I know I shouldn't, but on a day when the Micro-Seiki was misbehaving, I looked around for a possible quick fix and bought two items (ahem). The first arrived today courtesy of Dave at Greenhome Electronics , this being the DCD-1520.

There's obviously a potential problem with middle-aged to elderly CD players, but my retail experience gets in the way too. The Arcam Alpha 5 may be an excellent donor machine with possibility of greatness and mech refurbs via Avondale Audio, but it's such a horrid, plasticky thing to use and the news-video once showing them being made (with front panels being all but bashed each side to locate them) put me off. The Sony ES models are too expensive for what I wanted, although I'd jump at a 555ESD or 557 if I could, but when I saw the ad for the Denon machine at a fair price, I thought I'd give it a go, as I remember it being beautifully made and heavy...

Well, what does it sound like? Actually, "Very well packaged" is the best summary I think, and to CD players how I feel about the Shure V15/V cartridges when compared to better MC types. What I'm trying to say is that everything is there and in proportion, but in smaller quantities than the best that CD digital can offer.

My current setup uses the Croft preamp and still with the "Crofted Quads" which sound great now I've sorted the absolute phase "issue" and with my ears in better fettle now (thank gawd).

I'm still amazed just how good my old "clocked" CD-M2 still is by comparison, the sound becoming bigger all round when used from it's balanced outputs and with newish, heavier duty version Mark Grant silver plated two-core Neutrik'd interconnects. Bass is far more powerful, midband dynamics are better and the treble region more "expressive" on cymbal work, but don't for one minute think the almost as old Denon is bad, as on its own it suits my little stereo really well if listened to in isolation. It's just the Micro does it like a really decent turntable, the music mixes gaining an extra sense of "reality" and that once abused term "Musicality."

What I really wanted to try the Denon for is the stunning build and Sony related (I think) linear-motor transport. This machine is superb in terms of total unflappable use. The laser track works fine, plays right to the end of a 79 minute CD I have and the rapid track-to-track performance inspires nothing but confidence. The next thing is to investigate any reasonable upgrades. The machine is too old to throw money at, but a clock mod may be useful, caps in certain places and possibly a couple of things in the power supply. Ideas chaps?

The other thing is the digital output. I'm hoping it's good enough for possible external DAC experiments (the second inexpensive used purchase which should be coming soon).

Hope I haven't bored you all. Pics to come at some point (I've had to file it away for now until needed)..

P.S. I had a couple of hours today to do the listening, and as if it knew, the Micro-Seiki was on its best behaviour, sounding wonderful and no undue noises at all (I've read the TDA1541 DAC chip can suffer heat related issues as it runs hot).