GROUP TEST - SUB £1,000 CD PLAYERS | Arcam CD5, Marantz CD60, SMSL PL200
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- Опубліковано 25 чер 2024
- I review 3 of the latest CD players from Arcam, Marantz and SMSL. Do they really sound better than streamers?
Link to sponsors webpage:
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Link to manufacturer's websites:
Marantz CD60
www.marantz.com/en-gb/product...
SMSL PL200
www.smsl-audio.com/portal/pro...
Arcam CD5
www.arcam.co.uk/product,radia...
Link to my Patreon:
/ abritishaudiophile
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Time stamps:
0:00 Intro
1:43 Marantz CD60
7:07 SMSL PL200
12:44 Arcam CD5
16:59 Conclusion
After over 20 years I replaced my old Technics SL-PS770A with the Atoll CD200 Signature which is a lovely player!
Since I listen to physical media ONLY I very much appreciate any CD player review. 👍
Thank you 👍
Love my cd200
I thoroughly enjoyed this format of comparison between products. I hope you'll continue with different price ranges.
I will try when I can, but it was a lot of work to do a 3 in 1 review 🙂
I found this channel late last year 2023 and I really appreciate his detailed descriptions that help you understand what he's hearing in each item's review. Also the reviews range of components from working class affordable to dream zone class are nice for comparison. Overall very well done and glad I've subscribed for more!
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated 🙂 👍
Hi Tarun, thanks for the detailed comparison! I am an audiophile who is on his 66th trip around the Sun.I bought a cd player in1990 for $99.00 USD and was happy with the sound, it was refreshing to not hear the pops and dust crackle that came from my Dual 501 TT and my Stanton 681EE cartridge. I eventually lost track of the turntable and gave a lot of vinyl away. About 10 years ago I found a stack of my old albums, bought an MMF 1 turntable with an Ortofon OM40 cartridge used, just to play some of these old albums. Wow the sound was fantastic, loved it more than the CD’s. About 3 years ago I bought an Oppo UDP 203 because of the death of my old Techniques player. Again a Wow moment my cd collection sounded really good, some as good as the vinyl copy’s I had. I since have acquired a WiiM Pro, Ares 12th and am enjoying streaming as much as I enjoy the other two formats. The Oppo into the Ares via I2s or optical-does not reveal anything better than the Oppo using the build in Oppo DAC. I have a VPI Prime TT & Ortofon Quintet Black cartridge, spent well over 5K. I love the CD format because of the durability of the CD. I have spent $50 dollars on a record and dropped it and scratched it, sadness! I personally am buying more CD’s than records and using streaming to preview and find new artists. I will never give up physical media, with turmoil in the world, I can see the internet going bye bye and having to depend on my CD’s and vinyl collection.Keep up the good work, love your take on audio!
I love that 66 trip reference. I am a few trips behind 🤣 thank you for sharing 🙂
This, (along with What Hi Fi's review) was so helpful. I've been looking to upgrade from my Marantz 6007 CD player for sometime and in the end chose the Arcam CD5. The increase in detail is so noticeable and the overall sound is such an improvement with the Arcam. Thank you so much!
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
I started my CD journey, like a lot of people, with a Sony back in 1987 (a Boxing Day sale). I proceeded through two more Sony players, each better than the last. But then I stepped into a local audio shop and compared my Kenwood (!) amp and preamp combination to the least expensive Arcam integrated amplifier (which cost less than the Kenwoods) and that one unit blew them out of the water. Honestly, it was like hearing my test tracks like someone had re-recorded them. But this led me to my first Arcam CD player, which completed my journey for a time. I later upgraded to an Arcam top of the line player which improved the sound, not the same jump as before, but still worth it. A few years down the road I sold my Arcam and bought a SimAudio Moon player. It was definitely more refined with better imaging and depth - a worthwhile upgrade. Unfortunately, a couple of years later, I happened to be able to do an A/B comparison with a Bryston BCD3. I say unfortunately, because I thought I had reached my personal pinnacle player, and the Bryston delivered more in every way, and so another sale, and now I have the one I will probably always have. What I would love to hear now is an A/B against the Hegel Viking. It's more than I can afford at this time, but I've said that before. Maybe I better not.
Great to learn about your experiences 🙂
Another great review sir. Especially enjoy the comparisons. And so glad to see CD players that aren't just rectangular boxes.
I got my first CD player in the 80s. Listened to several brands, settled on NAD as it sounded the least 'digital'. Next the vaulted Radio Shack portable with Dynakit tube combo in my home office. Then another NAD. Now a transport and DAC.
Standard Redbook CD sure has come a long way and spinning the silver discs is the way I listen to music.
Thank you Gerald. Always a pleasure to hear from you 😊👍
Another great review! I revisited CD playing with a CEC TL5 belt driven transport and loved it. Detailed and smooth. But recently I splurged and purchased Atoll’s CD100 with built-in DAC and have experienced a renewed enjoyment of CDs. I find myself listening to it much more than streaming through my Pontus II DAC. Has a wonderful mix of detail and slight warmth in my system and the soundstage is outstanding.
Great to learn about your experiences 👍
Would love to see a similar group test, with more expensive CD players.
I hope to review more CD players. These group tests are quite involved though. I plan to do them periodically 🙂
Love this review Tarun! Back in the day, (that day being 30 years ago) I loved the Marantz sound and we sold a ton of them in the Home Counties HiFi dealer I worked in for over four years, with the now legendary KI editions often selling over the phone or without Demo at full price! Recently however my tastes (and wallet) have changed and I went for a Rega CD player. The uplift in sound is incredible.
