Tube CD Players

[jhermance]

I currently have a Pioneer elite dv-45a universal player. I would like to get a tube cd player to try something different do you guys have any suggestions that would not break the bank. I love the looks of the Shanling T100 but quite a bit more than i want to spend for the first time around.

[Dennis Gardner]

A tubed cd will make some difference, but I use a DV-45A for SACD and DVD-A source use and the biggest improvement I found for my 2 channel needs was when I went to a tubed preamp and separate SS amp (Odyssey Stratos) instead of using a receiver (HK7200) for those duties. I use SDA 1Cs for mains.

I'm sure that others found the tubed CD to be their saving grace, but the receiver is really the weak link in your current setup. The 45A is really a nice source.

[halo]

Ya, buy mine! link (http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43954) IMHO, You'd have to spend a lot more to equal the performance.

[halo]

A tubed cd will make some difference, but I use a DV-45A for SACD and DVD-A source use and the biggest improvement I found for my 2 channel needs was when I went to a tubed preamp and separate SS amp (Odyssey Stratos) instead of using a receiver (HK7200) for those duties. I use SDA 1Cs for mains.

I'm sure that others found the tubed CD to be their saving grace, but the receiver is really the weak link in your current setup. The 45A is really a nice source.FWIW, my rig is all tube gear. The CDP was the 1st tube piece and it made a huge difference. The CDP can act as a pre but you'll be better off if your amp has variable gain control also. I had a Rotel RCD-1070 and there is no comparison.

[RuSsMaN]

God Dammit.

Why a f$%king Tube CDP?

How about 'I want a GOOD CDP'? and go from there? Why does a tube need to be involved in the source? I'm asking, I know it doesn't need to be, I just want to hear why from the peanut gallery.

I know a LOT of hardcore mofos, with serious hardcore rigs, and not ONE has a goddamn tube cd player.

Cheers,
Rooster

[Roy Munson]

I'm definitely not hardcore and I don't have a god damn tube cdp but I do have a tube cdp! So why did I get a tube cdp? Because I wanted the option to alter/color the sound of my non-hardcore rig via tubes! I had tried several ss cdp's and I simply didn't like what I was hearing, the ss players I auditioned were cold and dry. Simple as that..and I'm real happy with the Jolida, I think it's a great player that allows one to experiment with different shades by rolling tubes. YMMV

[schwarcw]

I like my tube CDP (Sheng Ya). I found a big improvement over my universal CDP. I don't have a tube pre, so this was an opportunity to give tubes a try. I could have bought a higher end SS CDP, but this was an inexpensive opportunity and a very nice improvement. I couldn't have bought a better SS CDP for what I paid for the Sheng Ya. I'll probably have a tube pre in the near future.

[F1nut]

I know a LOT of hardcore mofos, with serious hardcore rigs, and not ONE has a goddamn tube cd player.

Obvoiusly, they aren't as hardcore as you think they are.

[RuSsMaN]

Whatever Jesse, you try one player, and highly recommend it.

Roy, the Jolida is a great player - and I guess that's what I'm getting at - it seems of late (without any real good reason), that tubes are the flavor of the month and people are getting tube cdps etc just for the sake of having a damn tube in the chain.

I don't know man, there's are plenty of tube cdps in the $500-$2000 range, but not much after that. Roy, you will always be hardcore to me. ;)

Cheers,
Russ

[faster100]

Tubes are the new " in " thing, tubes don't always make that huge difference.. it's like if your system lacks.. O i better get a tube source..

Hey and anyways, Russman started this whole tube craze on here :D

I'll stick my my old tube amp and all ss everything else for now.. :)

I love tubes, and tube gear but not gonna jump on the tube band wagon for every single piece.. Just IMO

[jhermance]

I just wanted to try something different doesn't mean i am not willing to try a good ss cdp either i have listened to the simaudio equinox in the past i did like it just out of my price range. Unless any of you guy's have a used one lurking around you want to get rid of. Thanks for the input.

[Early B.]

I bought a tube CDP for the same price that I paid for the SS CDP that it replaced. No comparison at all -- the tube CDP smoked the SS in every conceivable category.

I try to buy the best stuff within my budget, albeit low compared to hardcore mofos, and some tube CDP's are a great value. I've heard the Shanling and Jolida models, and they're both pretty awesome units. Go for it.

