CD73, CD23 or CD192?

[hudsonroe]

I'm looking at getting a CD player now that I have started collecting assorted items. It's a modest system with an A80 amp and KEF iQ5 speakers with Silver Spiral QED speaker cable. Currently using my computer as source but I want a CD player. It's just nicer, lets be honest.

Hope that some owners can give me some good advice, and possibly point me in the direction of one for sale?

Also maybe CD72 as well? I may be able to get one cheap see.

Hudson

 

[ChrisM]

I had a CD 172 and upgraded to the CD 192. The difference is significant and was worth the money when there was a £450 price premium. This has been reduced now the 192 is discontinued and you might be able to pick up a brand new one for not much money at Sevenoaks Brighton.

 

[KelvinS1965]

I'm wondering a similar thing myself (I've been following Hudsonroe around the for sale thread too ). I'm also wondering how the various DVD models fit in wrt the sound quality for CDs.

My NAD C540 is on it's last legs I think (still sounds great, but I have to fight with it to play a disc as it will spit it out rather than play ). I may as well get something that will be an improvement, plus I'm searching for an Arcam AV9 so it would look nice in the rack if I got an Arcam CD player to match.

 

[hudsonroe]

They don't have one listed online. Any other suggestions? I really fancy one after reading reviews etc. cheers for the thread stalking. Really been in a struggle with how much to spend on what..

 

[KelvinS1965]

Have you found the Arcam 'discontinued' page? It seems to list the players in order of age, so I'm presuming that the newer the better (don't want another player that I have to fight to play):

Discontinued Products

Lots of information on this page if you click on the model name to get further details such as what DACs and/or chips they are using.

 

[hudsonroe]

Yeah been on there. Have read reviews. It seems like the 192 and the 23 would seem to suit my tastes in music with the 192 edging it. Does anyone have any ideas on where to get one?

 

[xxFLUIDxx]

Hi Guys

Just a thought but i managed to pick up an x-demo FMJ CD17 for less than £300 yesterday

sounds fantastic

I have not heard a CD192 but would have thought CD17 would be comparable as it is still current with latest DACs etc

worth keeping an eye on the dealer lists

Dealer i purchased it from had another new player available for not much more but was black when i needed silver

If you PM me i will pass on his details

Best

 

[mcsdan]

having had both a CD73 and the CD192 back to back I'd say go for the CD192. The CD73 sounds really nice but the difference with the CD192 is quite a bit. It sounded like a blanket over the CD73 in comparison. I'd imagine there is not a lot of difference price wise now so may as well get the better sounding one.

 

[ANDY_DUTTON]

Hi,

I'd go for the CD17 if you can afford it. I heard one at ARCAM it is a very revealing and envolving sound and has very precise bass timing.

Personaly I thought it was better than the CD37, but not everyone agreed.

Regards,
Andrew

 

[PenguinHiFi]

Hi Hudsonroe,

If i were you, I would first forget about the CD73. Not that it was a bad CD Player, but in that league, you may well find other CD Players as capable as the CD73 for the same price new as the CD73 used :-(

The CD192 was released to be the DIVA line CD Player when the FMJ line CD PLayer was the FMJ CD36. Both share a lot but the more evolved casing of the FMJ and it stronger power supply and some others "tweaks" made them sound really different : a vivid and bright character for the CD192 ; a more relaxed and "capable of everything" feeling for the CD36.

Now to the CD23. You should be aware that there have been two series of the CD23 : the plain CD23 and the CD23T. The latter includes a new mechanism, the CD-Text ability an evolved daughterboard and a refined power supply.
The CD23 is a really good CD player... but the CD23T is, to my ears, THE BEST CD Player Arcam ever released. It does simply everything you're asking for, and it does it good... It even does it so good that you can spend hours listening to your music without a hint of fatigue or irritation.

What you should know about the CD23 (as the Alpha CD9 and DIVA CD92) is that they included a very special DAC. This was made by dCS which is a world renowned company that produce high quality professional DAC's. They decided to jump into the consumer high-end market with players that include the same technology as the one carried by the CD23, CD23T, CD92 and Alpha CD9.

There is one CD23T to sell on Audiogon right now (AND NO IT IS NOT MINE... I would not trade my CD23T for anything else... except maybe a dCS Puccini or a Linn Unidisk) for a decent price.

Regards.

Gallows Pole

 

[KelvinS1965]

Interesting comments re the CD17 from Andy.

I deceided to wait things out a little until I found an AV9 as I didn't want to restrict my options by buying the black CD17 that D-FENS put me onto (still, big thanks for that ). I've now agreed a deal for a silver AV9, so I'm probably going to team it with an Oppo '83 BluRay player (which can go inside the cupboard side of my equipment unit) and have some TBA silver Arcam CD player on show with the AV9 and P1000 (the black P90/3 goes underneath so doesn't show, thanks to 12volt triggers).

Now...which (silver) Arcam CD player shall I go for now?

