Four Reasons To Buy A Blu-Ray Player Instead Of A CD Player

If you are shopping for a new CD player and curious if a Blu-ray player might be a better option, then check out this video where I compare the Sony UBP-X800M2 blu-ray player to the Cambridge AXC35 which is a dedicated CD player. Note, at the time of this video, the Sony blu-ray player was on sale for $280!
Music by William Claeson: www.epidemicsound.com/track/b...
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Cambridge CD Player: amzn.to/3U7l8Vf
How To Connect Your CD or Blu-ray Player To An External DAC: • How To Connect A CD Pl...
My Review of the Cambridge AXC35 CD Player: • Cambridge AXC35 CD Pla...
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Timestamp
00:00 - Intro
00:36 - Reason 1 - Price
02:10 - Reason 2 - Features
06:30 - Reason 3 - Sound
12:37 - Reason 4 - Obvious
14:45 - Which Should You Buy

[@Sguerrero33]

The best reason a music lover would buy a Blu-ray player is to watch concert DVDs. Some of the best shows of bands that don't play live anymore are on DVD.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great point thank you!

[@bwithrow011]

Agreed 👍! I have a bunch of them

[@TheGreatTomDix]

KZbin has most I know of!🤘

[@ENGBriseB]

Well said...

[@Timewaits4no1]

Yep, I agree. A lot of concert DVDs were never released on Blu-ray so DVD is the only way to watch/listen to them. Honestly that's pretty much the only DVDs I still play regularly

[@MrSonofsonof]

One issue that hardly anyone seems to talk (or care) about is the mechanical noise of cheap CD/Blu-ray etc. players. Some of them really do whir and rattle a hell of a lot in a way that older CD players from the 1980/90s didn't. Unfortunately these days, when we buy nearly everything online, you don't have the opportunity to go to a shop, put a CD in the mechanism, and see how quiet it is and how quickly it loads.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah I wish there were more audio stores for auditioning gear.

[@pliedtka]

Remember the mid 1990 CD players with large plater, some Pioneer - very quiet by today's standards.

[@Bugatti12563]

That’s why I bought a revised 1990 Philips cd player instead of a blu ray unit.

[@myrealusername2193]

That’s why I use my old CD player for music, despite also having a blu-ray player. Plus there’s the fact that I can use analog out much more easily.

[@harpalchauhan428]

Im lucky i bought a denon 3313ID in 2013 still running perfectly but best thing its a fanles design and so silent

[@antfirmin]

Been using an LG DVD player to play CD’s for 12+ years, plays SACD’s too. I keep getting Blu-rays in box collections so I am tempted to upgrade to a Blu-ray player so appreciate this video.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you! This player dropped in price from when I recorded this video.

[@edwarddore7617]

I mean considering blu-ray has been around since 2006, there was no reason to upgrade, the picture quality is noticeably better than DVD, and at least here in the US, I don't know about other countries, a good quality (not videophile or audiophile, but still) blu-ray player can be found for around $100, or less

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

Old DVD \ Blu Ray boxes are not 4k HDR, so i keep buying them, you need Older disks, keep 3 sets of all of them ?

[@tomekichiyamamoto2177]

Maybe you’ll loose rca connections and direct player without a tv…

[@kevinhill4328]

Agree with much of this. My issue with using modern movie players is the lack of operating buttons on the unit and the poor display options - covered here when talking about using a TV. My compromise is to use a "vintage" dvd player from the early 2000s - preferably a Sony as they are more likely to have SACD. You get digital and analogue output, a remote but you aren't lost if the remote is and a decent display. Other bonus, they are dirt cheap.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I keep my eyes peeled for those cheap finds too!

[@alexxbaudwhyn7572]

Yep. Scored many Sony, Oppo, Integra, Panasonic, Pioneer, Toshiba and other disc players at thrift the past decade or so. Cd, Dvd, and Blu-ray, Most of the DVD and Blu-ray players I pick do SACD and or Dvd Audio. I also take good condition 5 disc carousels from Technics, Sony, Pioneer, etc. Some of the Sony DVD carousels or Panasonic 5 disc changers do SACD and or Dvd Audio too Never really liked those high capacity 100-400 disc changers, end up forgetting what's in them, misplacing cases or discs, time consuming to load and unload, etc. But 5 or 6 disc changers are the sweet spot for hours of selective or background listening

[@ForeverAnalog]

Those 100+ players always need the belts replaced too lol

[@rosssmith8481]

Even better. Get a used PS3, not only can you run digital out, you can burn and store all your CDs on the hard drive. Plus it streams Netflix, Amazon, and KZbin.

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

@@rosssmith8481 I'm completely ignorant of playstations -- would that need to be connected to a monitor or a TV then? EDIT)/ or could it be controlled via bluetooth from a phone?

[@DAVID-io9nj]

The obvious difference is being able to play DVD! For me, it's not just movies, it's also concerts of my favorite artists.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Agree with you on concert DVDs!

[@mickschnabel]

100%! You'll always want the best quality when it comes to watching live concert discs, bluray all the way (or DVD if that is all that is available)

[@davidmuth4571]

I bought a Korn "best of" CD and it came with a DVD of a gig they played at CBGB. A "best of" Pantera CD came with a DVD of the music videos. At that point I began look for CDs that came with a DVD, and I found a lot of them. Sometimes these are called "Digipacks". This is great for me because I can't go to most concerts because of the anxiety I have in crowds of people.