[TroyD]

In my case, I could really care less if it were tube, SS or run by an old washing machine motor. If it sounds better, that's what I want.

In my price range, I haven't found anything that outperforms the Jolida, which happens to be tubed. To me, it sounds better that's why I own it. That it's tubes is incidental.

BDT

[BlueMDPicker]

I love the looks of the Shanling T100 but quite a bit more than i want to spend for the first time around.
The Shanling has dual outputs (one pair tube output, one SS) plus a digital out for outboard DAC. So, there are a wide range of output options to sample from. With its remotely controlled variable gain it can, in many applications, eliminate the need for a preamp. It also upsamples to 96 kHZ and supports HDCD playback. The second pair of tubes (right side) are exclusively for a tube output headphone circuit which is first rate in SQ. The top loading transport is top notch and can potentially eliminate service issues with a traditional slide drawer mechanism (plus allow effortless lens cleaning.) So, it's really not just a "tube CD player."

The downside with the CDT-100's tube output design is the limited range of tubes available to roll. If you want to replace (and upgrade) the stock Chinese 6N3, you'll have to do some searching and pay appreciably more than more common small signal tubes. The best equivalents are the Western Electric 396A and the Bendix Red Bank 6385--neither are current production. There are Russian made 6N3s in production, but I did not find them to be an improvement on the stock tubes.

Overall, I'd rate it 4.5 of 5 stars. Given its many features and build quality it is certainly not overpriced and it's possible to pick-up a used unit for under $1000. I believe you'd have to spend nearly double that to outperform it with another brand (which probably would have less features.)

[BlueMDPicker]

In my price range, I haven't found anything that outperforms the Jolida, which happens to be tubed. To me, it sounds better that's why I own it. That it's tubes is incidental.
Agreed. The overriding appeal of a tube output design is the option to modify the sonic signature of the piece with tube rolling. Transistor rolling can become rather tedious. ;)

I'd like to hear my stock EE MiniMax next to the stock Jolida. I suspect that they came off the same design board (if not the same assembly line.) I could have done it with Jesse's, but his AA fuel dragster mod that's underway will require that he spots me a couple of car lengths.

[halo]

I started out with a Kenwood 5 disc CDP. I asked for opinions on whether I should go with a new CDP or a DAC. SCompRacer brought over his Parasound Ultra 2000 DAC and we tried it with the Kenwood CDP. There was a difference but it wasn't huge.

I was on the hunt for a new CDP ('cause the DAC was, imo, too expensive). I checked out the Cambridge Audio 640C, Music Hall CD25.2, and the Shanling CD-T100 at decibelauidio. While I was debating phuz put his Rotel RCD-1070 up in the CPFM and I bought it. That CDP made a more noticable improvement than the Parasound DAC / Kenwood combo. For some reason I threw an Onix XCD-99 into the mix. I thought it was just as good as the Rotel. When you figure in the cost difference, 3 year warranty, and the new vs. used factor the Rotel was out.

Rich brought over his Ah! Super Tjoeb and that was the biggest improvement by far. Noel got a Sheng Ya CD-S10 shortly after that and he was / is raving about it. The SY was closer to my price range than an Ah! so I started looking for one. It took a little while but I eventually managed to get my hands on one. After it got here and I let it go toe to toe with the Onix the Onix was sent packing.

I thought there was something wrong with the SY so I took it to Rich for diagnosis (was all set to send it to McAlister Audio in Canada for repairs and mods) but we figured out there was no problem aside from user error. While Rich had it I couldn't go back to the Kenwood and, luckily, the Kavent was available so I snagged it.

Real time hands on experience is why I think that tube CDP's are superior to SS. I've never had or heard a megabuck SS player though.

[F1nut]

Actually Russ, I have two tubed players of which I'd recommend both. :)

As for tube CDP's well in excess of 2 grand there are offerings from,
Musical Fidelity
Cary
BAT
Shanling
Consonance
Audio Aero
Audio Research
Metronome
Einstein
Lector
Granite Audio
Advance Acoustic
and Bluenote to name a few.

Tube CDP's are not that new to the market, even Carver sold some back then. Scott Dixon's tube DAC's were a very popular upgrade too. I think the popularity now is due to the recognized sonic advantages and the introduction of affordable units. Call it the evolution of the CDP.

