AnalOg Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 I have really been enjoying the music coming from my vinyl rig. Can't help but wonder how close I can come to this euphoria with a high end cd player. The question is, if it is possible what make and model players would I consider to get me what I'm hearing in comparable sound that of my vinyl rig? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Simple and cheap. Original Rega Planet. It's the most analog sounding CD player for the money yet. I prefer the 18bit, custom Burr Brown Rega to low cost 24bit and inexpensive SACD. You cant beat the ergonomics and warmth in my view. Still after all these years, I have not heard a player for under $1000 that I think is MORE musical or closer to my reference analog setups. An honorable mention goes to the various Tjoeb Marantz players. Not as coherent in my view as Rega, but a great sounding solution for the money as well. Better digital out there? Yes. But you are going to have to spend A LOT more. The REGA PLANET goes VERY well with vintage tube integrateds. It's a natural with the EICO HF-81 and others. The Rega Planet was THE FIRST CDP I could live with. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 I snarfed one off Audiogon. Good $300.00 CD player, damn good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Cal audio labs Icon mk II is also a cheap, great analog sounding player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Another worth considering is the Cambridge Audio D500se. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Can't be done. Heard good things about the D'ack! though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Ditto w/ Randy, though Rf3iicrazy might find tube output to his liking. Have you auditioned the Musical Fidelity NuVista? Nice thing about tube output players is they're capable of throwing out a really nice soundstage. With extremely revealing gear, I usually pick up a slight digital signature with even the best CDPs, or SACD players for that matter. Harder to detect with tube output IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKuziel Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 I hear your pain about finding an analog CD player. In my opinion I don't think that it can be done with CD, The sampling rate is to low. The only thing I know of that even comes close is SACD. It samples much more of the analog sign wave than CD ever thought of doing. In fact I believe that SACD reproduces music in a totally different way compared to CD. This is what Sony says about it: What is the technology behind SACD? The sound of SACD comes directly from Direct Stream Digital (DSD) recording technology. DSD's simplified mechanism for recording and playback results in a frequency response of over 100kHz and a dynamic range over 120dB across the audible frequency range. DSD increases the resolution of music by more closely following the original wave form of the music, which results in music reproduction that is remarkably pure and faithful to the original. If your looking for analog sound I think this is your best bet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBusa Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Let me get this straight ...you want a CD player to sound like a turntable? huh? If you bought a new CD player and it sounded like a turntable you'd probably return it. Audiophiles baffle me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 PKuziel is absolutely correct. SACD is the way to go if you're looking for analog-sounding digital. Now of course you shouldn't go out and buy a badly recorded SACD title (there are a few) and then condemn the whole format because of it. You're also not going to find lots of your favorites on SACD yet. But all the machines will play CDs too. I use a Philips SACD-1000. I don't believe our chief Rega pusher here has ever heard SACD in his system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Tom, You should audition some high end units to answer your question. Let your own ears decide if a high-end unit will float your boat. I was in your situation earlier this year. The original Rega planet, while very nice for the money, left me underwelmed after getting my vinyl rig. IMHO you CAN get more "euphoria" with a better player. Expect to pay more as well. Arrange a home trial if possible and only with units that are fully broken in. Audition the higher end Cary players and if you have the budget take a look at the Electrocompaniet EMC1UP. I've heard both and they come about as close to Vinyl as your likely to get. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgb Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 I've enjoyed my NAD C521 HDCD. 24bit extrapolation, which gives a lot more space to the music than my old Nak did. HDCDs sound absolutely phenominal IMO, and there are 1000s of titles available. Why HDCD isn't talked about more I don't know. Only complaint is that the bass is a bit laid back for me. This was about $600. Of course my Dual 1228 + Ortofon X3MC (or some combination of letters there of) set up is hard to beat for the money. $50 for the TT used (and freshly serviced and speced) and I think $200 for a very nice cartridge that produces rock solid bass and a great sound stage. Unfortunately most rock over the last 10 years is unavailable or very scarce on LP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Again, you are talking over 1,000 for these players. I still say that sub 1K SACD/DVD-A digital is not all it's cracked up to be in a high resolution tube system looking for analog ease. Parrot is right in that I have NOT had the lower end SACD in my system. I have heard quality SACD now in known systems at HIFI salons, and more recently, DVD-A and mid-level SONY SACD via my brother's systems, which I set up. He has about five systems now, none of which I am particularly fond of but do sound better when I bring over tube amplification (something taht he "appreciates" but doesnt want to mess with). SACD, to my ears, is BETTER than the DVD-A implemenations, this from two different DVD-A players. I would go with SACD over that at the moment. As for the Rega, it is VERY sensitive to the cables used as well as system polarity (plug orientation - btw, this is a CHEAP and FREE tweak to perform. WEll, worth the time it takes to test each piece. Dividends are additive). I also think the Rega sounds pedestrian unless left on ALL THE TIME. Turn it off, and you are back to square one for over 24 hours.... Again, use the wrong cables with the Rega, and results are pedestrian. On the whole, I am just not impressed with most low cost digital solutions. The only two that I would live with in the lower price range are the Rega and Tjoeb players. Low cost SACD options totally leave me blah playing redbook, which is where most of the software lies. To be truthful, I havent heard