Blue Spec and SACD's and players

[hoops]

I'm looking for a good sound without having to spend a million, I also want something that will play any CD I put in it well. Aforeyego has give a little info on Blue spec and SACD. I also don't want to have to update stuff all the time. can you give me feedback as to a good system for my home and Since I just bought the latest updated Janis stuff, will I have to get the next level of quality? I don't mind having 2 or three copies of my stuff, in fact, I prefer it ( tho I'm glad i didn't upgrade when 8 tracks came out) But i don't want to be buying new stuff once a year. thanks for any help you can give me
peace
hoops

[CharlieD]

I haven't spoken up here, since I'm only scantily knowledgeable about the high end hi fi developments. Good luck with your search, though!

[aforeyego]

hoops,

I have no idea howmuch money you can invest


without having to spend a million

Marantz is one of the best both in CD-players and in amps.

Since Marantz is a non-american firm, you had to pay lots more than Europeans.
[same goes other way round].

Just FYI the URL here incl. prices in us$ - better get seated before looking :=)

http://us.marantz.com/Products/425.asp

Before actually buying anything, go to any shop (also listed on that URL) for HEARING BOTH components combined !!!! Take a CD with you, which you know the quality of !!

Hardest to decide are speakers! Gotta compare. Meaning also high costs on top.
That is why I have 'only' excellent headphones.

Altogether: CD-player CD5004 {is last 'normal'-player they sell} ~ 350.-, Amplifier (not receiver, unless you want an integrated Tuner = Radio) ~ 500.-, Speakers - rather expensive, depends. Also listen to SA8004 ~ 1000.- in comparison !!

aforeyego

[hoops]

thanks so much. they are similar in price to BOSE brand
peace
hoops

[aforeyego]

hoops,

BOSE is also one of the high-end-brands. I know of their amps & speakers - excellent and expensive.
No idea, though, if they have real good CD-players one could afford, that is.

For decades I bought Marantz CD-players. Had them compared to other brands, that were lots more expensive, in no way better - quite the opposite.

There is 1 thing I would like to say: Do not buy necessarily both amp and CD-player of same brand. My experience has shown, that a special brand is good for amps, another good for CD-players and so on.
very few brands, though, like Marantz can do both.

For amps I can recommend: ONKYO, DENON, BOSE, MARANTZ, .. many others, too.
Not that recommendable and rare are good CD-players.

You have to compare by listening!! Yes, lol, is hard work & takes time but you will be rewarded by having done so :D

OH, just FYI: a brandnew amp 'wants' to be (as engineers say) 'burnt-in' - meaning, like all audiophile equipment, changes sound-nuances/frequencies by 'ageing' = in this case 'arteficial ageing' > done by: new amp > let 'run' all day & night for 1 months [Volume off!], then is ready and will sound as should.


lol,, most simple comparison: Baby must learn how to & have teeth before able to chew :=))))

aforeyego

[Kathleen Brogan]

I really like Denon - and I heard that they are now made by Marantz.

[aforeyego]

is that so ??????

... I got a Denon amp.

[Amy in Vermont]

FWIW, when I needed to replace my ancient tube receiver and buy my first CD player, I went to the most authoritative source I knew: Roy Allison. He was the chief engineer at Acoustic Research and the founder of Allison Acoustics. My dad was his boss.

At that time, the early 90's, Roy recommended Phillips for both items. The truth is, I think these days, most of the high end stuff is pretty equivalent across brands.

As to speakers, the Allison's are no longer made, but I have 4 pairs of them, so I am good forever! All high end speakers today are made using the technology that made Acoustic Research the market leader back in the day.

But as previously stated, go listen before you buy!

[aforeyego]

Thanks, Amy, for mentioning Acoustic Research.


these days, most of the high end stuff is pretty equivalent across brands.

Yesss !!!

Some decades ago high-end started at a price where we could buy almost a Mercedes-Benz. That was real high-end. > xx.000.-

'Nowadays' - for again almost ~15 years, I'd say - the prices doubled, optional functions were cut off (like e.g. mono > for checking left/right equality, 'wide-basis' adjustable > for speakers in small/wide rooms, loudness/adjustable loudness (!) > turned in slightly [stereo, 2-channel] ears creeping "inside" the music [frequency response]{""replaced"" by 5/1 ++ = crap! instead of decent stereo}, built-in equalizer, not even middle-tone adjustment &&&). >> waiting for a 1-button-turn-on-and-off-model ! (gotta be self-adjusting, though). < :rolleyes:

In other words: If I want to have all these extras, I have to build an amp by myself (which I did some 'centuries' ago), to find that the overall-quality (sound) sucked, unless I had worked for decades as development engineer with brands like e.g. 'Acoustic Research'.

What do I get 2010: (may I recite Amy: 'for what it's worth') > cheap quality amplifier ~ 500.- -----> is THE average price in EURO {~ us$ 700.-}. They have the nerve to call it 'high-end'.

In the good ole 70's for example: amp (good one!) ~ 500.- incl. all extras you could dream of + excellent quality + 1A service.

Now you might say that prices equal, they don't regarding the missing extras & missing quality. The 70's amp is worth at least 3x more.

I wrote a lot of crap, anyway, this is what my eyes (electronics) & ears (music) tell me.
Plus the fact that I worked with some studio equipment, also in service/repair.

Rudies, I had to write this off my chest. Where could I have done it without being shot .... lol ... after all, 'Im just sayin' :rolleyes:

thankful for other opinions ;)

aforeyego

[aforeyego]

Kathleen,

where did you read that Denon is now made by Marantz ???

AFIK 2 seperate brands, still.

aforeyego

[Kathleen Brogan]

A guy at a really great store where I used to shop told me that. It was in 2007.

[Kathleen Brogan]

Here is the webpage for DM Holdings, indicating their several companies

http://www.dm-holdings.com/eng/

[aforeyego]

Kathleen,

thank you for the link.

That's most interesting! Holding Co US + Europe,,, in Germany they are still seperate.
Whenever I ask for new catalogues & infos, I receive it seperately. (Couldn't afford to buy anything, just dreaming :=)

A Holding is always a step forward, in this case they distribute some of the best brands !

aforeyego :D