After many years of service, I need to replace my CD player. Can I buy a
high end audiophile DVD player, and use it for double duty as a CD player?
I don't want to sacrifice the quality of a good CD player, because I play
more music than DVDs. But it would be easier to just have one unit.

In article <SneRd.9485$(E-Mail Removed)>,
"mark e" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> After many years of service, I need to replace my CD player. Can I buy a
> high end audiophile DVD player, and use it for double duty as a CD player?
> I don't want to sacrifice the quality of a good CD player, because I play
> more music than DVDs. But it would be easier to just have one unit.
>
>

If you're using the digital outputs, it shouldn't matter cd or dvd
player. If you're using the analog outputs, try to find the best dac
enabled dvd player you can find. Even then the differences are
negligible. IMO I'd go with a dvd player just for the extra features. As
with anything YMMV.

--
Cyrus

*coughcasaucedoprodigynetcough*

"mark e" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:SneRd.9485$(E-Mail Removed)

> After many years of service, I need to replace my CD player. Can I
> buy a high end audiophile DVD player, and use it for double duty as a
> CD player?

Why not get a mid-fi DVD player and enjoy!

It turns out that almost no high end DVD players are designed from scratch
by their vendors. Instead, open the expensive high-end box and you just
might find a mid-fi player with a wrap of questionably-designed el-tweako
high end sanke-oil interface circuits and overbuilt power supplies. BTW, in
many cases the audio and power for most of the player goes through the
mid-fi hardware, anyhow.

>I don't want to sacrifice the quality of a good CD player,

The one thing that most DVD players seem to sacrifice is the quick response
of a dedicated CD player, especially for loading discs.

> because I play more music than DVDs. But it would be easier to just have
> one unit.

Do so, and in good health!

mark e wrote:
> After many years of service, I need to replace my CD player. Can I buy a
> high end audiophile DVD player, and use it for double duty as a CD player?
> I don't want to sacrifice the quality of a good CD player, because I play
> more music than DVDs. But it would be easier to just have one unit.
>
>
Other than the important factors of sound quality and features, the main
thing you should think about is the interface. DVD Players tend to be
built with the assumption that you will use your TV to select tracks,
program, etc, whereas the CD player makes the best use of the internal
(usually LCD) display. Of course some DVD players can be programmed
without the TV, but the interface is usually wanting and has far fewer
features than the corresponnding CD player.

CD

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 09:34:03 -0500, Codifus <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>mark e wrote:
>> After many years of service, I need to replace my CD player. Can I buy a
>> high end audiophile DVD player, and use it for double duty as a CD player?
>> I don't want to sacrifice the quality of a good CD player, because I play
>> more music than DVDs. But it would be easier to just have one unit.
>>
>>
>Other than the important factors of sound quality and features, the main
>thing you should think about is the interface. DVD Players tend to be
>built with the assumption that you will use your TV to select tracks,
>program, etc, whereas the CD player makes the best use of the internal
>(usually LCD) display. Of course some DVD players can be programmed
>without the TV, but the interface is usually wanting and has far fewer
>features than the corresponnding CD player.

Also DVD players tend to assume that you're going to use the s/pdif output.
They'll have d/a for audio output jacks, but they are usually of low
quality and are geared for the population who have only $200 to spend
on amp and speakers, or who run it into their tv and use the tv speakers.

If you have a quality surround sound preamp, then using the s/pdif output
is the way to go. No cable distortion.

TCS wrote:

> On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 09:34:03 -0500, Codifus <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>mark e wrote:
>>
>>>After many years of service, I need to replace my CD player. Can I buy a
>>>high end audiophile DVD player, and use it for double duty as a CD player?
>>>I don't want to sacrifice the quality of a good CD player, because I play
>>>more music than DVDs. But it would be easier to just have one unit.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Other than the important factors of sound quality and features, the main
>>thing you should think about is the interface. DVD Players tend to be
>>built with the assumption that you will use your TV to select tracks,
>>program, etc, whereas the CD player makes the best use of the internal
>>(usually LCD) display. Of course some DVD players can be programmed
>>without the TV, but the interface is usually wanting and has far fewer
>>features than the corresponnding CD player.
>
>
> Also DVD players tend to assume that you're going to use the s/pdif output.
> They'll have d/a for audio output jacks, but they are usually of low
> quality and are geared for the population who have only $200 to spend
> on amp and speakers, or who run it into their tv and use the tv speakers.
>
> If you have a quality surround sound preamp, then using the s/pdif output
> is the way to go. No cable distortion.
I wouldn't dismiss the audio output jacks as low fi. My budget ($85)
Panasonic S-35 DVD player is connected to my stereo amplifier via the
audio jacks. The sound is so good on that player (via those "lo fi"
jacks) that it has become my primary CD player as well. I retired a
Denon CD changer I had previously.

CD

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 15:05:53 -0500, Codifus <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I wouldn't dismiss the audio output jacks as low fi. My budget ($85)
>Panasonic S-35 DVD player is connected to my stereo amplifier via the
>audio jacks. The sound is so good on that player (via those "lo fi"
>jacks) that it has become my primary CD player as well. I retired a
>Denon CD changer I had previously.

My experience has been that DVD player analog outs are usually about
the same quality as a walkman. The finest a/d's that twenty
five cents will buy.

TCS wrote:

> On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 15:05:53 -0500, Codifus <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>I wouldn't dismiss the audio output jacks as low fi. My budget ($85)
>>Panasonic S-35 DVD player is connected to my stereo amplifier via the
>>audio jacks. The sound is so good on that player (via those "lo fi"
>>jacks) that it has become my primary CD player as well. I retired a
>>Denon CD changer I had previously.
>
>
> My experience has been that DVD player analog outs are usually about
> the same quality as a walkman. The finest a/d's that twenty
> five cents will buy.
>
I think you're experience is quite a bit out of the ordinary. DVD
players that cost $70-200 will have DACs that easily match any of the
capabilities of most decent CD player DACs. Not only that, you can even
buy DVD-A and SACD players that can perform even better for the same
amount or not much more.

CD

"Codifus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cv5o4g$1s92$(E-Mail Removed)
> TCS wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 15:05:53 -0500, Codifus <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>> I wouldn't dismiss the audio output jacks as low fi. My budget ($85)
>>> Panasonic S-35 DVD player is connected to my stereo amplifier via
>>> the audio jacks. The sound is so good on that player (via those "lo
>>> fi" jacks) that it has become my primary CD player as well. I
>>> retired a Denon CD changer I had previously.
>>
>>
>> My experience has been that DVD player analog outs are usually about
>> the same quality as a walkman. The finest a/d's that twenty
>> five cents will buy.
>>
> I think you're experience is quite a bit out of the ordinary.

I don't think he has any experience at all other than listening to his
prejudices.

> DVD players that cost $70-200 will have DACs that easily match any of the
> capabilities of most decent CD player DACs.

TCS apparently thinks that good converters still have to cost an arm and a
leg.

> Not only that, you can
> even buy DVD-A and SACD players that can perform even better for the
> same amount or not much more.

DVD-A and SACD players with > 100 dB dynamic range are well under $200.

If you want to try an excellent budget DVD player that does CD as well as
SACD, DVD-A, MPEG, MP£ and JPEG try the Pioneer 575.