Balanced CD player recommendations

[Musical_Mainline]

Hi all.

I'm looking for a new cd player (or transport and DAC) with balanced outs.

Used is fine, but vintage stuff where lasers are no longer available is probably not an option, it's a shame, but I've done all that before.

My budget is up to £600.

Can anyone recommend anything?

Many thanks

 

[MartinC]

Do you have a current CD player that could be used as a transport? There are lots of modern DACs with balanced outputs available. I recently bought the following that was only a little outside your budget (£675 new), and some cheaper alternatives came up in the discussion that followed:

https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/smsl-vmv-d1se-dac.115807/

 

[lazycat]

Do you have a current CD player that could be used as a transport? There are lots of modern DACs with balanced outputs available. I recently bought the following that was only a little outside your budget (£675 new), and some cheaper alternatives came up in the discussion that followed:

https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/smsl-vmv-d1se-dac.115807/

A good suggestion.
I bought a Gustard x16 a few months ago - £500.

Although I dont use my old CD player (Denon dcd 895) much, it certainly has been given a decent kick up the butt by the new DAC.

 

[Cool Dude Ted]

I can’t help with the Cd player side of things, but I do have a Modius DAC in the classifieds which has balanced inputs/output.

 

[simon g]

Just buy this. Direct from Cambridge Audio, with warranty. £900 saving. Stonky bargain at £500. More than decent player.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23488292...12pAyFhSx6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Jezzer]

Can’t beat that Cambridge Audio for value.

The only alternative at that (used) price I can think of is the Audiolab 8200/8300 CDQ…

 

[Jules_S]

There's a couple of things I noticed on eBay within that price range that might fit the bill - a couple of Arcam FMJ CDS27 SACD players (and a CDS50 as well), Cambridge Audio 851C, a Rotel 991 and a Copland.

 

[Jezzer]

There's a couple of things I noticed on eBay within that price range that might fit the bill - a couple of Arcam FMJ CDS27 SACD players (and a CDS50 as well), Cambridge Audio 851C, a Rotel 991 and a Copland.

If it’s a Copland CDA823 then that’s a top notch cd player. In another league to the Cambridge and Audiolab IME. (but I’d think about the mech)

 

[Jules_S]

If it’s a Copland CDA823 then that’s a top notch cd player. In another league to the Cambridge and Audiolab IME. (but I’d think about the mech)

It was an 822 rather than an 823 - I'm not sure what the differences are but probably still a cracking deal (assuming it's not a scam of course - worth checking!) EDIT: it's not, it's being sold by Emporium, although without a remote

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255867179299?hash=item3b92df5123:g:deAAAOSwqEZjkMyD&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoKPVJ8PBLqr/jmAwANERORYnaqxsm+mrH/JwdqNL+vWX/Hz9UvOWT2bonL1Ql5KiZ+VXkTYq86rxvfkEQtTfPVbPOqhh6WM+01HFvtGJiV06MIHVOG4KljVAWt906wlGRuyEsokI4wR5OyLmAai1Omm7vRI7pdaUww+g5pCAkXEZtAchA/izfrzQmu4brclg/4n/CDb/yB9/TgABl9/dLPI=|tkp:Bk9SR4D2z9LDYQ

Also - a plug for our fellow Wammer @skydog who's selling a Consonance in our classifieds (I have no connection or vested interest)
https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/consonance-reference-cd-2-2-mkii.115704/#post-2364359

 

[Jezzer]

It was an 822 rather than an 823 - I'm not sure what the differences are but probably still a cracking deal (assuming it's not a scam of course - worth checking!) EDIT: it's not, it's being sold by Emporium, although without a remote

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255867179299?hash=item3b92df5123:g:deAAAOSwqEZjkMyD&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoKPVJ8PBLqr/jmAwANERORYnaqxsm+mrH/JwdqNL+vWX/Hz9UvOWT2bonL1Ql5KiZ+VXkTYq86rxvfkEQtTfPVbPOqhh6WM+01HFvtGJiV06MIHVOG4KljVAWt906wlGRuyEsokI4wR5OyLmAai1Omm7vRI7pdaUww+g5pCAkXEZtAchA/izfrzQmu4brclg/4n/CDb/yB9/TgABl9/dLPI=|tkp:Bk9SR4D2z9LDYQ

Also - a plug for our fellow Wammer @skydog who's selling a Consonance in our classifieds (I have no connection or vested interest)
https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/consonance-reference-cd-2-2-mkii.115704/#post-2364359

Not sure what the differences are either but the price seems solid. I checked to see if any 823s are about and there’s one at a crazy £1,400 including a Chord Co interconnect (the 823 was £1,650 in its day).

 

[chrisph]

I have one of these which has balanced outputs and I am very happy with the SQ.

http://www.discoveryhifi.com/xtz_cd100ii.html

They come up occasionally on eBay and should be well within budget.

 

[theadmans]

Creek 50CD or 100CD both discontinued now - so could get a bargain.

My 50CD was £950 in 2016 but still sounds great. Uses the same Wolfson DACs in dual differential mode as used in most recent Rega machines.

BTW The latest Creek CD player is well north of £2000...

...despite not being - on spec - hugely improved.

 

[ramsden]

I have one of these which has balanced outputs and I am very happy with the SQ.

http://www.discoveryhifi.com/xtz_cd100ii.html

They come up occasionally on eBay and should be well within budget.

Just bought the first version from emporium for £150, I didn’t even know about this thread, wasn’t looking for balanced outputs, rather good transport - sanyo sf hd 850 and good dac ad1955.. For that price I think bargain.

 

[Bazzer]

Just buy this. Direct from Cambridge Audio, with warranty. £900 saving. Stonky bargain at £500. More than decent player.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23488292...12pAyFhSx6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Maybe not that actual one as that's a hell of a scratch on the front .

 

[ramsden]

Just bought the first version from emporium for £150, I didn’t even know about this thread, wasn’t looking for balanced outputs, rather good transport - sanyo sf hd 850 and good dac ad1955.. For that price I think bargain.

A quick note after receiving the XTZ CD100.
After some listening, well, this player has only one thing missing, the digital inputs to utilise this lovely DAC implementation. Actually not sure why the all the digital outputs are there (including AES/EBU)..

The build is impressive, the sound is impressive too. For normal use, CD playback is great.

An example of build: The emporium used polystyrene blocks all around without protecting the player itself against polystyrene particles, which inevitably will separate during shipping. What a surprise, when I found all the multiple little slots on the CDP case have transparent foil attached underneath to avoid dust coming inside, what a nice touch..

 

[Musical_Mainline]

Thanks guys.... I'll take a look at the suggestions.