Thank you. Much appreciated 👍
Fantastic! ❤
Tarun, once again delivers the clear, concise virtues of the various CD units in this lovely installment. That excellent alternative of multi-format use in Blu-ray and outboard DAC listening is wonderfully rich, and amazing.
Thank you my dear friend!
Thank you Dr Noah. Much appreciated 🙂👍
Great comparison/review -- hopefully you'll get the -upcoming- recently released Exposure player in for a review as well. Cheers
Thank you. I hope to do that 👍
Thanks Tarun, that was great, particularly interested in this one as I only listen to CD's.
Listened to several players up to 1200 last year including the Marantz you review, settled on the Musical Fidelity M2SCD which is very musical and outstanding with vocals, it's by far the best player I've owned.
Thank you Dale 👍
Hi! I still have my CD 73 from ARCAM and I'm still very satisfied with the amp from the same company ( A 80). It is true you can listen to them all day long without a bit of fatigue. Thanks for another great review!
Thank you Yves 🙂👍
Thanks Tarun, my first cd player was a technics SL-P477A in the early 90’s. I then moved to a NAD 502 which I part exchanged for my then grail - the Marantz CD63mkII KI Signature. That Marantz was stunning.
I now use an Audiolab 6000CDT (just a transport) and that thing plays all the CDs that were problematic with my other players, it is a fantastic bit if kit in that regard.
Great 👍 thank you for sharing 👍
Very interesting review! Keep up the good work! I’m still into CD’s (and also streaming and vinyl), still buy them as well, owing the music satisfies me more. Playing on a 14 year old Audia flight CD two. Still Love the sound! Currently searching for a new one.
Thank you Rob 👍
Great review!!! I purchased the Pl 200 a few months ago. Love it. Plus you can play the cd without the lid by holding the play button down for a few seconds. I’m using coax out to my Gustard R26. I’m not experiencing any if the issues using as a transport.
Thx for sharing 🙂
Same here. Using coax out to dac's inside the speakers and no issues. In fact, I did a small comparison test between balanced and coax out and I can't hear the difference (same volume). Balanced out sounds just as good as coax when using SMSL as transport.
I recently had the Marantz CD60 and the Arcam CD5 at home together for comparison. I agree with your descriptions of the sound of each. I chose the Arcam. The sound stage was wide and deep and clear, but the detail I was hearing sold me. I am generally of the belief that on good recordings the system that gives the most and clearest detail is the best, at least for me, since if you are hearing the details everything else is as it should be. This seems especially true with classical orchestral music. Going back and forth between the Marantz and the Arcam, the detail from the Arcam was obviously superior. As for the overall sound, the Marantz was warmer and the Arcam highs were not rolled off, but I suspect the clear highs of the Arcam helped with the detail and the extremely "tight" and accurate imaging. I have never heard anything like it from a similarly priced player. That said, I was not taken with the overall design which was a bit confusing, especially where the remote and settings were concerned. They were not at all intuitive. Lastly, the CD carrier did not leave room for any misplacement of the disc. It is very shallow and more than once I closed the drawer to find the CD caught between it and the front panel. As long as you are very aware and careful with CD placement this should not be an issue. Oh...mine came needing a firmware update to handle connected tracks such as the third and fourth movements of Beethoven's Fifth, and there were no instructions included, but you can get the update at the Arcam website. (I will also warn you that the CD Manual was lacking and was not much help, especially with the Remote Menus. The Arcam is also a bit slower accessing tracks.)
After comparing the two players I wanted to like the Marantz better. It was better looking, to me, and better matched my current system. The controls, overall, were also more intuitive. But in the end, after many back and forths between the two, I had to have the Arcam CD5. The detail, imaging, soundstage, and clarity was amazing. I found myself listening to my favorite CD's all over again and hearing details and musicality I had not heard before. If you don't mind the ease of use issues I mentioned, or lack thereof, you may want to give it a listen.
Great 👍 thank you for sharing your experiences 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I don’t know why but the Marantz CD60 didn’t inspire me. I didn’t find it materially better than the CD6006 even though it costs 50% more. Also, the new cosmetic design isn’t all too impressive and is just a little bland. I like the Marantz brand but I think they offered better value in the past.
Appreciate your review! Last year and after much consternation… I picked up a Cambridge Audio CXCv2. I’ve been very satisfied with it so far. Also using a Holo Audio Red as a streamer
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Started out with the Kenwood CD and rapidity moved on to a Marantz CD 63 Mk2 KI which I stayed with for years being a great sounding player for its time. Had a Pink Triangle turn table which ran along side with Exposure 15 amp for decades. Changed to up the Exposure 3010 amp last six years which shares duties with a Quad Artera pre And Artera Power amp. Currently use a Rega CD Apollo while not that accurate is immensely musical. Speakers currently PMC TwentyFive.23. I have watched many of your reviews and very much like your even handed approach and relaxed presentation. Keep up the excellent work Cheers.😊
Thank you kindly Steve. Some great components 🙂👍
Another three for one review! Thanks Tarun! Now I only listen to my cds through roon now though.
Thanks Bryan 👍
Great review, Thanks! Owned a Marantz cd 63 se (great in reproducing voices), then a MF x-ray (much more analytical). Since a few years I have the x cd 1000 from Advance Paris and upgraded the tube, I'm still surprised by playing older discs from my collection, very happy with it, great value!
That is great 👍 thx 🙂
I’ve been enjoying the IOTAvx NP3. Great review.