[@davidmuth4571]

@@mickschnabel I prefer BluRay for the much better sound quality, and even if it's not a concert movie. For films made before Bluray, the video quality does not always make a big improvement, but the sound often does.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Most DVD players can also play VCD 2.0 discs.

[@danpatrick2175]

Excellent video. I’ve been using a Sony BD player as my CD transport for almost 2-years. I have the (coax) digital output fed to my stereo amp and the HDMI output connected to my TV (for movies, etc.). My BD player is an older model that still has a display making it easy to use without the TV when listening to CD’s. I also use the front panel USB connection of the BD player to access a flash drive with a large collection of music files. When playing music from the flash drive, I use the TV screen (from the HDMI connection to navigate the folders / files on the flash drive. The Sony BD player menu system works pretty well as an interface for this.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thank you for watching!

[@dp9324]

Its a solid idea actually, been using a regular DVD player for CDs in my workshop for years

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome thank you for watching!

[@minimumriffage7520]

Great video, and I'm glad I found your channel. Refreshing to have someone who is knowledgeable about audio without being condescending. Good points about getting a BR player. I have the Sony X800 in my basement with my large 4K TV and 5.2.1 setup, and it's fantastic for films and my 5.1 albums. I've been contemplating getting a standalone cd player for my upstairs setup, where I mostly play a TT via my older (not vintage) Marantz stereo receiver. I've been running a crappy Pioneer dvd player for listening to cds, but it's on its last legs (the tray will open and close at random when trying to put a disc in). Another BR player makes a ton of sense, and I would have to find one with RCA out or a DAC as my receiver has no digital inputs. Thanks for the great advice!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for the kind words. Lately, I've had fun getting back into CDs and their various players (BR, etc) after spending the last few years listening to mostly vinyl. That's what makes this hobby fun, always new ways to listen to our favorite tunes.

[@AndrewEbling]

Makes sense. I can remember when I bought my first DVD player (probably around 2002), it sounded significantly better than my ~1995 Technics CD player, which already sounded great to me ears. This was through the analog outputs.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@akaFrits1]

Just a word about the sound comparison: if you do an A/B test, the most important factor is to equalize the output volumes, if possible within 0,1 dB. Simply because our hearing curve isn’t straight. Louder means experiencing more high and low frequencies (with a low volume you hear mainly the mid frequencies). Comparing different DACs on different volumes tells you exactly nothing about sound differences.

[@cameronkrause4712]

very true, it's really tough to tell what you are really hearing unless you have taken this step.

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

You mean 0.1dB? why do people put commas in numbers?

[@akaFrits1]

@@dickJohnsonpeter My mistake. In English it should be a dot (in most other languages it’s a comma)

[@user-rr3ci3ky6w]

IM LEARNING

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

@@akaFrits1 Oh yeah that's true but why does any country do that since it will always cause confusion in the absence of context? How would someone know if someone is writing a number such a 1,010 (one thousand and ten) or if you mean 1.010 (1 and ten thousandths)? If you're doing math there's no context to go off so there has to be different symbols for each which is why we use a dot instead of a comma for decimals.

[@dinosaursr]

Great to see the channel grow. Keep it up.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you so much to subscribers like you! I really enjoy making videos and the community here on KZbin always makes for great conversation.

[@masonb9788]

We have a lower priced Sony BluRay player. It’s connected to our TV via the hdmi. Then I take the analog outs from the TV to my receiver, an older Yamaha A/V receiver. I also take a optical out from the TV to the Receiver. Both methods sound really good. The receiver is about 20 years old and the Samsung TV is about 10 years old. No idea what kind of DAC is in either the receiver or the TV but they both sound fine and pretty much the same. The BluRay player has a nice TV interface and the other part I love is that I can load a USB drive with files (FLAC, MP3, WAV), plug it in the front and it will play them just fine using the same interface.

[@yvesboutin5604]

Like CD players, DVD players have different technology and quality parts, hence, different sound. In the past I used a cheap DVD player and the sound was flat and lifeless. Two years ago, a friend gave me his old Pionner Elite DVD player. The sound was great, even better than my Arcam CD73 player. I guess nothing replace testing a product on your own system. Thanks for the video! You gave us a lot to think about, and this is the most important thing!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching!

[@IndySnowman]

I have compared many dvd/blu-ray players vs comparably priced CD players over the years, and the CD players almost invariably sound better. Add to that the lack of proper controls and display on the DVD player, and a CD player/transport makes more sense.

[@Aubury]

My findings to ..,

[@michaelprice1216]

Plus the DAC/processor in a CD player is designed to do that job alone. The chip or DAC in a DVD/blu-ray is designed with more of it's real estate devoted to video processing over audio in mid-line players.

[@mikesmith5139]

Excellent comparison 👏 Thank you!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching!

[@machavez00]

I bought the Sony X700 for movies AND CDs/SACDs. It is connected via HDMI to my Yamaha TSR700. As mentioned, an HDMI connection is required to play the DSD layer of SACDs.

