave up the ghost shortly after, taking the music with it (luckily everything else I backed up I did properly). I currently can't be bothered to re-rip all 4,500+ songs so will be doing most of my listening from CD.
I'd already been considering the Marantz and am off to listen to one later provided I've defeated this jetlag and got back to sleep, I like the idea that it has a USB in so can also be used as a basic DAC when needed. I'll be adding the Cambridge Audio Azur and Denon to the list and will hopefully get the chance to have a listen at some point, although I won't be telling the Mrs that the budget has increased a little!
Thanks again, James
Do you have a laptop? If so I'd wait a while, borrow or steal another 100 quid (I mean save up or bribe your partner :) ), and wait for the Arcam irDAC (a bit pricey at 400 quid) which you can connect your iPod to digitally, and of-course hook your laptop to the DAC as well, therefore saving you the space and obsolescence of a CD player. Even at that price it seems worth saving up for considering its features.
Unless you really want a CD player?
The OP clearly states its time for a CD Player, all this talk of laptops is hardly helpful.
To the OP you should look to audition the Marantz CD6004, or if you can stretch another £50, then the Cambridge Audio Azur 651C. Both will go very well with your sytem as it stands.
...... regardless of whether or not you have a laptop.
I was just pointing out his options. I still think something like the forthcoming irDAC would be a good and more flexible alternative to a CD player, assuming he has a replacement laptop.
Thanks for the replies. I'm after a CD player as all the tracks on my iPod are low quality and I feel I would not get the full benefits of a dedicated DAC. Due to a minor error when backing up all I have is the link to My Music and not the folder itself, the 7 year old laptop with the higher quality versions on also gave up the ghost shortly after, taking the music with it (luckily everything else I backed up I did properly). I currently can't be bothered to re-rip all 4,500+ songs so will be doing most of my listening from CD.
I'd already been considering the Marantz and am off to listen to one later provided I've defeated this jetlag and got back to sleep, I like the idea that it has a USB in so can also be used as a basic DAC when needed. I'll be adding the Cambridge Audio Azur and Denon to the list and will hopefully get the chance to have a listen at some point, although I won't be telling the Mrs that the budget has increased a little!
Thanks again, James
James, if you can find one, Harman Kardon's HD990 is well worth trying out. £500 on release, it's a sleek design, with great sound and comes with an onboard DAC to hook up your laptop to should you want to go that route.
The other players are good, but I was very impressed by the HK player. You should be able to get it for less than its original selling price too by the by.
Do you have a laptop? If so I'd wait a while, borrow or steal another 100 quid (I mean save up or bribe your partner :) ), and wait for the Arcam irDAC (a bit pricey at 400 quid) which you can connect your iPod to digitally, and of-course hook your laptop to the DAC as well, therefore saving you the space and obsolescence of a CD player. Even at that price it seems worth saving up for considering its features.
Unless you really want a CD player?
Arcam Solo Mini/Monitor Audio RX1/Cambridge Audio 751BD/Samsung 37” LCD