Thank you 👍
Really enjoyed this review . My cd journey has been interesting to say the least - Panasonic ghetto blaster at uni , followed by a bose cd wave radio followed by an onkyo c515 all in one , followed by an arcam solo , a meridian f80, meridian g95 , meridian 808v6 and now at the end game with a dCS Rossini Player Apex . I should point out a number of “expensive streamers “ were unable to compete with the meridian 808v6 in terms of overall sound quality but the dCS Rossini is another level altogether .
Thank you for sharing your experiences Mr S 👍
Very happy with your review of the SMSL, as I was thinking of using it as a transport. 👍 I listen to streaming mostly, but if I really like an album, I will buy the cd to support the artist. When I have time, I will listen to cd's. I think I will buy the new Rega Apollo when it arrives.
Thank you OJ 😊
Brilliant review Tarun , I love Arcam Alpha 7SE so much specially with analog output rather than its digital outputs it has clear and warm sound with old BurrBrown Chip .. sat my wife and played “ it’s Probably me “ by sting and Eric Clapton and she was stunned how instrument separation was showing off from my Audiolab 6000a which you recommended and I use Celestion Ditton 22 ( 50 years old
Speakers ) ❤ ❤ sometimes I prefer the sound of celestion more than my Focal Chorus 706
That is great Atri and it is not just you 😉
Nice review, thanks!
My cd player journey started in the late '90 with a technics sl480, later upgraded with marantz cd4000 in a marantz systems. By 2008 there was a cambridge audio system with the azur 640v2 which performed well and stayed long. After replacing amp and speakers, the need for better source emerged. I was targeting an used Hegel mohican but was out of reach. Found an used Linn Majik which sounds fantastic with my Hegel h160 and Totem forests.
Still love phisical media and cant decide to move to streaming!
Great to learn about your experiences 🙂
Bought the Sony CD 101 upon release about 1985, could not get on with it, sounding sibilant. I went back to turntable, then about 1995 heard the Pioneer PD S 703 and loved it, now have a Arcam FMJ CD 17 and really love it, great vlog sir.
Thx for sharing 🙂
Great review Tarun, thank you.
My first real cd player was the KIS version of the marathon cd63 you displayed in the video, followed by a marantz cd6000KIS that I still own but needs attention.
I now run Audiolab 6000cdt into a Mojo2 and I'm delighted with the result, it sounds great.
#Marantz, not Marathon. Bloody auto correct!
Thank you Andy 👍
@@andysmith9720You do realise you can edit your posts...?
@steven2809 thanks, I didn't know but now I'll keep it in mind. Ta.
Beautifully done Tarun. This is a benchmark review, with the right ingredients: a true comparison, several systems used, individual components analysis. Please keep doing it :)
Allow me to suggest another comparison of GBP 1000-2000 CD players, and of corse the contrast with streamers.
Also can you please review the Shanling ET-3 CD transport? I suspect it pairs very well with the Aries and Venus dacs…. and it is equipped with I2S, AES/EBU, Coaxial and USB outputs!!!
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestions 😊👍
loved the vid mt, you know about my cd player, its still as good as ever m.
Thank you 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no problemo sir, have a good weekend m.
ace
Ah, CDs! i still love them and still have a pretty large collection from back in the day. A great review, thanks, very informative. I had a Rotel CD11 Tribute, which sounded good, nicely detailed, on its own. Then I connected it to my Prism Sound Callia DAC (at least three times more expensive than the CD player...) and not surprisingly it sounded a lot better, adding sound stage and more midrange punch. I was very happy, for a while... until, that is, I decided to try a vintage machine - which changed everything. I acquired a 1984 Revox B 225 CD player, in perfect condition and re-capped. It is so old it doesn't have a digital out - not that it needs it, as I discovered. It sounds just amazing - it has two Philips TDA1540 mono DAC chips, which are 14-bit (before the 16-bit benchmark was set) and has the Philips CDM0 CD drive, apparently the original and best ever built. This thing has changed my view of CDs completely - it weighs a ton and sounds like it. The bass shakes the floor, and the sound is so analogue and dynamic it is pretty much indistinguishable from my turntable, which is a pretty high bar. My point is that CDs are a 1980s thing, and getting a 1980s player just sounds so right! If you are concerned about any thin sound from your CDs, try a vintage machine, especially with the classic TDA 1540 or 1541 chips, any early Marantz such as the CD94, any early Philips, Revox and so on. Like me, you may be blown away
Thank you for sharing your experiences Martin 😊
Excellent perspectives and detailed review. Thank you so much, as always for your time,efforts and very coherent summation of all this technology. Have a great weekend and take care, Sir .
Thank you Simon. Wishing you a great weekend too 🙂👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Sir.
A lot of work you did🙏🙏🙏👍
It was quite an involved process with lots of comparative listening tests and B-Roll. Not sure I want to do it again for a while 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314
can only imagine…, and must take a lot of energy .., no point if you are not listening/ reporting accurately… objectively.., cheers!
Hi Tarun, being 53 I've had quite a few CD players on my journey. The last two were quite memorable. The Gryphon Audio Mercado signature and my current CD player is the MPT-8 from playback designs.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Great review, I still love CD players
Thank you 😊
Tarun, excellent video, as always - but more comprehensive than other videos, considering the six way shootout. I watched it twice but seemed to have missed the answer I was looking for- which of the 6 would you have picked as a transport feeding the Denafrips for classical, jazz or acoustic music.