[@niclaslindman]

Great CD player that one 👍

[@yankee7809]

Certainly if you get a really good Blu-ray player that's transport is quite the benefits of playing Super Audio cd's and DVD-Audio discs alone are worth the investment. While those formats never caught on they still are stunning and are well worth listening to. I have both a Rega Apollo cd player and a Pioneer ES series Blu-Ray player in my headphone system and love 'em both. You have made excellent points!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you. I’d love to try out a Rega player!!!

[@edwarddore7617]

There are also 5.1 blu-ray audio discs too.

[@joeythedime1838]

The Sony ES UBP-X1100ES multi-disk player was a great choice before it was discontinued. It came with a front display, coax and optical digital outputs and with a set of RCA outs - but the Sony UBP-X800M2 at it's current price of $248 is a steal.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I’ve enjoyed the Sony!

[@flufyfolder4892]

Super content and presentation - thank you!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching and the encouraging comment!

[@denniszolton]

I have the same Sony and it is a good unit. I use it for my 2.1 video set up. I also have a high end audio only 2.1 system with a cd drive and a fine dac in my amp. I’ve played the same cds in both, it sounds considerably better with audio system. The video has active speakers with a sub, great sound for movies, tv and streaming. I guess for receivers or surround. Systems the Sony would be a great buy.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome.

[@cinqiwc]

Thanks for this interesting video. I also have a similar Sony blu ray player and it even allows to stream music from my NAS as well. For me the biggest downside is that the TV has to be on when listening to CD’s. By the way thanks for showing the Pink Floyd SACD, I will definitely try to find that one!

[@ForeverAnalog]

I bought the Pink Floyd CD from Acoustic Sounds online!

[@photonqopt]

I agree with you about the biggest downside, having to have TV on for music.

[@Riel93]

I recently bought a Sony S790 blu ray player. Got it to play newly acquired CDs and the fact that some of the limited editions come with a concert as a BluRay. Using my Fiio K39 pro as a DAC and it helps that my Blu-ray player has a display so I can navigate through the track list :)

[@flufyfolder4892]

Fiio K39 is on sell for £699 , bloody hell! This is expensive 😜

[@ssanc6]

@@flufyfolder4892 I would not pay for it. I looked up on google, but it didn't come up.

[@Chalky.]

Thankfully my old dvd recorder still works, as while it doesn't have any modern smart features it does have every input/output connection I could need as an audio player.

[@user-pg2bj7rv1t]

I have an older Panasonic Blu-ray Player that I bought through Craigslist for $20.00. And it DOES sound better than my Tascam CD recorder on playback. You are SPOT ON!

[@nout1972]

Gapless music playback is a reason to go with a CD player or a CD transport. Any DVD or Blu Ray player I have used/tried play a small pause between tracks, which is deadly for many classical music CDs and Beatles' Abbey Road for instance. And a dedicated CD player is often much quicker in reading discs and select/skip tracks.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great point thank you!!!!

[@michaelellis7941]

That reason alone is end of discussion, in my opinion. Also having a noisy transport mechanism, having to use it with a tv on aswell, dim displays ect.. hell don't scrimp and get hold of a high end dedicated slot loading cd streaming player that will blow these players right out of the water!!!

[@jrockofages5413]

Waiter? Check, please....

[@stevet7487]

OPPO 203 & 205. No such issues. Superb sound quality. No gaps in play back. Display on the front.

[@ijeff2005]

Very helpful. Looking to buy a new blu-ray but also want to have the audio capabilities including SACD. I also noticed recently Best Buy has this particular Sony model on sale with a $80 discount!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah I bought mine on sale!

[@enrage6073]

But you have to know that you won’t be able to output the SACD digital signal from the SPDIF to an external DAC, in case that’s what you wanted to do

[@mgrsdgfsdafsdgrsdgfsdg6980]

@@enrage6073 Actually you can. I have a Sony 4k player and play SACD's (not hybrid, my SACD's are only pure SACD). Yes, its D2P, you still need to go through the HDMI to get pure DSD, put atleast the option is still there.

[@kingofgrills]

If you have the ability to use the HDMI output on the Sony, it is a fantastic experience. Being able to stream DSD from SACDs to an external DAC is wonderful. I have the same Sony, and I tell people this all the time. Still, so many “audiophiles” continue to insist that a dedicated CD player sounds better which is laughable. Also, the Sony also plays Blu-Ray audio discs. 😉

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you, I hope to start using the HDMI output very soon!

[@AiwaLover]

CD Players sound better with CDs than DVD or Bluray Players.

[@ronlevine8873]

The Sony is one of the few players that can still output DSD over HDMI. (Sony still supports that format since it was co-developer of the SACD.) But I don't know if your receiver or DAC or whatever recognizes that format or if it just down converts it to PCM.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I’m not using hdmi for this video but hope to upgrade amp soon and try it out!

[@user-lt1nj7nq4z]

In what way is it laughable, more like logical. A dedicated CD player has one job to do and is engineered to do that very well. The Sony, which I have, is designed to multitask and whilst it's great for film it really cannot hold a candle to a half decent CD player. If you disagree then I suspect you have never heard a decent CD player or just in denial.

