Expensive CD players - worth it?

[Pigmy Pony]

My Marantz CD6006 (UK edition) has been a bit of a dick lately, drawer refusing to open, opening and immediately closing, closing and immediately opening again, and now skipping like mad towards the end of discs.

So I'm going to take it to be repaired (probably Mike Powell at Bolton). I took it off the shelf, and just for the hell of it decided to put in my temperamental Densen Beat B-400 Plus. Which, for the moment, is surprising me by actually working

But what also surprised me was that I could hear no difference in sound between this and the Marantz player. The Densen retailed for £1400 in 2003 (about £2800 in today's money), compared to £350 for the Marantz. Don't get me wrong, I'm just glad the bloody thing is working, but surely that 8x the cost should bring some kind of improvement...

So when it comes to CD players, what does your extra outlay really get you?

[walpurgis]

So when it comes to CD players, what does your extra outlay really get you?

Probably less and less. I'm sure the law of diminishing returns applies massively.

[Pigmy Pony]

Probably less and less. I'm sure the law of diminishing returns applies massively.

Certainly looks that way with CD players. £200 amp vs. £2k amp, big difference. £200 CDP vs. £2k, not so much. Maybe a quicker opening/closing drawer? My Densen certainly does that. And it does have a visual symmetry, which appeals to me.

[Lawrence001]

If you're plugging them in to your Matsui mini system maybe it's just not resolving enough to hear the difference?

[Pigmy Pony]

Matsui broken. It blew off the shelf in a strong draught But I've since upgraded to Alba. Onwards and upwards

[Lawrence001]

Is it one of these? You could sell it to a hipster for a few ponies.

[Pigmy Pony]

Is it one of these? You could sell it to a hipster for a few ponies.

Hard to tell from that pic - Ours has genuine wood-look formica top plate, not the cheap crap iron-on stuff.

[Macca]

My Marantz CD6006 (UK edition) has been a bit of a dick lately, drawer refusing to open, opening and immediately closing, closing and immediately opening again, and now skipping like mad towards the end of discs.

So I'm going to take it to be repaired (probably Mike Powell at Bolton). I took it off the shelf, and just for the hell of it decided to put in my temperamental Densen Beat B-400 Plus. Which, for the moment, is surprising me by actually working

But what also surprised me was that I could hear no difference in sound between this and the Marantz player. The Densen retailed for £1400 in 2003 (about £2800 in today's money), compared to £350 for the Marantz. Don't get me wrong, I'm just glad the bloody thing is working, but surely that 8x the cost should bring some kind of improvement...

So when it comes to CD players, what does your extra outlay really get you?

Since it looks like you've not had a proper answer to this question I'll have a go.

Differences in CD Players:

Frequency response - not all players have a flat frequency response. Mostly the difference is very small, maybe 0.1 to 0.5dB, but across a wide bandwidth this can be audible.

Output voltage - CD Redbook states 2.0 Volts as the standard for single ended output but many players have lower, or higher output voltage. For the same position on the volume dial one player can sound louder (and therefore 'better') than another. Even a very small difference in output level can do that, even though our impression is that the volume level seems to be the same.

What do expensive players offer? Well, what should they offer?

Better build quality, longer lifespan, better ergonomics, better ability to read damaged discs without skipping or drop outs.

Is this always the case? No. Some expensive players use cheap slot loading drives. Sound quality will be fine but other parameters may not be.

Will a cheap player offer the same sound quality as a really expensive one? Bearing in mind the exceptions and variables mentioned above, and generally speaking, yes it will.

[Marco]

Some valid points, but I disagree with your conclusion, based on experience. It doesn't take into consideration the effect of transport mechs, engineering and PSU arrangements, all of which cost money and the best examples of that are generally found on more expensive players.

It's not a given though, especially among the 'badge-fi', posing as hi-end CDPs, which often feature a cheap plastic DVD-ROM, as opposed to a die-cast metal dedicated CD transport, and again experience there tells me there's an audible difference. Also, it depends on what you mean by "really expensive".

There's a reason (indeed there are several) why I use a vintage Sony CDP, as a transport - and it's not just because I like the look of it!

Marco.

[Macca]

Some valid points, but I disagree with your conclusion, based on experience. It doesn't take into consideration the effect of transport mechs, engineering and PSU arrangements, all of which cost money and the best examples of that are generally found on more expensive players.

It's not a given though, especially among the 'badge-fi', posing as hi-end CDPs, which often feature a cheap plastic DVD-ROM, as opposed to a die-cast metal dedicated CD transport, and again experience there tells me there's an audible difference. Also, it depends on what you mean by "really expensive".

There's a reason (indeed there are several) why I use a vintage Sony CDP, as a transport - and it's not just because I like the look of it!

Marco.

I didn't want to write a long essay no-one would read hence why I said 'generally speaking.' There's always exceptions if you look hard enough.

There is quite a few expensive (costing thousands) CD players out there that are just a cheap mech in an adequate case, made in China for ten bob. They'll sound fine but you're not getting anything for that money over an Onkyo or similar that you could get in Richer Sounds for a few hundred.

High end Sony is a whole different ballgame but there is no more high end Sony and I wouldn't recommend getting a vintage one unless you can fix them or know someone who will.