Thank you Jeremy. There was no clear winner in this round up 🙂
Thank you for a lovely review! I appreciate the time and effort you put into making these videos. Your evaluation of the sonics is thorough and you touch on most subjects that are important to audiophiles. That being said - and this is just my opinion - CD players are HIFI components that ought to be evaluated not only in terms of audio quality, but also their operability - how fast does it load the disc, how responsive the mech is, what is the actual feel of the onboard transport controls. CD, after all, is a physical media and the “touch” should be a part of the experience. For a more technically-minded audiophile or music lover, this is important. I know you review CD players from time to time and IMHO, it might be worth your while to give it some thought. Obviously, this is not a complaint, just a suggestion and one that I believe would be beneficial to all. 😊 Thank you! Cheers!
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. This was a group review so I had to be selective about what to include. I included the operational features that stood out as either very beneficial or not up to scratch 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314Point taken - it would make the video longer, perhaps unnecessarily.
Since you’ve mentioned having listened to older Arcam players, would you say that the new CD5 is a departure from the classic designs, like the ones equipped with a DCS Ring DAC?
Cheers!
@antunkatona5674 I would need to get a DCS player home to answer in detail. It performance it at another level though as is the price 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you for replying! Most kind!
Well, a few years ago you could buy a used Arcam CD player with the DCS’ discrete “Ring DAC” for around 200 quid. As I understand it, Arcam had a close relation to DCS before they became what they are today - expensive! So, at around 600-700 quid, the Arcam was considered something of a bargain. This was about 15-20 years ago though so 700 quid was a lot of money and likely still is.
What’s more, some of the Arcam players were upgradeable so you could buy a base model and upgrade it afterwards, the DCS one being the top option. I was a teenager back then so there would be no chance for me to actually own one but I remember the days of reading the HIFI mags and being very excited about it.
All the best!
Thanks for making another great edit Tarun. I recently swapped my Marantz CD67mk2 for a Marantz CD6003. I know it’s a cliche but there was an obvious improvement in all areas. I now prefer using this to my Linn LP12… plus CD’s are so cheap right now compared to vinyl💿🎶🎵😎💿
Thank you. I appreciate you sharing 👍
Kudos to you for this highly thought out and well presented comparison of these three cd players. Many thanks indeed. Per your prompt, I've two cd transports ~ a Cyrus CD-T, and an Olasonic Nano-CD1. Both feed Meridian Director DACs. The CD-T's 44.1KHz sample rate is automatically upsampled to 88.2KHz to take advantage of the DAC's more benign anti-aliasing filter. The Nano-CD1 has selectable bit rates of 44.1, 88.2 or 96KHz. Using the two higher sample rates, it's hard to tell which is better, but both outshine standard Redbook 44.1KHz. I chose Meridian for its non-pre-ringing analog output. It has an Ortofon LOMC-like refined presentation that's easy to listen to and less fatiguing over long listening sessions.
Thank you. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
Thanks for the CD player review. I still have the 1st player I bought back in 87. A single disc Scott. My 300 disc Sony carousel I bought in 2007 is still running too. I Have bought a couple of 5 and 6 disc carousels too over the years. One is still running. Bought a higher-end Rotel RCD 1572 MKII last year connected to my main system replacing the Sony and it sounds the best. As long as they keep playing my CD player journey is complete. Still buying CDs especially box sets that keep being released. Stream Qobuz too. The best of both worlds.
That is great 👍
Life started with a Toshiba 14 bit non oversampling transportable and has moved up to the Cambridge Transports and a SMSL SU9 dac which works well although the PL 200 appeals not least for its small factor form which in general I like and the absence of any draws which should help with reliability having had to strip down other players before now to change belts and regrease.
As for your review, a very fair representation of the strengths and weakness of each model, none are by any means so-so but they are different and all will meet an audiophiles needs depending on the remainder of the system.
Thank you. Much appreciated 👍
The best part of Britain is that the British will still be polite - meaning, that if you tell them you do not pray to your cables they will not ridicule you publicly , they will politely respond in such a manner "Very well Sir, over here we have audio cables that do not require praying to".
Excellent review Love it! Thank you. P.S I regret selling my CD players for the 90's. They were great now I am hearing anything sub 1000 will last for a year or two before the player stops reading and skipping. Horrible I say.
Thank you. Manners maketh the man 😉🤣
Recently purchased a Rega Saturn mk3 cd player. Love the cd format and the sound with the Rega very nice. I use him predominantly as a transport with my external dac that sounds more to my taste than the internal dac in the Rega. Streaming is more for background music whilst my cd player is more for enjoyment. Helps a lot in that regard that Rega is a top loader and that it feels a lot like putting on a record on a record player.
Great 👍 thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you!
Most welcome 🙂
I thought I was the only person on Earth still listening to CD's! Still using my ever enjoyable (circa) 20 year old Cyrus Quattro system.
My no means. Plenty of CD fans out there 🙂
The Cambridge Audio CXC transport is worth considering, especially if you already have the CXN streamer or CXA amp
Agreed 👍
Hey Tarun, another thorough review, which must have taken hours! Don’t know how you have the patience.
My first CD player was given to me by a relative to try out. It was an early Philips machine from the dawn if the CD era. I was playing records on my original Linn LP12 at the time. Needless to say the CDs sounded horrible and I quickly binned it off.
Fast forward a few years and life meant the record collection, turntable etc had to go. Still pains me today. Then I was fortunate enough to restart my journey a little higher up the ladder from the digital perspective so in 2003 I bought a Musical Fidelity A3.2 and suddenly CDs were sounding great.