 

[xxFLUIDxx]

KelvinS1965

I think the advice is the same keep your eye out for a silver CD17

I will keep an ear out as well

Enjoy the AV9

 

[KelvinS1965]

KelvinS1965

I think the advice is the same keep your eye out for a silver CD17

I will keep an ear out as well

Enjoy the AV9

Thanks D-FENS, been looking around for a deal on a CD17 in silver, but nothing doing apart from a Peter Tyson deal which is effectively a trade in (though my C540 isn't worth much anyway I suppose). Given they are some distance away from me, I'd prefer somewhere closer so I'm currently googling a delaer nearer to Reading area that is also doing this trade in offer.

http://petertyson.co.uk/ebuttonz/ebz_product_pages/arcam_cd17.shtml

£479 after trade in.

 

[PenguinHiFi]

Hi,

AV9 is the steal in the Arcam line...
I have one and do not think I'd trade it for something else.
Like the CD23T. I would not trade it for anything else... at least within financial range ! Like it better than the CD17...

Cheers.

PenguinHiFi

 

[xxFLUIDxx]

I know of a dealer in Oxfordshire who is offering the part x deal PM me if you want the sales execs contact details

 

[sapper]

Just received my CD 23 T this weekend....

Not done that much comparable listening to the DV 139 but in terms of detail, they are very close to my ears, with my setup and room.

But the sound stage seems fuller not a great deal, but it is...

Adrian

 

[KelvinS1965]

I've struck a deal for a CD73 as a stop gap until I deceide whether I want to spring for the new Arcam BD player or try the (much) cheaper Oppos 80 or 83and keep a separate CD player.

My question is regarding the DAC: As I'm using my AV9 as a preamp, would there be any point getting a higher end CD player if I use the AV9 to decode? I read that there was an option to upgrade the CD73 to the same DAC board as the CD192, but I wonder if this would be moot in my position? I've only listened to CDs played using my BluRay player as a transport via coax and they already seem better than my old setup (NAD C540 into Denon 2808 external inputs onto the Arcam P90/3). So would using the CD73 as a transport with the AV9 decoding sound as good as a CD192/CD23 via analogues?

 

[sapper]

Currently I have my D23 connected only via audio leads.

Is it worth investing in a digital lead to use the DACs within the AV9?

ADrian

 

[KelvinS1965]

You could try using one of your audio leads as it will do the same job (* I'm not into cables effecting digital sound myself). If you have a spare lead you could compare analogue to digital at the push of a button to see which you prefer. I don't know how the DACs in the CD23 compare to the AV9, but I'm presuming the AV9's DACs are better than the ones in my (yet to be collected) CD73.

 

[MI55ION]

Question for you Arcam CD/DVD owners and experienced users:

Is it worth getting a CD player over say an equivalent priced DVD player, is there a differene in sound quality?

 

[sapper]

Question for you Arcam CD/DVD owners and experienced users:

Is it worth getting a CD player over say an equivalent priced DVD player, is there a differene in sound quality?

Ive had a DV 139 for 3 years or so now, and only just got my aging but well commended CD 23...

So far, to be honest, I cannot detect any more detail from the CD over the DV 139!

However I feel personally, with limited listening that the CD has a tighter bass and a fuller sound stage, possibly a tad more musical to.

But the differences are minor with my ears in my system

Hope this helps

Adrian

 

[MI55ION]

Ive had a DV 139 for 3 years or so now, and only just got my aging but well commended CD 23...

So far, to be honest, I cannot detect any more detail from the CD over the DV 139!

However I feel personally, with limited listening that the CD has a tighter bass and a fuller sound stage, possibly a tad more musical to.

But the differences are minor with my ears in my system

Hope this helps

Adrian

Thanks mate,

So how would you say it compares against the AV9's DACs, big differece?

 

[sapper]

Thanks mate,

So how would you say it compares against the AV9's DACs, big differece?

Ive yet to connect the CD23 via digital, it is something I intend to try but been to busy trying to recover Mrs Sapper's work lap top!!

 

[MI55ION]

Ouch, well good luck with that.

I look forward to your findings if and when you do get the time.

My predicament is that I'm not a purist like many here it would seem, I don't do stereo direct because I need the sub engaged to get a satisfying result. For the sub to work I need the DACing to occur inside the processor. Of course the other way to get the sub working with stereo direct is to use high level connection but that route just doesn't work for me either, too much fiddling involved! I'm hoping a decent transport feeding the AV9 will provide a quality solution, best I've heard so far is the Denon 3800 to the AV9 via coax.

 

[KelvinS1965]

I'm hoping a decent transport feeding the AV9 will provide a quality solution, best I've heard so far is the Denon 3800 to the AV9 via coax.

Using the 3800 analogue outputs into the AV9 may allow output to the sub for CD playback, but you'll have to read the 3800's manual or ask on the owner's thread perhaps? You'll be relying on the 3800's bass management, but if 80Hz is OK for your setup, then that might do the job. Of course it may not sound any better than using the 3800 to AV9 via coax, but you can compare it and see which you prefer.