[@JimUK]

We brought a Panasonic DMP-UB900EBK 4K player some years ago and use it for music as well, it wasn't cheap, but it has a display on the front, it also has HMDI audio out, Coax, optical and RCA outputs, it's even got an additional eight RCA outputs for 7.1 sound, it really does everything.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome thank you for sharing and watching!

[@whssy]

The only disadvantage I've found with using BDR players is that the laser seems to wear out faster. For that reason alone I play CDs on CD player. And DVD-A/SACD/Blu-Ray on my BD player. I usually buy second-hand but lasers wearing out has been an issue I've even had on new players. And when they stop making them, it's going to become as hard to find second hand players to replace one that's worn out as it is to find DVD players right now that can play SACD and DVD-A.

[@josephguo6256]

150 a pioneer one, no big deal. it's flimsy but very cheap. good audio and video quality.

[@marcse7en]

I've had CD players for around 35 years, and I have some early players around 40 years old. I've had DVD players since they were introduced, and Blu-Ray players for 15 years. I've NEVER experienced laser problems of any kind. At all. Ever.

[@CharloBagis]

I have a Panasonic DP-UB820 Blu-ray player, excellent Blu-ray player but also very good CD player, has both RCA outputs and a front display, it's also very elegant and well built

[@ForeverAnalog]

Nice

[@moomcmoosson1992]

I have the european Model (824) of this one. It really is the best model all around on the market for an affordable price. Any model more expensive than this just has increasing diminishing returns. Also, the Blu-Ray Player market is nearly non-existent at this point with only Panasonic, Sony and LG. I guess there are boutique builders but those seem to be for people with more money than sense.

[@l21n18]

Would be nice if more of the cheaper models still had analog out

[@LouisWinthorpe622]

I bought one of those less than a month ago. I've set it to downmix all audio formats to 2.0 to play through my Marantz PM6006 UKE amp, so I have it connected via those analogue outputs to line inputs in the amp. I also have a Marantz CD6005 cd player, which I've owned for about 2 years before the Panasonic. So it was kind of mandatory and very easy, for me to do a music cd playback comparison. Night and day. The blu ray player is nowhere near as good as the dedicated cd player for music. NOWHERE. The instrument separation and stereo imaging simply weren't there with the Panasonic. Neither was the detail. You could say it's because of the DACs being different and you'd be right. But I saw another video that said a dvd player uses an entirely different laser for the dvd format that isn't as good as picking out the information required for music reproduction. And the CD6005 is a budget level cd player (albeit one of the best). If somebody buys a dvd player with either no experience of a good cd player, or no ear for music or detail, then yes, you will hear music being played and you will be tempted to say 'Wow, I've spotted a super bargain life hack that a dvd player can play CD's and you don't need a cd player'. You might even be tempted to leave a glowing review of it on Amazon, saying 'And it plays CD's really well, too' but it is not true and it comes due to a psychological phenomenon known as 'confirmation bias', whereby you are only saying it to confirm your prejudicial opinion that 'it must be good because you picked it and you know the difference because you ain't daft; far from it'! When, REALLY, the truth is, you don't know shit from Shinola and you are fucking daft if saying that, or anything like it.

[@marcjohnson9270]

@@LouisWinthorpe622 See above comment.

[@HiFiBrothers]

Great content and topic! Totally agree that buying a Blu-Ray player makes it far more versatile than just a CD player.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Agreed. Thank you for watching!

[@dametalone]

It is interesting that I stumbled on this video. I bought this exact 4k bluray player for this exact reason (but also to watch 4k bluray movies). I was mulling over the idea of getting a dedicated cd player again but the few new models, on the market, are ridiculously expensive. I am also going straight in via hdmi and I have to say, it sounds just fine on my system. The only downside, as you mentioned, is that you have to have your tv on for this model.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching and the nice comment!

[@user-lt1nj7nq4z]

You don't need your TV on the play a CD so long as you don't need to have any sort of display. Just load the disc and press play and away you go.

[@guido8113]

@@user-lt1nj7nq4z Is there a remote controller to do what you wrote? I guess you need the TV turned on...

[@bricktonyb]

Good video.I now have my dream system! I am very fortunate to have recently aquired a N.O. S. Oppo BDP 95 from ebay. Even though it is 10 years old it is unused. When new it was very highly regarded for all of its features. I have many HDCD CD's, SACD, a few DVD Audio, now I am picking up Blu-Ray Audio discs. Most discs I find on Discogs. NO ONE makes such a player anymore! I feel like I found a unicorn. I love the smooth, detailed, sound this provides me. I am in a nursing home at 57 y.o. so I use this with Meze Audio Liric headphones, (thanks Zeos) Schitt Valhalla II, Loki Max, and a PS Audio Powerplant 15. Speakers just are not viable for me. Physical media is something I will always want. Records too bulky and cumbersome as I am mostly bed bound. My life is so much more tolerable.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Amazing. Love it.

[@nomorokay]

Your stereo is good for your health, since it stimulates you mentally and maybe physically, too. When I came out of the ICU and into an acute care bed after a serious highway crash, watching music on the rental TV with my headphones was great. When some Motown music came on, I was even kind of dancing in my bed, in spite of one leg being in traction. It made me feel so good, emotionally and physically, that I remember it still, a quarter-century later. I sustained life-altering injuries in the crash, meaning that many of my physically active hobbies and pursuits became things of the past. However, music was and still is part of my life, so my stereo helped me feel like it was not all over for me. It gives me a reason to be more active, and I do play LPs from time to time, but having to get up to lift the needle or flip the record is too much effort some days. Sometimes, I do it anyway. Other days, I pop in a CD and enjoy that instead. Anyway, know that you're not alone. Happy continued listening!