As you know in the last few years I’ve become familiar with the internal workings of my boxes of electronics and the A3.2 has been subjected to some serious upgrades, the most significant of which was the swapping of the chip based opamps for Burson Audio Vivid V6 component opamps. This has made the sound so much more liquid with the last vestiges of harshness vanishing.
However, that’s not the end of the story. CDs have been a struggle for me since the beginning due to the horrible mastering they’ve been subjected to since the mid 1990s. It meant my tastes shifted to well recorded disks and this meant more jazz, acoustic and classical than anything else.
I still spin the odd CD but the reintroduction of vinyl has transformed my listening experience and I find myself playing all my old favourites from my yoof as well as my new found friends in jazz and orchestral genres.
Still, I’ll take CD ownership over renting my music from a data centre any day.
Thank you Mark. Nice to know the MF CD player has undergone the Carrington upgrades too 😊👍
Great video Tarun. No one has reviewed an Accuphase CD player , I’d love to know what the high end has to offer
Thx. Great suggestion 👍
Tarun, Excellent review as always, and so informative! I recently bought the Marantz CD60 to go with my Marantz Model 30 Integrated amplifier. Way more impressed with the sound of the Model 30 (which I still hope you can review one day) than the CD60. I found the CD60 a bit too warm and lacking in detail. I can't connect my Audiolab 6000CDT to the Marantz model 30 as it does not have an internal DAC. From what I can hear with the Audiolab transport hooked to the Audiolab 6000A integrated in my second system, the Audiolab transport seems to be more refined, detailed, transparent than the CD60. Curious now about the Arcam CD5 which perhaps I should audition to replace the CD60. Thanks as always!
Thank you. An external DAC may be a solution 🙂
Had Sonos Amp for mostly ripped CDs then wanted vinyl so got Technics SL100C and needed an amp so just went on reviews and got the Marantz PM6007 then had a CD revival with a bargain matching CD6007. Then recently despite being happy with the sound I couldn't resist upgrading to the Model 50 and CD60 just because of that industrial design, as well as a great 3 year IFC deal and trade in. Very happy, heard details I'd not heard before, and they really are beasts in build quality with a super smooth CD mechanism and an electronic volume control with display that is so much better than the old motorised potentiometer for ease and accuracy of adjustment.
Thx for sharing 😊
Great review. I would like to add that Eversolo has also CD playback capability. Didn't they add EQ recently?
Thank you. The EverSolo DMP-A6 now has parametric EQ after a recent firmware update👍
Excellent comparison and much appreciated! Struggling with a decision between a dedicated player or a transport, it now leaning toward a transport. Would love to get your impressions of a few transports in a similar priceline. Shanling ET3 seems a nice one there 🙏🏼
Thank you kindly. I hope to do just that 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 awesome! 😎
I love my SMSL AO300, which shares the same aesthetic and is presumably intended as coming from the same line. It's got some quirks but it's got a terrific sound -- gob-smacking, even, considering the price -- and I've no intention of upgrading that part of my system anytime soon.
That is great 👍
Hi, ☕️
I just picked up an Audiolab 6000CDT..feeding my new Denafrips Ares 12-1 ..and I’m very pleased 😊
As for streaming..an OG Wiim Pro feeding the Ares 😎
Very nice 👍I may do another video on CD transports at sometime 🤔
@@abritishaudiophile7314 @carminedesanto6746 - I have the Audiolab CDT6000 too and i've found its SQ virtually indistinguishable from the Ifi Zen Stream (w/iPower X) when the Source file/stream is up to scratch on the latter. I also have the Eversolo A8 and the Zen Stream only loses out to it on ever so slightly on top end resolution. At regular sale price of 299 or even at MSRP 349 Pounds, the Zen Stream is terrific value for money.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Please do Tarun, I've started buying CD's again and am in the market for a really good CD transport but in 2024, I just don't know where to start.
I also have the WiiM pro and ares12th, great combo! I really can’t imagine the sound being that much better with say a blue sound node and the Ares.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Please, Tarun, do so!
After a 15 year break of listening to music on crappy phones/streaming, I'm once again spinning the small silver disks together with their larger black sibling, and rediscovering the true joy of music. I'm buying mostly 2nd hand CD's though the prices seem to have gone up recently, And if I find some interesting artist, I will often supplement my collection with new CD's as a lot of old releases are still reasonably priced compared to vinyl.
Thx for sharing 😊
Thanks!
Thank you my friend. Very generous and your support is greatly appreciated 😊👍
My first CD player was the Arcam Alpha 5. I think I paid about £500 in the early 90s, I still miss that machine, it had a very sweet treble, you could listen to it for hours. I might have to buy one of the units that pop up on eBay every once in a while for a nostalgia kick.
That would be cool 😎
Yep. My first good cd player was the Arcam Alpha 7, and very nice it was, too.
Still got mine. Great player that made me move over from LPs
Thanks for the great reviews. I own more than 900 CDs, and it's the main way I listen to music. I picked up a NAD C538 player for $350 ten years ago, which I thought was expensive at the time, but as I have been upgrading my gear I am more used to the sticker shock now, and wanted to buy something in the $1000 range. I tested a Rotel CD 14 MK2 which I liked a lot. Currently I am listening to a Denon DCD-1700NE which is the best sounding one I have heard so far. The Denon is big, and it was full price which hurt, but I have been blown away with how good it sounds.
Thank you 😊
Great video!. I assume that all three CD Players support gapless playback, right?.
Thank you 😊
Dam brother another great review !! , one day you should go on live so we can ask you ?s …… again thankyou for your channel and your knowledge!!