[Midnite Mick]

I don't have a lot of experience with cd players but from my limited experience I feel that tube cd players sound more analog like. ie. heavier, more natural, and less edgy. Just my thoughts.

Thanks,
Mike

[Roy Munson]

Russ, I think the reason a lot of people are getting into tube cdp is that when one starts to listen to ss players they seem to come in just two flavors, bright/accurate or warm/dark! At least that's how it was for me, I have to admit that I didn't audition any of the high end ss players because they weren't in my budget. My short list was NAD, Rotel, and Cambridge Audio, call me crazy but I liked the NAD 542 the best of these but it still wasn't what I wanted, I really wanted to try a CEC but was unable to find one. My goal was to replace my trusty Denon 1500mkII that I've been listening to for too long and when I started comparing ss players I found that I liked my old Denon despite the fact that most claim that new cdp sound better. Maybe I had been listening to the old Denon for too long but some of the new players just didn't sound as good to me, so, enter the Jolida.

[SCompRacer]

I am very impressed with the sonics of this Quad 99CD-P/2 SS CDP. It is on loan from Normanality. It is not overly warm or bright for a SS design and is very smooth and detailed. I should add that I never heard it an an all SS sytem as both Norm and I have tube pre amps and amps. The Quad throws a slightly better soundstage than the Ah! w/upsampler on my ESL's. They list for $1350 and we have seen them listed for $700-$800 used on the 'gon.

My next CDP will be tubed and I will break my bank for it. I remain extremely impressed with Norm's Modwright Signature Truth Modded Sony NS999ES. He brought it over yesterday and wouldn't leave without it. When he upgrades to the 9100ES next week,:D I'll buy his used.

[Early B.]

Let's face it -- tubes sound better.

That's right -- I said it.

What?

Anyone wanna argue with me?

Do ya?

Do ya?

Do ya?

[Normanality]

Let's face it -- tubes sound better.

That's right -- I said it.

What?

Anyone wanna argue with me?

Do ya?

Do ya?

Do ya?

I tend to agree. That's why I'm all tube from source thru amps.
However, that Quad Rich mentioned above is as good if not better than most sub $1000 tube cdp's that I've heard. It bests the Ah! even with all the goodies. It bests the Jolida 100A even with the level 1 mod. The optical array was designed by Jon Green, one of the leading designers in Philips Optical's brain trust. If you want a smoothe detailed sound without going tubes, that Quad is a good choice. It also has digital inputs so you can connect your Polk XM Reference tuner to it for a far improved sound ;)

[schwarcw]

I remain extremely impressed with Norm's Modwright Signature Truth Modded Sony NS999ES. He brought it over yesterday and wouldn't leave without it. When he upgrades to the 9100ES next week,:D I'll buy his used.

Rich/Norm, is the 999 multichannel SACD or just two channels?

[Normanality]

Rich/Norm, is the 999 multichannel SACD or just two channels?

The 999ES and it's current replacement the 9100ES are multichannel players.

However, the primary mod is to the 2 channel output. The sound is incredible!

Taken from the Modwright sight: "The entire stock Stereo analog stage (Multi-channel circuit is separate, still operational and does not use tubes)is completely replaced with our own Class A Tube Stage, featuring Zero Negative Feedback, ultra-high bandwidth, and incredible soundstage and resolution"

Modwright also does the same tube stage on the Denon 3910. Both the 9100ES and 3910 use the latest and greatest Burr Brown SACD DAC.

[TroyD]

I disagree that tubes are inherently better. I've heard SS gear that trumps tube gear. There is more to it than just tubes being better.

BDT

[dkg999]

I bought my Jolida 100 because every tubed pre that I wanted was more $'s than I wanted to spend. Got a very good deal on the Jolida, and wanted to see how much it would improve SQ over the Cambridge Audio 640c v.1, while using my ss pre. It was a very nice improvement! Then along comes Russ with a couple of good deals on tubed pre's, and using a tubed pre and CDP seems to mate very well with my ss amps and the Magnepans. I have to say that if I had to do it all over again I would go with a tubed pre first before considering the tubed CDP. I think you get the most lift out of the pre.