Upgrade CDP or go for a hard- drive based solution?

[Bes]

Hi,

I have a Marantz CD63 and £250.

I can either spend money upgrading it or purchase some kind of hard- disk based player (Squeezebox- type thing?) to link up to my Hi Fi (I have an Audiolab 8000s and a pair of JMLabs 816s floorstanders so far for the rest of my system).... What is the better solution? Would I be better saving more and going for a modified squeezebox- type solution?

Thanks

 

[Bes]

Having looked around, it seems to me I would be looking at spending towards £1,000 on a modified squeezebox to get superb sound quality from a hard drive- based solution I think I will just go ahead with the Superclock 3 and some other new bits

 

[Bes]

I get the impression that the standard SB3 is roughly on par with the equivalently priced CDP, meaning that it's not going to be massively different from what you already have.
However, be aware that it WILL change the way you listen. Having several hundred albums to hand via remote control means that "random" play has a whole new meaning. I often start a listening session in random play (now across 509 CDs or about 6000 tracks, all in FLAC format), then wander off listening to whatever seems right to follow on with next. Means that I listen to a lot of music that I've probably not heard in years.

If you're focused on purely improving sound then you have several options that come to mind:
1. Spend a lot of dosh on a better CDP, e.g. Quad 99. These can be bought for around £500 s/h and really are rather good.
2. Buy a good external DAC. Have to say that I'm not convinced by this. The reason why is simple, my experiences are that the quality of the transport makes a lot more difference than we'd expect and that an external DAC would be impeded by an "ok" transport.
3. Upgrade the clock in your existing CDP. If you keep the costs down and go for say a Tentlabs clock at £50, then it would be the best VFM upgrade. Can't say I'd recommend an expensive clock upgrade on the CDP you have.
4. Buy something like an SB+ which is an SB3 on steroids and can easily match a high priced CDP. They've now dripping onto the market at around £700.

Hope that helps.

Why do you say it is not worth spending more than £50 on the CDP I have? From reading several forums, I got the impression it was an excellent base CDP for modding and £150 of bits could make it an extremely capable player?

I only paid £30 for it so replacing it is no biggie. Though I am not sure if I could justify spending £700 on a SB+ at the moment; I think spreading that kind of money between upgrading/ replacing the CDP and replacing and/ or adding to the Audiolab would make more sense and give me more balance- as otherwise I think I would end up with a system comprising of a very capable source and speaker, and only a single amp driving it all.

 

[Bes]

That's purely my opinion and is based on probably longer term thinking.
If you are looking at a long term solution, then why not start with getting the best transport you can, then start modding it with clocks, power upgrades etc. Assuming you're thinking that way, then starting with a mid-range transport doesn't seem the optimum thing to do. For a better transport, you could consider a Meridian or Teac VRDS unit.

So whilst I belive that £50 certainly would improve you CDP, if you're going to spend more, then I believe there are better ways to spend it.

Good point actually... Obviously I want the best system I can get for the least cash- which I guess means thinking long term. But then if I am going to spend £400+ on a S/H CDP I may as well go the whole hog and get a modified squeeze box solution?

 

[Bes]

If you want to go down the HD based solution, then an SB3 makes a lot of sense, though as mentioned, I don't believe that it would be significantly different in sound to your Marantz.
If you're thinking about modding an SB3, then I'd recommend the SB+, which is not simply and SB3 with a better PSU.

If you're happy to stay with a CDP, then I really can't recommend a Quad 99 enough. The stock one I've heard several times was more than capable of competing with gear that was well above it's price, and they were £1k whilst new.

Thanks

When I was referring to the SB I was in fact talking about a SB+. I have a serious think about what I want to do here and see what I can find both options priced at.... Decisions, decisions....

 

[Bes]

After a lot of thought I think the SB+ is the way forward... I love the idea of just being able to pick and choose what I listen to immediately without messing around with finding the disc I want every 10 minutes and so on...