That is much appreciated 🙂👍
My CD playback journey has been a bare bones Sony CDP with a PCM58 DAC in the early days. This was replaced by an Ayon CD2s which was a monumental upgrade. Finally I went with separates in 2012-13 when I got a DIY CD transport built on top of a Philips CD Pro2m and an AMR DP777 DAC. Suffice to say i was so happy with this, I haven't upgraded since in 11 years.
Of late, I have moved to vinyl playback and recently got a Dr Feickert Analogue Firebird turntable that doesn't make me want to listen to either CDs or Streaming anymore.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 🙂
I only had a Denon micro system in the loft railway room for years. I still managed to accumulate several hundred CD’s though! When I invested in my big boy system a few years ago, I finally went for the Bel Canto Cdt3 transport. It is absolutely silent in operation and is slightly better than the Auralic streamer and different sonically to the Gyro turntable.
That's great. I love that you still don't have to spend masses to get good sound. It is at the modest price points where the great bargains are found 👍
Great vid as usual! I don't own any super hi end stuff, but I do have a MArantz nd8006 Combination streamer/cd player and I love it. I'm not sure why they discontinued this type of combo device. I literally can switch between playing the same track on Amazon HD music and also CD for comparisons. If you can find one used for under $1000 I would take the risk!
Thank you 🙂
Danke!
Bitte schön 😊👍
My Journey started with a Philips CD104B. Built like a tank.
This was used with NAD 3020B amp and AR20B speakers.
I then upgraded to an Arcam Delta 70.2 CD player, with Audiolab 8000a and Monitor Audio R852 speakers.
Currently I have A Yamaha CDS 2000 CD/SACD player, connected to a Burmester 082 amp via XLR and bypassing my Chord Qutest with MCRU power supply as I prefer the sound thst way. I run Wharfedale EVO 4.4.
I have no intention of changing anything in the near future.
Quite a journey. Thank you for sharing 🙂
I'm still strictly cd, love them, currently using Denon DCD 800ne & an Arcam dv 88+ players, was hoping you would include Denon DCD 900ne with sabre chipset in this test, can't be bothered with all this streaming business, will add an external dac when the need to upgrade kicks in again, if it ain't on your shelf, then you don't really own it, is my way of thinking, bands get a pittance from these streaming companies etc etc, nice to see a vid on CD players all the same👍
Thank you for sharing 😊
The Marantz CD-63 was legendary, it was an easy go to unit for people coming from the really cheap CD players or portable CD players.
I agree 👍
I have Nakamichi CDP-2 cd player, I use it daily with my floorstanding speakers and I love it. It just blow out my first cd player Marantz CD67.
Love the review. I have the yamaha cd 1000 and a old naim cd 5 player. I do use the pontus for both players. Will you do a review on the 1k -2k cd players. Oh by the way the eversolo dmp-a6 master edition does have the built-in eq for sonic adjustments.
Thank you. I hope to review more CD players. As for parametric EQ, it needs to be used judiciously. It can cause bigger problems than it solves 😊
Thanks for advice. I don't use it because of the pontus. Oh by the way my 2 channel system is the pontus and eversolo dmp-a6 master and prima luna 200 tube integrated with rotel trite 8 and OPPO 95 as transport with wharfedale linton with the audio aperion super tweeter.
@jon8686sti1 cool 😎 to elaborate, DSP or parametric EQ adds an extra layer of processing. This is usually audible in the midrange and high frequencies. To some extent you can get away with it in the bass. There are technical reasons for this that I won't get into now. Basically, parametric EQ should be at best considered as a bandaid over more fundamental problems 🙂
Oh I also use the rel tx-7 for my sub
Hi Tarun - I subscribed today, I love your A/B comparisons. I've had a Rotel RCD-991 since the late 1990s - a truly fantastic player with a R2R ladder DAC inside it. Now I'm about to put it on eBay because I picked up an (oldish) Unison Research Unico, on Ebay, that's even better than the Rotel. What I've noticed about these two players is the increased sound quality of the balanced XLRs compared to the RCAs, and was interested to see the SMSL has this feature too. I wondered if you ever thought about making a video looking further into the benefits of XLR outputs or are my ears playing tricks on me? 🙃 - Kind regards - Richard in Folkestone.
Thank you Richard. I appreciate the suggestion and will consider it 👍
I found this interesting, as I am still on the looks for a new CD Player/Transport. 👍
I also found an easter egg in your Video at 16:28, where you connected the arcam to the smsl instead of the denafrips. 😅
I have just realised. It was a very late night filming the B-Roll. I must have been delirious 🤪
When you stacked the smsl on the denafrips I already noticed they were looking pretty similar regarding color, Form factor and connections. I had to rewind the scene I found to make sure though. But I like the idea of sneaking in an easter egg here and there just to see how much attention everyone is paying when watching. 🙂
Thank you again for a nice review personally I have the Marantz CD 6006 as it is a great little machine fantastic sound with Cambridge AXA 35 and emotiva B1 plus bookshelf so I tried Marantz CD 6007 which was definitely not as good and I tried the cd60 to my surprise NOT as good not as real, detailed, smooth sounding although the Sound Stage was much larger. Is the dac not as good as the cyrus logic used in cd6006? I just want to thank Taryn for the recommendation Cambridge AXA 35 fantastic amplifier. I also purchased the cambridge cxa61 but have not tried it yet as the cxa35 is SUPERB.I get such realistic sound from this little Dynamo. I don't feel I am missing ANYTHING. WOW!
Great 👍
I spend much of my time listening to my Bluesound Node and matching Bluesound Vault. However, I have a Cayin Mini-CD for those times when the internet decides to take time off.
