Need Suggestions on Dedicated CD Player vs Bluray Player

[rajudhs]

Hi All,

I know this is very debatable and most of you will say, that i cant compare dedicated CDP with a Bluray Player for playing audio CD's in a 2.1 setup


Below is my existing setup :

1: Panasonic BDT 210 (Blu-ray Player)
(What-Hifi Panasonic DMP-BDT210 review from the experts at whathifi.com)

I play Audio CD's through this and use purely as transport.
I connect SPDIF Optical from this player to my below NAD 2 channel Amp

2: NAD D3020 (Stereo Amp)
(NAD D 3020 review from the experts at whathifi.com)

This Amp is DAC as well, so does the Analog conversion and amplification for the speakers.

3: My Speakers are Boston Accoustics A250 Floor Standers.

I find the music good and enjoyable.



But i am very confused, if i will get a much better quality? if i purchase the following dedicated CD Player and add to my setup.

Marantz CD6004
Marantz CD6004 review from the experts at whathifi.com

- It will cost me a good amount of 33K in India
- Since i use my BD Player only as transport and use the DAC in NAD D3020
will the Dedicated CD Player make huge difference in quality.
- if i buy CD Player, i will definitely connect the Analog out to NAD Analog IN, to leverage the good output of the CD Player.
- Will the difference be big enough to justify 33K Investment?

Are there any willing members in Bangalore, who can loan your dedicated CD player over a weekend, for us to try this out? if this is a feasible option?

 

[hydra]

...

- It will cost me a good amount of 33K in India
- Since i use my BD Player only as transport and use the DAC in NAD D3020
will the Dedicated CD Player make huge difference in quality.
- if i buy CD Player, i will definitely connect the Analog out to NAD Analog IN, to leverage the good output of the CD Player.
- Will the difference be big enough to justify 33K Investment?

...

No, I don't think the 33K investment will be worth it at all, if all you plan to do is to use the CDP as a transport.

However, it is possible that using the analog outs of the CDP will give you some improvement over the current setup. BUT, I don't think the improvement will be worth an additional 33K investment.

Borrowing a CDP for trying this out is definitely the right way to go, esp. to convince yourself of what you should do. My opinion is purely theoretical, as out of your equipment, I have listened only to the CD6004 and the A250s, in separate systems. I have not listened to the Nad D3020 at all.

 

[rajudhs]

Thanks hydra , how do you rate A250 against others in similar price range

 

[hydra]

The A250 I'd listened to was not to my taste. But I'm sure I did not hear it at it's optimum. It was placed more to appeal to aesthetics, than to optimise it for music: Right against the wall behind it, almost touching the two sides of the tall entertainment cabinet (with lots of small glass doors right above, and next to the TV), with one speaker close to a corner, and another far away from a corner.

I'm also a bit biased here: I typically prefer only standmounts/bookshelf speakers upto a price point of about 80K to 1L. I personally don't much like how typical floorstanders sound, or present music I've not really listened to a whole lot of floorstanders, but of the ones I've listened to, the ones I did like in this range are the PSB Image T series ones (T5 and T6), and an older Acoustic Portrait FS. I've listened to a Mission FS and a Wharfedale 10 series FS (both of which which should be around the same range as the A250), but did not like either. I'd take the Wharfedale if I had to choose between the Missions, the Wharfedale and the BAs.

 

[thampi]

you can add a dac if you are useing bluray player.otherwise you may not like what you hear.

 

[balajeem]

you can add a dac if you are useing bluray player.otherwise you may not like what you hear.

It is mentioned that the amp itself has a DAC.

Also, when I posted the same question, experts/experienced felt that a separate player as a transport would avoid mistakes in reading the CD as it's fully optimized for audio cd.

Hence, I could understand from that as :

Dedicated CD Player > cd player + external DAC.

 

[IndianEars]

rajudhs said:

- Since i use my BD Player only as transport and use the DAC in NAD D3020
will the Dedicated CD Player make huge difference in quality.

My opinion .... NO

Enjoy your existing setup and the music !

 

[reignofchaos]

Your amp converts analog to digital internally. You will not gain much with that amp if you buy a DAC. If you want better sound, change your amp.

 

[rajudhs]

The amp has DAC so converts digital to analog, not other way around.

Also my question is not about amp, amp if perfectly fine and happy

My question is if CD player give any additional quality

 

[asliarun]

The amp has DAC so converts digital to analog, not other way around.

Also my question is not about amp, amp if perfectly fine and happy

My question is if CD player give any additional quality

Which essentially means that you are looking to upgrade your DAC. Unless you think that a better quality rotational device makes a difference. Personally, I don't - unless we are talking about a $20k+ setup.

IMHO, the NAD d3020 is a revolutionary breed of amps that work in a completely different way. But, it still works similar to a class d amp as opposed to a class ab amp that you would otherwise get it in this price range.

So, audio differences that you might hear might have more to do with the fact that the amplification is significantly different, and not so much the transport or even the DAC.

Actually, if you introduce a CD player (a DAC) before your NAD d 3020, you would basically be converting digital to analog (your CD player) then back to digital and to analog (your NAD amp). Which sounds a bit weird.

 

[hemantwaghe]

you can add a dac if you are useing bluray player.otherwise you may not like what you hear.

Dear thampi please read the question carefully , insted of writing some quick one liner remark

 

[Tanoj]

hi,

I can giv u my nak cdp if u wish to compare, call me and we can catchup

pmed you my numbr

regards

tanoj

 

[reignofchaos]

The amp has DAC so converts digital to analog, not other way around.

Also my question is not about amp, amp if perfectly fine and happy

My question is if CD player give any additional quality

AFAIK the NAD d series amps are what they call as direct digital or pwm based amps which are digital all the way. So any analog signal input into the amp is converted into digital. Only at the final stage is it converted back into analog. In layman's terms this works as a delta sigma DAC that outputs a speaker level signal.

I hope you are using the digital out of the bluray player and not analog out.

 

[crosstalk]

The additional 33K will not be worth the difference.

Also sticking to your current setup has another advantage. Since you are using the BR player only as a transport, you can still sleep peacefully in case if it dies or fails. You can simply replace it with another BR player or even a DVD player that has a digital out.

I would say stick to your current setup and enjoy the music and save the 33k.


PS: Some people are replying weirdly in this thread without even reading the OP's question properly. Why so?

 

[rajudhs]

Thanks crosstalk and tanoj

Will try to call tanoj and schedule to test his CDP one of the weekends, in case