ANY CD PLAYER, SACD or not, that better good analog. Not yet. I have two tables at home that when setup properly, dust digital in all areas of importance. I think you have to learn how to listen to the mediums in a different way. Most that claim digital betters analog (even at this late a stage in development), have NEVER heard a good analog setup. Still, you cant beat the ease of the format. When working, I end up listening to digital about 80% of the time, this including radio, which even with public stations (I dont listen to commercial radio), is about 100% digital in format. kh DGB - Almost all the indie label rock of quality is STILL released on vinyl. Most commercial run of the mill rock offerings dont deserve the effort in my view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnalOg Posted October 7, 2003 Author Share Posted October 7, 2003 Thanks all for the suggestions. Kelly, I know you loyalty to Rega, and it is understanding. I have not heard one, but I have a feeling its probably in the same league sonically as my MF a3 cd player. My player does a great job with well recorded cd's, although I can still detect that digital tiz, and analog has that fullness to the music & notes that I don't get with my player. I'd hate to go buy a $2000.00 player to find I only bettered my listening pleasure slightly. Putting a tube player into the mix might be the key to the void I'm experienceing. Any one out there have any direct comparisons with there digital systems coming in close par with there analog systems and in what proximities if they can describe it? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Tim is, of course, right. Nothing beats an audition, and nothing beats an audition in your own home where you are familiar with all the other components and the room sound. When I hear the word "analog" I don't think of vinyl, I think of open reel. I just so happen to be playing "Bach: The Art of Fugue" on SACD right now. This is a Mark Levinson recording originally made at 30 inches per second on open reel tape. Levinson is what some people would call a nut on hating digital. He despises CD and PCM, and loves vinyl, tape, and SACD. He is adamant that there has never been a better format than SACD. He says giving someone an SACD of his recordings is like giving him a copy of his 30 IPS master tape. For more of his thoughts, go to http://redrosemusic.com/essay.shtml I think his firm just went bankrupt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Kelly, Have you heard any/many of Steve Hoffman's old DCC CDs of remastered stuff? They are generally tube-mastered and pretty analog sounding. My personal impression is they sound better on solid state than through tubes. Played through tubes, it seems to be piling on the warmth too much. Wondered if you had any experience with these CDs and what your thoughts were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Disc Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Tom Again, you should audition. IMHO a tubed player can add warmth to the presentaion, but is uneccesary if you already have a tube setup. I don't believe adding tubes removes more of the "Digitalness" of the presentation as much as a good DAC can provide. Cary has the 308 and the 308-T, the "T" being the tube version. These would be perfect players to audition to see if the "tube" does what you want. At almost $1000 more than the normal 308 model, It might not be worth the extra cost. The Carys have the 24-bit burr brown DACs, which are wonderful at taking the digitalness out of the mix IMHO. Your original question was regarding "high-end" players, which is why I didn't suggest the budget priced Rega Planet. It would be great for a starter player, but to get closer to that "analog" sound, you will have to take a few steps up. - Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgb Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 That may be true, but none of my local record shops carry too much in the way of new vinyl. Shopping for music over the internet is just not a very rewarding experience for me. Gotta go dig around in the bins. kh DGB - Almost all the indie label rock of quality is STILL released on vinyl. Most commercial run of the mill rock offerings dont deserve the effort in my view. ---------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 ---------------- On 10/6/2003 11:34:08 PM rf3iicrazy wrote: I have really been enjoying the music coming from my vinyl rig. Can't help but wonder how close I can come to this euphoria with a high end cd player. The question is, if it is possible what make and model players would I consider to get me what I'm hearing in comparable sound that of my vinyl rig? Tom ---------------- The Audio Note CD3.1x ain't bad at all. I had it before my Planet and liked it a lot. I couldn't justify the expense for the meager 300 CD I have here, mostly used as background music. The Audio Note was really underemployed so I sold it. The Planet was my choice over costlier units (like the Musical Fidelity) as the most analog sounding. If you have the budget for it, an Audio Aero Capitole mkII would be nice. Don't see this as a nice looking machine for audiophile snobs in blue blazer sipping Martinis on their wooden boat. It's the best CDP I heard yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnalOg Posted October 7, 2003 Author Share Posted October 7, 2003 ---------------- On 10/7/2003 9:51:15 AM tbabb wrote: Tom Again, you should audition. IMHO a tubed player can add warmth to the presentaion, but is uneccesary if you already have a tube setup. I don't believe adding tubes removes more of the "Digitalness" of the presentation as much as a good DAC can provide. Cary has the 308 and the 308-T, the "T" being the tube version. These would be perfect players to audition to see if the "tube" does what you want. At almost $1000 more than the normal 308 model, It might not be worth the extra cost. The Carys have the 24-bit burr brown DACs, which are wonderful at taking the digitalness out of the mix IMHO. Your original question was regarding "high-end" players, which is why I didn't suggest the budget priced Rega Planet. It would be great for a starter player, but to get closer to that "analog" sound, you will have to take a few steps up. - Tim ---------------- Tim, Your frame of thought about a tube cd player was my original evaluation of putting one in my system. But then experimenting might be the key. The Musical Fidelity is a Retail priced $1300.00 player. So for a starter player I'm already there. Taking home players for audition may not leave me with much options. There is a high end boutique type store a few miles from my place, think I'll stop in and pick at there brains, see what the have to offer in a way of in home trials. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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