For serious listening, I've returned to the " licorice pizza " of my youth. I'm enjoying all the Jazz I missed while I misplaced my youth listening to rock&roll. 😎
Thx John 🙂
Hi, I recently purchased the Marantz cd 6007 and the Marantz 8006 integrated amp.. I'm using ADS L780/2 40yr old speakers with ("Siltech 770 anniversary cables") the sound is remarkable.. no complaints.. some cd's sound better the some others.. That's it. I'm saving for the Buchardts 400
Cool 😎
I began building my system on a specific budget with the Arcam SA10 and Wharfedale Denton 80 speakers as the base.
I've always had CD's, so initially used my Samsung bluray player as transport. After a while, I tried the Audiolab 6000cdt and found it an improvement.
Moving from the SA10's internal dac to the SMSL VMV D1se2 external dac brought a significant improvement in clarity and dynamics. It also allowed me to use my Dell computer as a streaming transport.
Quite a few times, I've listened to CD's and streamed versions of the same recording and found the CD's a more fleshed out and fluid sound than when streaming. It is nice, however, to be able to use both sources as one can sometimes not find particular performances on one or the other. Would a dedicated streamer improve the sound from that source? Perhaps. But it will have to wait testing at a later date. Budgets rule.
Thx for sharing your experiences 👍
Hi Tarun. Watching your video of high end amps from a year ago or so, you mentioned the Sugden ANV50 driving ATC SCM40 and being impressed. I have these speakers and considering Sugden amp. Getting the usual commentd about being power hungry from forums. Is it a pairing that you would recommend? Sorry for hijacking this particular video for my question. Love your channel.
Kind regards, Darrin.
Thank you. It works in relatively modest rooms and moderate levels. I would try to get an audition 🙂
CD transport makes sense in order to utilize a quality external DAC and not waste anything on a crap internal DAC. From what I have seen SMSL dropped the ball on the 4499 chip implementation in the PL200 which is surprising considering that SMSL has 4499 DACs that are fantastic. I was set on the PL200 but glad that I went in a different direction. I am impressed that you figured that out by ear.
I got a Sony UBP-X800M2 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray which is a dedicated transport and no internal DAC and I am impressed with it as there is nothing, as a general matter, that it will not play.
I got mine for $250 which is a great deal and adds to the overall system versatility with a USB for sticks.
Great review as usual.
🙏🙏🙏
Thank you for sharing. The SPDiF digital outputs were the biggest let down with the SMSL PL200. Other than that it is a very nice sounding player 🙂
Does your Sony do Dolby Vision?
Looking to upgrade from a 1995 CD player that refuses to die, I am curious about your approach. Which external DAC are you using with your Sony and how did you connect HDMI audio?
@@user-jl4gx3xd4f “Orchard Audio PecanPi+ DAC is based AKM’s state-of-the-art (SOTA) flagship AK4499EXEQ and AK4491EQ chips.
The AK4499EXEQ is based on AKM’s VELVETSOUND™ technology which uses a switched resistor DAC architecture that functions similarly to R2R.”
My previous CD player was a first generation Play Station 1 until it stopped working a while back. It h as d a pleasant sound and used it mostly a work. I've recently put an Onkio Dx-710 in my system and noticed I'm using it alot. It has played some of my CDs that are on rough shape with out a hitch. Pretty comparable to my record player a Technics SL-7 with a Stanton L747S cartridge. The detail and sound stage are decent....CDs are not dead...second hand ones are reasonable and better than vinyl when they are mastered well😊
Thank you Steven 👍
I almost skip the SMSL PL200 when you mentioned the digital out sounded bad as a transport. But I brought one anyway since it is a good standalone CD player as you and many reviewers stated. The unit did not sound good at first played. After an hour or so, I hooked it up to the Pontus II. Wow. I couldn't believe how good those CW IV sound. I don't miss the REV SUB at all. The 8W SET drives the CW IV to all the bass I could ever wish for with well recorded CD, it is so musical, and it made me go to work late this morning. The Bright Red cd by Laurie Anderson was highly rated CD back in the 80s but it never wows me with my old system. That CD sounded like I have never heard before with my good old LUXMAN U-105D cd player. I stopped listening much to cd after that unit broke, and no one around can fix it. Other transports may be better, retrieve more detail, more airy or dynamic but with the current setup. I am now in sonic Nevada. Every instrument, male or female vocals are so real and vivid in my Livingroom. I am very happy with the PL 200.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
Nice review Tarun, even though I'm unlikely to part with that much cash.
For other budget hifi enthusiasts I can report my new (£100 used) Marantz 6000OSE ltd sounds great, a huge improvement on my even older 53 model. Its dac sounds good to me, though I usually hook it up to my Mojo, which widens and deepens its soundstage.
I am still judging the merits of cd versus streaming, and can't make my mind up, but I will still be buying cds, not wanting to trust the internet with my music.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 👍
I just splashed out on a JBL CD350, I've been told it's pretty much the same on the inside as the Arcam CD5 - both brands being owned by the same parent company - the remote controls for the Arcam & JBLs even look the same. Compared to Arcam, the JBL CD350 and accompanying SA550 amplifier (which replaced my Yammy S-A501 & CD-S303) both offer that retro 1970's look, with lovely side walnut veneers, which is just my cup of tea. Really love the sound I get from the CD350, feels warm yet detailed, perhaps helped by the DAC in the SA550, an ESS ES9038K2M (24-bit/192kHz) and my Monitor Silver 100's.