[@bricktonyb]

@@nomorokay Thanks so much for your kind words. I realize I am blessed to have what I have. I just need to feel that way more.

[@erikaleksandermoe1634]

For me another reason is that you can playback Blu-ray pure audio discs. I have several of these great editions of my favorite classical recordings. Karajan’s 1963 Beethoven symphonies cycle being one.

[@andrewbrazier9664]

Such a shame Blu Ray audio did not become mainstream. I own a couple of discs Bob Marley GH & Lionel Richie - stunning resolution & warmth 🙂🇬🇧

[@RetroMythologist]

My old Oppo UDP-205 is now my dedicated CD player (since it was replaced by a Panasonic DP-UB9000 for watching movies) This thing plays everything :)

[@ForeverAnalog]

I would LOVE an Oppo. Congrats!

[@tudormiller887]

Really helpful video. Watching in London UK. ❤

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@johannkrist]

Having to turn on the TV to listen to music is a deal breaker for me. Team CD player here.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Very understandable! Thank you for watching

[@marcjohnson9270]

Why does one have to see what track he is listening to? Sound quality over convenience gets my vote.

[@stevet7487]

Huh? Unless you are listening to a boom box, the cd player and the blu-ray player both need amplification. Turn on your integrated amp or receiver, select the source and press play. It's the same process for both. No need for the TV to be turned on. Team quality here.

[@johannkrist]

@@stevet7487 I'm talking about the small info screen on the cd player to see number of tracks. Often missing from blue ray players. Thus needing to turn on the TV while listening to CDs.

[@mlarry90]

Absolutely, thank you

[@JMG72ARG]

This year I did what you're saying, but I bought an older used Sony bluray player which still had RCA outputs as well as coaxial and hdmi. PLays cd's, cdr's, dvdr, bluray, anything you put into it. Also, if you have a large cd collection like myself, it's a good idea to have a discman (or several) and reserve batteries, so that your cd's have a guaranteed playable future, even if there's an energy and or internet blackout 😁

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great idea on the Discman! Thanks for watching!

[@humbertoacastillo]

Thank you! I was just looking for a blu-ray player for my CDs.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Excellent!

[@JasonSum1979]

Great video! Once the dvd boom happened i donated my 5 Disc Sony CD player (Blu-Ray and 4K players are so much better for audio options (The DVD audio Disc was a fantastic audio format it’s a shame it never really caught on) i always wanted to check out Super Audio CD but, my local Best Buy pulled there entire stock along with DVD audio 10-12yrs ago

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you! I hope to mess around with more SACD options in the future starting by adding the proper amp for playback.

[@bmboldt]

I bought a couple used older Sony 3D Blue Ray Players for $15 each. They both play SACD and have lots of features. They are old enough that they have RCA outputs and I don't have to turn on the TV to navigate.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I see a couple for sale in my neighborhood and might pick one up as well

[@danieldaniels7571]

I use one of those as an audio player as well. What really impresses me about it is how well it plays scratched up CDs.

[@hackapump]

I can’t believe I didn’t think of this. Been looking for a new CD player, but the problem is prices have skyrocketed, probably because people don’t buy them anymore, and so they’re manufactured in smaller quantities. BD players on the other hand still have a market. Thanks for the heads up.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Good luck shopping and thanks for watching!

[@latonbuzzard2386]

@latonbuzzard2386 57 seconds ago (edited) I have a Rotel system that consists of 1x preamp, 4 x power amps, HDCD (High Definition compact Disk) CD player. I bought a Sony blue ray player around 8 years ago that sounded better than the Rotel CD player on the system. I am about to buy a new pre amp and am thinking of adding a Sony play station to give me massive options with my current set up. I am not a gamer, however I will be able to play games, as well as cd's and 4k video, all in one box. Sony blue ray players were featured in the UK what Hi Fi back in the day, for outstanding music playing capabilities, I think this will be my way forward. In this digital streaming age the writing is on the wall for playing film, music, and cd's on separates. I understand the new Sony play station has a cd, dvd drive on one version, and also a fully digital version is also available. Its probably the last time you will see a cd drive on a games player from Sony.

[@keithspillett5298]

I have a high end industrial CD recorder 'which I used for CD replay for a number of years. About two years ago, I purchased a 4K Sony Bluray player, and have barely used the dedicated CD player since!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for watching and the nice comment!

[@12voltvids]

I have been using my Sony Bluray player to play music for years. In addition to the audio disc formats you described, and the ability to play audio from a USB input, it will also play the various digital formats on disc such as .mp3 .flc ect from CDR, DVD-R and BD-R. 25 gigs of disk based music. I have used mine that way for years. I burn digital files to DVD and BD discs and make specific playlists. For example Xmas music, all on 1 disc. I do have a TV connected for menu, but when making a disk based play list, I put all the tracks I want on a separate disc and then hit the shuffle button. Different mood, different disk. Concert discs is another great option because many concerts were only released on DVD or BD.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Whoa! I have to reply saying thank you for all the videos on your channel. I've been watching for years now and you've often helped me fix an issue repairing gear. I feel honored you stumbled on this video and left a comment. You're one of the GOATs on KZbin. Thank you so much!

