Pooh Bear wrote:


Fella wrote:


Hi Folks,

Not forwarding anything for anyone anymore, so I thought I should get
back to my own handle.

Everytime I need to upgrade or change a component I come back to these
groups (and some certain other forums) in seach of advice. Here's one of
those times.

What's in question is a CD player selection problem. I am trying to
choose between a Linn Ikemi, Plinius CD101 and Musical Fidelity A5. In
order to further confuse myself I am asking for any other advice from
you folk. Something *cheaper* but matching in performance that I might
have missed. I really would like to avoid having to dish out some 3000+
Euros for a CD player but at the moment it seems to be the only way to go.

Any alternatives, including any spinner+dac combinations would be much
appreciated. Thanks.

PS: Jenn, give the Plinius, for instance, a listen.


Let me explain some basic facts !

Yes, sure, no need to shout.


A CD player firstly merely recreates the digital audio data on the CD that its
playing. It does this using its laser 'pickup'.

Sure, yes, of course, I second that.


Let's assume first that the digital data is 'picked up' accurately. If this
doesn't happen you're stymied ! So don't buy some cheap ****.

If it sounds good for me, why not?


It then passes through a DAC - a digital to analogue converter- that makes the
analogue signal we hear from the digital data.

Sure, yes, of course, here-here.


Over the years, many advances in the accuracy of DACs have been made but
frankly even the inexpensive 'commodity' ones today are actually quite good.

Ok, which ones? I am going to try the "MUSICAL FIDELITY X-DAC V3" in a
couple of weeks, I am going to put it after a Linn Genki, which I
already own. Only around 650 eurobucks..


If you think the DAC in your player may be inferior,

It's not that something is superior or inferior. What it is, is that I
tried out a friends CD player in my system some months back, a Luxman
d600s. It was the most amazing player I've ever heard. It had a midrange
to simply die for. It had deep, profound bass, huge tall, dep and wide
soundstage. It was larger then life sound but it still somehow managed
to not offend me, as usually larger.then.life sound does. The only
problem with it was with the upper registers, which were sometimes
harsh, sometimes non-existant. But in any case I could not listen to my
cambridge audio azur (which is a perfectly fine player) anymore after
having been exposed to that luxurious luxman.

So the quest began, unfortunately.