Conference hips::uk_audioo

    FWIW Gramaphone , which is fairly conservative in it's reviews reckoned
    that the ROTEL special Edition was little better than the standard
    model and was not worth the extra #50.00.
    
    just reporting what they thought.
    

    I've got an Arcam Alpha + and I'm very pleased with it.
    
    Pete

    
    (slight rathole)
    
    Does the Alpha+ support any of the "time remaining" display modes ?

    Unfortunately not. Nor does it display how many tracks are on the CD,
    or how many are remaining to be played. My only 2 niggles (I think)
    
    Pete

 This topic seems to have an almost correct title so I thought I'd put my query
here.


 My CD player recently stopped working so I am weighing up the wether to get it 
repaired or to replace it.

 The CD player is a Marantz CD65 Mark 2.

 This is the second time that it has stopped working, last time the advice that
my local Hi Fi shop gave me was "throw it away and buy this nice new one"

 So I took it home, opened it up and found a peice of dirt in the transport
which I removed, that was two years ago. It has worked perfectly since until
a week ago when it sudenly refused to register any discs that are loaded in 
( i.e it does not display the number of tracks on the disc and wont play ).
I have already looked inside and can see no obvious problem.

 As the player is about 5 years old I am wondering if it is worth getting it
repaired, especially as the bill will probably be quite high.

 Can anybody recomend a good CD player in the 200 - 300 pound price
brackett ?

 My system is:

	Amp: 		Musical Fidelity A1.
	Speakers:	Musical Fidelity Reference 2.


	Thanks,

		Barrie.

If you like the Marantz, then all the dealers and mags seem to be saying good
things about the Marantz CD52MkIISE whcih (I gather) coms in at about 300 quid.

Obviously you should check your dealer - there is a new(ish) Musical Fidelity
CD player you might want to audition...

Dave

 I ended up getting my Marantz CD65 repaired. Aparently the lazer was no
longer emiiting light. The cost was �124 for a couple of hours labour and a
new lazer/transport assembly.

 I did audition a few other CD players:

    Marantz CD52MK2 SE ( Bit Stream, �300 )
    Rotel   RCD-956-BX ( Bit Stream, �300 )
    Arcam Alpha 5      ( Multibit - 16/4, �450 )

 To be honest I didnt like the two Bit Stream machines, they sounded nice with
quiet, acoustic music but seemed to "lose definition/coordination" on louder 
heavier music, It is difficult to explain but the sound seemed "soft around the
edges", like a piece of soggy lettuce.

 I loved the Arcam, it sounded good with everything, I threw at it and the sound
stage was much fuller. I could try to describe the sound but you would all end
up thinking that Digital employs some very strange people all I can say is that
I think its worth a listnen if your thinking of buying a new CD player.

 My CD65 is also a 16/4 Multibit machine so perhaps I am more comfortable with
that sound, anyway it didnt seem worth spending �300 on a CD player that ( to
my ears ) didn't sound any better than the one I already had and �450 is a lot
of money.......

 Iv'e started saving.....


    Barrie.

    
    Has anyone here experience of the new Sony CD player, retails at 250
    pounds. Sorry I don't have the model no at present but noticed rave
    reviews in hi-fi press, e.g. "if you must spend 500 pounds on a CD
    player then buy two of the new Sony players and give one to a friend"
    
    I'll write up more details from the article if folks are interested but
    would appreciate any first hand experience.
    
    Mike Webster

    
    Its the CDP 715E and was reviewed in HiFi Choice. I'm also thinking
    about a new CD player and would welcome any suggestions in the region
    of �250 that I should audition.
    
    Richard.

    Try the Marantz CD-63 at 250 quid or the Pioneer Pd-S703 at about the
    same ( I think ).
    
    The Marantz CD-63SE gets rave reviews at 350 quid , if you can afford
    it.
    
    Kev...

    
    Well I had a serious 2 hours listening to the Marrantz CD 63, CD63 SE
    and Arcam Alpha 5 plus in a demo with my Creek amp and Heybrook
    speakers. Yup you've guesssed it the last one was introduced by the sales
    man as an example of "a CD played that they would reccomend".
    
    Started off with the CD63 and CD63 SE listening to light quality music,
    Ricky Lea Jones (SP) is used as a reference by the beeb, so I'm told.
    There was only a slight improvement. Then compared the SE with the
    Alpha 5, the music was noticably more relaxed and less harsh with
    reduced sibilance on the Alpha. Still not that much of a difference. 
    
    Then moved on to some Beatles and finally to U2 Actung Baby. That's
    when things really began to show up. The CD63 could hardly handle the
    mixture of base and distorted guitars on Mysterious Ways, it sounded
    a mess. The CD63 SE cleared things up a bit but still very disapointing.
    The Alpha on the other hand didn't seem at all bothered with the detail
    or heavy base and sounded much more like the U2 I listen to on my Rega
    3.
    
    To cut a long story short I felt that a CD player that sounded so
    obviously inferior to my turntable would probably never get turned on
    so wasn't worth buying, so I got the Alpha 5. 
    
    Unfortunately due to my current finacial circumstances I only had
    enough to buy 2 CDs, but at least they sound OK     ;-)
    
    Mike
    

Was that the new improved Alpha 5 plus or just an Alpha 5?

I did much the same comparision back in May and came to the same conclusion
that the Arcam was the dogs......and you really cannot believe what they say
in the music press about new CD players.

The claim at the time was that the new CD 63 from Marantaz was better than the
more expensive 53IISE (ugly looking brute but much more sound than the cheaper
new boy).

I believe that Arcam have now brought out their own budget CD player (assuming
you don't consider �460 budget) at the �200~ mark that might well be worth a
listen to in comparison to the Marantz. IT comes in the same box as the "5"
but the price tag should indicate the difference!!

Got one in Reading Hi-Fi if thats any help.

Alex.

    
    RE -1 and -2
    
    It was the Alpha 5 plus that I listened to and got.
    
    regarding the budget #250 model, I think it's the Alpha 1 and it got
    pretty bad reviews when compared with the Marrantz CD63, although I 
    haven't listened to it so can't comment.
    
    Mike.