[@johnt1877]

One thing about a Sony Blu-ray player that you did not mention and may not know is that it will not play SACD quality over the coax cable (look at the owners manual). The only way to get the SACD signal is over HDMI. Otherwise, it will send the regular CD signal through coax. Your receiver would need to accept HDMI input in DSD format. I know of no DAC that is on the market now that will accept HDMI. Some have an I2s input that works with HDMI cable, but the HDMI signal will not work in an I2s input. Therefore, you would need an audio-video receiver that accepts DSD signal over an HDMI cable to actually enjoy SACD quality from a Blu-ray player. I find it to be very annoying that Sony will not set up their coax to send DSD signal from a SACD so that you can use an external DAC with an analog receiver without having to buy a separate AV receiver and bypass your expensive external DAC. Furthermore, very few SACD players or transports on the market send HDMI over I2s, so SACD owners are basically out of luck with most inexpensive setups on the market today, unless you don't care that you paid extra to get an SACD only to find you can only play it at the basic CD quality.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah this is why I didn’t spend time in the video comparing SACD to CD sound on the players. I knew I was hearing the SACD layer like I should.

[@CH-ho5vr]

@@ForeverAnalog Its always been that way with any SACD player it is a security feature, also the Sony BR Player can double the frequency of music playback (CD, USB & streaming from a PC), just need to go into the menu and activate it. I know because i have exactly the same Sony player. Sounds awesome at playing CDs and I've had a lot of CD players in the past.

[@ScottGrammer]

@@CH-ho5vr And that's why SACD sucks. It's bad enough having all the DRM in video software. I will not buy audio software with DRM on it.

[@AT-wl9yq]

You're correct, but you need to remember 2 things. First, Sony stopped supporting SACD just a few years after they released it. That was back in 2007, so its been 15 years now. Second, Sony doesn't make that player. Its a $50 generic player that they buy from some company in China. They put a Sony label on it and sell it for $300. Just the fact that there's no analog outputs tells you all you need to know. SACD wasn't even a requirement. Whoever Sony buys these things from had the format included in whatever transport and dac they used. Sony wanted a blue ray player. The other formats were just a bonus.

[@Ezees23]

HDMI to coax/RCA/Toslink converter FTW!!!

[@johncain7949]

I'm also a huge Alien fan. I was lucky enough (although it didn't seem like it at the time) to see Alien at the theater when it first came out. I had no idea what was coming. I felt like I was a crew member of the Nostromo! Just last night we watched the directors cut of Aliens. I just wanted to let you know Alien is now available on 4K blu-ray. Of course I rad to buy it! By the way I went to high school with Aliens director James Cameron! John from Canada 🇨🇦

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome!

[@bondgabebond4907]

I saw Alien in the theater. I'm surprised people didn't die from fright when that cute little alien popped out of John Hurt's stomach.

[@johncain7949]

I almost did! When asked why he cut the scene of Capt. Dallas cucooned by the Alen, Ridley Scott said he didn't think audiences could handle it. I think he was right!

[@18000rpm]

I bought a used Sony Blu-ray player for $20 to use as the CD transport fed into my SMSL M400 DAC. Sounds great!

[@slinkman79]

Did you compare the PCM layer of the DSOTM SACD on both devices, or did you compare the PCM layer on the Cambridge with the DSD layer on the Sony->Emotiva? They tend to sound very different

[@barrybarnes2744]

I agree with everything you said. I use an old ps3 and get a great sound out of on onyko receiver. Also you forgot to mention space with a tape deck space is limited . So I get blue ray in atmos , games and great music all in one.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great point re: space!

[@ENGLISHISBEST]

I use a ps4 Pro loaded with hundreds of flac files & a simple menu system on my TV. But I also use a marantz cd6007 with its usb port. The ps4pro is really only good for the simple easy visibly good menu system. Whereas the marantz has the edge sonically due to a better dac. But having both gives versatility.

[@ChadBoughton]

As someone who uses an outboard dac anyway, I agree this opens you up to pick from Bluray/dvd/or straight CD players and not have to worry about the inferior dac built into the device. I personally use an Integra DVD player, but previously owned a Cambridge CD. One thing I will say is that usually Bluray players are slow compared to dedicated units, and if there is no from panel control/buttons count me out as I don’t want to use a OSD to control it. If you can find a quality, aluminum faced player that works fast and can be controlled intuitively from the front, you’re gold.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I agree they can be slow - I stopped using my first blu ray player that I bought many many years ago due to it taking forever to load discs! This newer model loads much faster.

[@niclaslindman]

My Reciver show Where are on CD so are If function amp menu are Go get that are maybe not all can get that way but SA-CD use so show that on my Reciver what song number are on are So y 1080 Reciver have are play from HDMI audio need have BLUERAY through Reciver also Offcourse are Chose no osd so show on Reciver instead of TV screen when play

[@maiser]

Thanks for the review. I totally agree on the points on the sound quality. I think one thing however missing in your review is how the players act when playing. Like how fast it skips forward or backward, how silent it is under spinning, how fast it loads cds or other formats, and how snappy it is in general. This is something that made me go for a dedicated cd player of high quality instead of cheap dvd or other type of universal player.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Good point!

