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Thread: I'm considering a dedicated CD Player

  1. #1
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    Dec 2003
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    Question I'm considering a dedicated CD Player

    http://www.av123.com/products_produc...s&product=25.1

    I have a Toshiba DVD player that I very satisfied with on the video side of things but I have the itch to improve the audio side. I've read Brad's thread on the AV123 Forum on this unit as well as comments on other boards on the Music Hall 25 (same unit).
    So I'm not looking for comments on this particular unit so much as I'm looking for imput on dedicated CD players vs. mid level DVD players when it comes to music. I know that's overly broad but it's a starting point. What have been your experiences with this option.

    David

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    You have read my thoughts on that unit and there has been a wide range of feedback just on that particular unit from mine to 'minor improvement' to 'drastic improvement', so it is hard to say what you might experience.

    I would suggest also considering a used external DAC instead of a dedicated player. If your DVD player has two digital outputs, this should be a reasonable option. You can get an Audio Alchemy DDE 3 (what I own) on Audiogon for $200. MSB DACs are also fairly inexpensive used.

    For dedicated CD players, the $299 price on the XCD-88 will be very hard to beat unless you buy used (even used CD-25s often sell for more than $300). One benefit of the XCD-88 or CD-25 is that there are a lot of mods available for them. Although, if you want a modded player, it is usually cheaper to buy a used one than have one modded yourself (mods usually don't hold value well).

    Other options to consider in the dedicated CD area would be the NADs or the Cambridge Azur line.

  3. #3
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    Thanks, Brad. There's an Audio Alchemy DDE V3.0 with power station 4 closing on ebay late this afternoon. Seller looks OK. Any questions I should ask before it closes?

    David

  4. #4
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    Aug 2003
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    There isn't much to ask other than it being functional. A copy of the manual is nice, but I got a copy from another owner and could send one to you. If you intend to use coax with it, you will need a BNC to RCA adapter, but these are available at RadioShack for a few bucks. The schematic is also available online if you are curious.

    I will let you know the one critical piece of advice on these items. They don't have a power switch and you should only power them off by unplugging the power supply from the wall, not by unplugging the power supply from the DAC. I pissed mine off doing this and it is a known quirk of these DACs.

  5. #5
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    How does your music sound if you use its audio(analog) ouput jacks instead of the digital outputs?
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  6. #6
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    I've got the XCD-88 in my system. I think it is a nice sturdy player with a decent price. I like it but did not experience a HUGE difference compared to my cheapo Sony DVD/CD player. I bought a CD only machine because I wanted a decicated 2 channel rig in another room. I chose the XCD-88/MusicHall 25 because it seems to be a solid machine, a good platform for upgrades, and it's relatively low cost.

    Randy

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