I think for now I will stick with the cd-63, put a new clock in it for relatively little cash, and just keep it as my CDP, as I will still want something I can just stick a CD in if a mate comes around with some discs or whatever.

I also think I really need to finish sorting my cabling/ accoustic situation before I spend on components, as I am not going to fully realise the benefit of any upgrade until I have sorted these.

I suppose after that I will need to sort out the amp, as this will become a major 'bottleneck' with a decent source (SB+) and my 816's (which I think are rather good )

 

[Bes]

BES>
Sounds like a good plan. If you haven't already, get yourself EAC (exact audio copy) for archiving to HD.
One point, I can usually cut a CD to HD in under 10 mins. So when I've had friends over who've brought CDs, we've cut them whilst having a coffee and a blather.
Of course I've had to go back once they've left to delete from my HD and avoid infringing on copyright laws...

Of course

How does EAC cope with discs that have copy protection on them? There is nothing more annoying than not being able to listen to a CD I have paid for on my digital device because Sony Music corp or whoever have put 10 layers of copy protection on the disc

 

[Bes]

BES>
Sounds like a good plan. If you haven't already, get yourself EAC (exact audio copy) for archiving to HD.
One point, I can usually cut a CD to HD in under 10 mins. So when I've had friends over who've brought CDs, we've cut them whilst having a coffee and a blather.
Of course I've had to go back once they've left to delete from my HD and avoid infringing on copyright laws...

Mr_Sukebe:

Are you now happy that it maches your CD transport in terms of musical quality? I just re-read your thread about it on here.

 

[Bes]

I've never had a problem cutting any of the 509 CDs that I own. Whilst I've no idea how many had copy protection, I'm assuming that some must have had. The inference being that you won't have a problem.

Ref a comparison between a dedicated CD transport and the SB+.
Out the box, the SB+ was not as good as a the CDT. However, it seems that this was simply that the PSU needed to be run in. A couple of weeks on and the SB+ was on par with the CDT, which I was more than a little surprised at, as the CDT was not standard as it had been given an uprated power cable and internal clocks.

I was so impressed that the CDT was sold the next week, so I have only the SB+. Can't say I miss a CD player at all.

Ok I think you have pretty much sold it to me now

Handily the company that modifies the SB is about 30 minutes from where I live, so I am gong to see if I can arrange to go there and have a look/ listen

 

[Bes]

Completely agree with you. The set up described is perfectly capable of deliverying a fantastic sound, but will never achive is full potential with a weak CDP.

What came first? The chicken or the egg? In this case the egg. All of the data (so to speak) comes from the CDP, if the CDP dont sound good then it doesnt matter how much you spend on the rest of the system. It's stull going to sound BAD BAD BAD.

Good to see someone pushing local names too. I especially have a thing for REGA and ARCAM.

Anyway in response to the original poster. I myself went for a "juke box" set up but used my PC. I have noticed a consideral drop in sound quality and a consideral change in how I listen to music.

I now have to sit and think for a good 10 mins (oh what shall I listen to) It can actually take away from the experience just jumping from album to album, artist to artist, track to track.

On the other hand no scratched CD's and no more stacks of CD'S on speakers, coffee tables, floor, sofa, TV etc etc etc.

Personal call really.

Couldn't agree more regarding the source... I know I have a good amp and pair of speakers and am wasting them on a stock CD63 which is why I am changing it.... SB+ seems the way forward for me, as I get really fed up of the piles of discs everywhere.

Oh on the cable side I am gonna get hold of some low smoke zero halogen CAT5 tomorrow and have a go at making some copper core cables- hopefully a nice cheap solution to my ever so slightly overly crashy treble (Makes it tiring on the ears to listen to music for more than a couple of hours at a time right now). I am borrowing some Chord Rumour at the moment which is just plain silly seeing as I have a neutral amp and 'airy', detailed speakers.... Any opinions on whether CAT5 is worth the time and effort? I certainly see people seem pleased with the results over on AVForums