[@seand67]

Nice. I picked up a 6 CD Onkyo player at Best Buy for a good price. It also plays mp3 discs as well

[@ForeverAnalog]

Nice. I always see that model listed online. Glad you are enjoying it!

[@JodyM2]

Love my Sony UBP-X800 M2 but I wish it had a disply & a play button. I love listening to SACD's on it.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah the lack of display surprised me at first!

[@audiononsense1611]

I will just add to point #2 with regard to SACD's this is a great choice for two reasons: low entry point and Sony is the most consistent as far as being abbe to play Hybrids (I've had experience even with higher priced models that have horrible interfaces and intermittent playback for PDM / SACD).

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for your feedback and for watching!

[@pmventura41]

So glad I ran across your KZbin video. Damn good idea. Thanks.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching!

[@lotog692]

I have exactly the same SONY Blu-Ray Player and I'd like to point out a few things. First, not only you get Bluetooth, but since it's a SONY it also supports LDAC, which, in my eyes, makes the Bluetooth really worthwhile. I got a Hiby R3, which actually is a DAP, but it can also act as a DAC and/or a Bluetooth Receiver. So I can connect the Hiby with the SONY via LDAC (24/96, as long as connection is good) and connect any wired headphone to my Hiby (up to my Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohm, because the Hiby has enough power to run it) and still walk around or sit whereever I want w/o having to worry about cables running across the room. Second, any wired playback functions above 24/96 require the use of the HDMI port. That includes SACD and DSD, none of which will be played through the Coaxial out. I wanted to connect the SONY to my Loxije D40 DAC, but I found out, a HDMI-port running HDMI-protocol isn't compatible with HDMI-port running I²S-protocol. 🤔 Luckily I found a converter box on AliExpress, that does a conversion. Otoh I could have connected directly to my AVR, which has true HDMI ports, but then I'd use the internal DAC of the AVR, which wasn't what I wanted. I bought the SONY, because I wanted to try out SACD, play DSD and I needed a new Blu-Ray player and options that can do all of that are kinda rare. But at €250 (Amazon) with the Bluetooth/LDAC option and all the other features you mentioned, this was really a good buy and I'm very happy with it. 😀

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great information. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@peteberry3826]

My only complaint about using blu ray player is the lack shuffle/random play options on blu ray players. Especially if you plug in an external hard drive.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Good point!

[@ENGLISHISBEST]

No!. a cd player dedicated for music & looks sleeker in a set up. The Marantz cd6007 matches my Marantz set up with its great dac plus I can add my hundreds of flac albums via its usb slot.

[@ForeverAnalog]

CD players often do look a lot better in systems than blu ray players lol

[@robertlewsley6363]

Great video. Do check out the Yamaha BD-S681 which has an LCD display so it can be used without a screen when playing Cds. Has RCA and digital outputs. Also has a CD mode for better CD playback.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you. I will definitely check it out!

[@Unicorn-ST]

I mainly agree with you. I bought a Blu-Ray player. In fact I considered to buy exactly the same as you, but finally I decided to buy a second one Blu-Ray player Yamaha BD-A1040, that allow to me to listen to CD, SACD, HDCD, DVD, DVD-A, Blu-Ray Audio, and also USB drives or DLNA connections … And it also have their own DAC and RCA analogue output, and I really noticed it’s much better than the AVR ones I am so happy with this, but recently I bough and Musical Fidelity amplifier and CD player and the playing reproduction is incredible good. I think also better than SACD, despite the multichannel ones

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@dwcinnc]

For years, I have tried to tell the difference in sound quality playing CDs on a vintage or modern CD player, a DVD player, a BluRay player, a PC with optical drive, or playing wav files streamed from a NAS but can't decide on the difference.. It is fun trying anyway. Regarding various connection types, I have an early Sony BluRay player with HDMI, optical, coaxial, RGB analog video and analog RCA stereo. Drawbacks with it is that it is slow reading discs, file codecs are limited and the streaming capabilities are out of date and now virtually useless. I think it was one of the least expensive BluRay players on the market at the time and was about 200 dollars.

[@RUfromthe40s]

digital players evolved a lot but cd players not just a litle improvement, just try a dat recorder from the 80´s and the high-end of 2000´s minidisc recorders and then tell me what sounds bettter, regards

[@hugobloemers4425]

I think that if you are in to vintage HiFi, the no brainier is to buy a vintage CD player. I paid $40,- for a Technics CD player with their "MASH DAC". I use the analog out to connect to my vintage Luxman amplifier and feel no need for an external DAC because it sounds perfectly fine to me.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. You are right, so much of this depends on what gear is being used, especially when talking vintage!

[@adaboy4z]

I have a First run MASH Technics player. Plays wonderful sounds great. Thrift store find for $12!!

