The Ultimate EZ Guide To Buying A CD Player
Jul 14 '01
The Bottom Line Read my 'Conclusion'
The CD player is one of the most important components of a home theater system. I'm not talking about SACD, I'm talking about normal cheap CD discs. Anyhow, some people think that any CD player will do, and that they all sound the same. There are some myths about buying CD players, and there are some facts. Choosing a CD player isn't as easy as 1-2-3, it can get a bit harder. So, here's how to choose the correct CD player:
-Data... It's The Same Thing-
*When you're talking about a normal CD, the data that's transmitted is the same as any other CD. It doesn't matter wheteher it's Motzart or Metallica. The songs are encoded in 1s and 0s that free flowly. They are read by lasers. From my knowledge, all lasers are very similar and read the same exact data. However, some have better contact than others, the source is from advertising. However, as you may notice, a CD player is one big box. There are cables and filters in there that make the sound sound the way it does. This is where brands and quality comes in. For example, an RCA CD player will not sound the same as a Marantz or Sony CD player. The wiring and components on the inside make the sound better or worse. Also, the way the sound gets to the receiver matters too.
-Brands-
*There are different brands in the CD market. The largest are Sony, Yamaha, Onkyo, NAD, RCA, etc... From experience, I can tell you which are the best ones. The overall best experiences that I've had have been with Onkyo. Onkyo has some excellent sounding and looking CD players. I own a DXC-380, and my grandparents also own another DXC-380. Even without using digital connections, they still sound good. They are also easier to use than some Sony models I've seen. However, Sony does make excellent CD players. The other best ones are made by Marantz. Marantz incorporates Philip's CD technology, which is excellent. However, you do get better quality (Easy to prove) when the product carries the Marantz name. Then there are brands like RCA, which make dirt cheap CD players. However, most don't have digital connections such as TOSLINK. I also noticed that some lower-cost Denon models aren't exactly rated very highly at all. I've actually tried some out, and the overall quality falls behind the quality of some Sony and Onkyo CD players.
-Different Connections-
*There are different ways that you can connect your CD player to your receiver. Some people say that they can't hear a difference between analog and digital connections, but some can. It depends on your ears, and also depends on your equipment. For example, if you're using NAD, Marantz, or AMC equipment, it will surely sound muddy with analog connections, but digital connections will sound better. Here are the different types of connections:
L-R Analog - These are the default cables that come with the CD player, and also the cheapest. There are two seperate cables. One plugs into the 'LEFT' jack, and the second plugs into the 'RIGHT' jack. They can't transmit digital sound. These wires also make the sound coming from upper-end CD players sound compressed and muddy.
TOSLINK - My personally favorite connection. It's also known as optical line. It consists of only a single cable. It plugs into the optical jack of the CD player, and runs into the optical jack of the receiver. Digital sound can be transmitted through these cables. They cost about $20 for 3ft of specialty cable, or $14 for 6ft at Target for normal TOSLINK cable. There is no audible between the two. The sound that's transmitted is cleaner and less compressed. Also, the bass becomes much cleaner and smoother.
Digital Coaxial - Digital coaxial lines are similar to analog cables, because they both plug into RCA jacks. However, digital coaxial line is... digital. There is no audible difference between TOSLINK and Digital Coaxial line. Both cost about the same, however I prefer TOSLINK. It makes me feel better.
*If you own a very cheap CD player, the connection won't really make a difference. However, if you're using hifi or midfi equipment such as Onkyo, Marantz, upper-class Sony, etc... Then you should consider spending extra money for digital lines, either TOSLINK or Digital Coaxial. It makes the sound less compressed, and it also makes the bass a lot cleaner and smoother. It's well worth the money if you've got a good ear. If you can't tell the difference between RCA and NAD quality, then forget it.
-Multi-Disc Or Single?-
*These days, it's pretty hard to find a single disc CD player. Plus, having a 5 or 6 disc changer is a lot better, so you can store a few of your CDs in there at a time. Mega-Changers which hold 20 or more CDs cost a lot more. Some can even hold up to 400 discs!!! Well anyhow, I prefer the smaller CD changers. If you're in the market for one, don't buy a single CD changer, buy a multi-disc one.
-Should I Use A DVD Player As A CD Player?-
*Everyone here is entitled to their own opinion. I've tried some multi-disc DVD players, and they sounded OK while playing music CDs, despite being connected with TOSLINK. However, when I used a normal CD player instead of a DVD player on TOSLINK, it sounded much smoother on the music. Plus, the time period between switching songs is a second or less, while a DVD takes a few seconds to load up the track. Try to get a seperate CD player to get overall better sound from CDs. Or, just test a 6-disc DVD versus a 6-disc CD player both connected with digital outputs, and you should see the difference.
-Should I Get A Component CD Burner?-
*I don't copy CDs, I burn my own mixes. I own no CD burners. I have CD-Rs on my computers though. They are all Yamaha. Most people today burn MP3s onto CDs, not CDs onto CDs. Using a computer, you can find any song, while with one of those burners, you have to have the actual CD. But anyhow, computer based CD-RWs are much faster overall than these CD burners. However, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
-In Conclusion-
*Choose wisely... Not all CD players are the same. It is a myth that all CD players sound the same. It's the parts under the hood that matter most, and the cables too. If I were you, I would go for a respectable brand. However, the best deal is on the Onkyo DXC-380. You can get that thing for as little $129! But anyway, if you stick to the respectable brands, you shouldn't go wrong. Research it, and you'll be fine.
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