Although sound is key, hifi appearance also matters to some extent, you don't want something ugly set up at one of your room, and the Marantz has never really done it for me in terms of appearance (sorry Marantz fans).
Interesting stuff. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi Tarun ! I know it’s a little off topic. Wondering if you could in the future get your hands on a Kinki studio EX-M7 power amp for review? I love Fridays 😉🎶THANK YOU
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 👍
CDs are great for high level recordings especially during quiet passages , but i still love the rough sound of a tape player for raucous rock and pop.
Thx for sharing 😊
My main cd setup is a Jay's Audio Cd2 mk 3 transport with Denafrips Terminator Plus Dac and it sounds great. But for my AV system I recently picked up a Denon 2900 cd/sacd/dvd flagship player from 2003 for about £100. It is built fantastically well and sounds great with its own dac or as a transport. I think there is a lot to be said for buying second hand cd players. Often the transport mechanism is far superior to the players available today. Yes, lasers fail, but replacements are often easy to come by and fit.
Thank you Jim 👍
Thanks Tarun. Very informative. I use an Audiolab 9000 transport into a Pontus II with a Card cable. It's all I need. My big complaint (I'm old, expect it) Is Cd players without direct track access via the remote. Unless you want to listen to every cd all the way through or tediously hit the fast forward button, You need a remote with numbered keys. Seems like the Arcam is lacking this feature. This seems to be fairly common with the Schiit transport among others lacking direct track access. My other gripe is microscopic LED screens. My 9000 is clearly visible from the listening position and sounds excellent.
Understood. Thank you Jim 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Old men shouting at clouds.
I bought a detailed oriented Audiolab 9000CDT which virtually never skips, paired with a full sounding Teac NT-503 Dac over a Tubulus Argentus coaxial cable. It is a great front end. If I were to consider an upgrade, the Teac VRDS-701 would be on my shortlist as it has a custom transport and custom Dac chips.
Thanks Connor 👍
I bought my first CD player, a Yamaha CD-X2, back in 1985 when CD was a relatively new invention. It lasted around 5 years. I stepped up to a significantly better (sonically) Musical Fidelity A3CD player, which cost me around $2,000 AUD, a fortune in those days. I still have it, but nowadays I'm a convert to the convenience and variety afforded by streaming.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 👍
The USB-C input on the pl200 was intended for it to be use in a desktop environment as a DAC + Headphone amp, especially in a 1 room setup(dac+hpa when working on computer, as a CD player when relaxing) not really for connecting a phone to it.
It can be used for both sources. The pont was that it is an input and not USB output 🙂
On the subject of the Arcam player, is there a genuine improvement over the players from the early 90s? II have an Arcam Alpha + from the early 90s which I love. Having heard Arcam players from the late 90s and 2000s I was left unimpressed. That "alive" sound of early Arcam players is what I still love.
An A/B comparison may be necessary 🙂
Heard the Akai 700 and a Yamaha first, (goodbye to dodgy 1980's vinyl and hissy tape). Then Arcam Alpha 1>5>6, Linn Karik, Creek CD50 and currently Exposure MCX (10 years) and XMCD. Heard/loaned many others, loved the Arcam Delta 290 and a demo of the Linn CD 12. My buddy had a Cambridge but it failed, so he went for a Marantz. Must be a top loader if you can get one. All of them are fussy and need different interconnects of course. Exposure amp, Neat speakers, Nordost cables. Thank you Tarun, for all your illuminating and very thorough reviews. (ps Would love you to get hold of the 5010's? :-)
Thank you. I hope to do that 👍
I do love the sound of Arcam but, I had 2 cd players and one blue ray player and each of them went much to early broken. After about 3 years of use the reading device broke down. The AVR receiver that I had from Arcam sounded fantastic and with no technical issues. So for buying a cd player I sadly won’t choose Arcam how good it may sounding. Now I have an Exposure basic model in use that sounds also great but it’s well bild and works for more than 10 years. I only wished that I could find a a dealer for Exposure in Belgium.
Greetings
Ludo
Thanks Ludo 🙂
I mostly think latest dac technology is irrelevant, especialy aftet the hearing the suberb Sugden dac that uses an ancient Philips DAC chip and also having a TAG DAC20 fully refurbished.
Implementation is definitely more important than the 'latest dac'.
Sometimes there can be too much focus on the latest DAC chip 😊
Just acquired a used Micro mega stage 5 for a second system and was blown away by just how good it sounds. Have dac chips/ cd players really improved in the last 20 years?
Cool 😎
Regarding the use of SMSL PL200 as a CD transport, why didn't you try the Toslink digital output to see whether it's cleaner than coaxial?
I use my OPPO BDP-103 for listening to my CDs and SACDs.
Thx 😊
Subbed👍
Much appreciated 👍
Still love cd players. I don't use a streamer. I recently bought a Denon DCD-A110 and love it.
Great. Thx Andrew 👍
I have a Linn Klimax DSM 3 streamer and by accident I rediscovered CD, story for another day. After study & trials I bought the new TEAC VRDS 701 transport into the Linn DAC. SPIF cable is crucial and for that I go to pros, not audiophiles. A 12G UHD SDI Belden 4694R & Neutrik UHD BNC’s 2m cable from D3 for £35. If it is a digitally recorded/mastered for CD 44.1 kHz it significantly betters streaming of the same. Rest of the system is Linn Klimax LP12 & Solos into Kef Blade Two’s.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I see that Premium Sound carries ELAC speakers. What is your opinion of their Concentro 503?
I haven't heard them 🙂