wtd: a decent cd player under £500

[Gramophonic]

I'm looking for a high quality cdp for my second system which has studio monitors, so reasonably warm sounding would be a plus. Mostly for playing classical music. I had a Marantz cd63 special edition which didn't do it for me at all so probably not Marantz. Just wondering if you folks can help me out! I'd be very interested in trying a valve cd player but assume those are quite expensive! Rob

[rmcin626]

I'm looking for a high quality cdp for my second system which has studio monitors, so reasonably warm sounding would be a plus. Mostly for playing classical music. I had a Marantz cd63 special edition which didn't do it for me at all so probably not Marantz. Just wondering if you folks can help me out! I'd be very interested in trying a valve cd player but assume those are quite expensive! Rob

I have an Arcam CDs50 sacd player/streamer, as new if that would be of any interest.

[rmcin626]

This is it

https://shop.loud-clear.co.uk/produc...mcds50cdplayer

[Ali Tait]

Have a Creek CD60 (TDA1541 chips), let me know if it's of interest.

[Pieoftheday]

I've a roksan.k3 cd player sat doing nothing, £500 plus postage

[Geoff101]

If you fancy something a bit different, I have a Morgan Audio Deva Pro-9 spare - actually I have two of them.

As the name suggests - a rare CM9-Pro mech, TDA1543 DAC with a discrete output stage. Ridiculously oversized power supply.

Really warm, analogue sound. A few quirks but was working fine last time I used it. Well under your budget!

There's one on German ebay to give you an idea. You'll have to come and get it though (Oxfordshire).

[hifinutt]

bit expensive but worth a look

https://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/cdpla...CD23&id=122908

[Gramophonic]

Thanks guys. I've pm-ed a couple of you. That 2nd hand hifi link is interesting, expensive of course but there are some amazing high-end bits up there!

[Macca]

be wary of buying used CD players - I've bought a lot of them and they can last a few years or a few weeks.

I'm fine buying used amps or speakers but CD players I now only buy new for maximum longevity. Once they go wrong just the fault finding is a big job and not easy to find someone to take it on. It's rarely as simple as replacing the laser.

If I were you I'd go to a Richer Sounds and buy a new player. For a warmer sound look at EQ or room treatment (doesn't need to be ugly panels). Vast majority of players sound the same or very similar in any case - regardless of price.

[Gramophonic]

be wary of buying used CD players - I've bought a lot of them and they can last a few years or a few weeks.

I'm fine buying used amps or speakers but CD players I now only buy new for maximum longevity. Once they go wrong just the fault finding is a big job and not easy to find someone to take it on. It's rarely as simple as replacing the laser.

If I were you I'd go to a Richer Sounds and buy a new player. For a warmer sound look at EQ or room treatment (doesn't need to be ugly panels). Vast majority of players sound the same or very similar in any case - regardless of price.

This is worth keeping in mind and is why I went here rather than Ebay or something like that! but that is a path I may go down. I must say EQ is one big advantage of computer audio, I use foobar 2000 which has a great EQ but I sell cds on discogs and between that and my own collection have a good 15000 cds, so it isn't always practical to have everything on the hd though I'm 5000 in to that project!