[@hugobloemers4425]

@J G The nice thing is then also that you can stop buying :)

[@rosielupita5230]

I have one Technics Mash and it has 18 bit.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@ForeverAnalog vintage is better because it´s more afordable but to meet a 78 amplifier from a good brand today one had to spend several thousands of €´s to meet it´s 70´s sound ,also the phono stage on the 70´s amp. is far better than any modern amp. thats why preamp.´s are bought to meet good vintage material without spending a fortune

[@ianstyring9602]

First time I've watched your content and this was a very interesting video, so you have a new subscriber :)

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you, Ian!

[@trevorbartram5473]

So the choice of DAC matters, make sure you listen to your players (as I did) before making the final selection. Don't throw out your old players with a weak laser (skipping etc?). A Blu-ray player that no longer plays Blu-rays will often still play DVD & CDs fine. Same for DVD players, they may play CDs fine. A have several players were the use case has been down graded in this fashion. I have no experience with 4K UHD discs, so some experimentation (or expert advice) is required there. Good luck.

[@johncain7949]

Thanks for confirming what I have known for sometime, blu-ray players are the way to go. I compared my early Carver CD player and my Onkyo carousel CD player to my Sony blu-ray player. The Sony was clearly better! I also have a new Sony 4K blu-ray player and it is better still! I'm a big fan of blu-ray music concerts. Watching in 4K on my Sony 75" 4K TV and my Sony 7 channel receiver through Paradigm speakers (proudly Canadian) and I am in heaven! I am a prog rocker from way back, listening to I Robot by the Alan Parsons Project on CD in surround sound is other worldly. Thanks for another great video! John from Canada

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you John. Your set up is impressive!

[@bryfar6178]

I still use my recapped Carver c4000 pre amp with sonic holograghy from 1980. I Robot record has amazing soundstage with just 2 Magnepan 1.7i s, but that is one recording that sure must blow away with surround.

[@johncain7949]

Trust me it does. Other other bands that sound great in surround sound are Kraftwerk, Jean Michael Jare and Vangeles. Carver always made quality products going back to Phase Linear. Also love Maggie's.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I have a Carver preamp from the early 80s that I’m going to make a video about one day. It still has a VCR input!

[@bryfar6178]

@@ForeverAnalog The c4000 has 2 phono stages, MM & MC, 2 Aux, tuner, processor inputs, built in headphone amp, time delay spkr amp, etc & MANY control features. I bought it new 1980. Always been happy with it. Also have the Carver M400 cube amp. 200 wpc. Drives the low sensitivity Magnepans well, but would love the high end tube amp he makes these days.

[@bobe3250]

I'm with you. I own many CD players and 3 blu-ray players. I use the blu-ray players more often. If I had only one choice blu-ray would be mine.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I was surprised that I enjoyed the Blu-ray player more!

[@CptnKremmen]

Yep, I was thinking of buy this very Sony Blu-ray player for all of the reasons that you have given here - it just makes more sense for me as I have an HDMI AV receiver.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thank you for watching!

[@michaelcharles5273]

Thank you for the information ❤

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for watching!

[@Ni5ei]

For a $300+ Blu-ray player I think the lack of a display is unacceptable.

[@bryanmathew2079]

😮Ya

[@stevet7487]

My blu-ray players have always had displays.

[@Jasonmadcow666]

I found the biggest problem was to find a DVD player with a play button or that would play the music directly. In general, the ones I tried *REALLY* needed a TV attached to see what you're doing (and for configuration is mandatory)

[@ForeverAnalog]

Very true! Thanks for watching!

[@photonqopt]

For me, not having to turn on a TV when I play a CD is why I prefer a CD player to a DVD/Blu-ray player for music. I found a few CD players (under 300 dollars) with a digital output . I hope to be able to hook up one of them to my soundbar via an optical cable.

[@337336324317313306]

Good points - plus a lot of CDs these days come with a Blu-Ray or DVD with surround mixes and bonus content. I would never go out and look for a modern CD player, but I still think my setup needs a CD changer for those times I want to listen to a 3-4 CD boxset all in a row and not get up 3 times. I'll be going used for that. And I've already got a Bluray player for 20 bux!

[@ForeverAnalog]

I love CDs for listening to live concerts.

[@337336324317313306]

@@ForeverAnalog Same, and imo part of making the best hifi setup is making it work for you so a CD changer is necessary for the 2 CD albums! At least for me. Not arguing with the point of the video either. Glad I found this

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for watching. My first CD player was a 5 disc carousel!

[@sharonsmith2771]

@@ForeverAnalog i still use my Sony 5 disc carousel. Also have a Yamaha 5 disc.I do not like the single players. I like to program my songs.

[@devononair]

"Fatiguing" is a good description of a Cambridge Audio CD player. I had a 640A CD player and I really disliked the bright, fatiguing sound. I swapped it for a vintage Pioneer PD-S703 and it was much smoother and comfortable at high volumes.

[@davidwatts6478]

This Blu-Ray Payer has more audio options available from the HDMI connections than the coaxial connection. If you have an older receiver with the 6 channel (5.1 Surround) or 8 channel (7.1 Surround) analog inputs , the two can be connected via the Essence, Evolve II-4k HDMI v2.0b Multi-Channel DAC. This allows me to play 2 channel & Multichannel SACDs, MLP Lossless 5.1 DVDs, and other surround options. Just make sure the player's BD/DVD Viewing Settings are set to DVD-Audio, and the Music Settings are set to Super Audio CD and DSD Multi.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome thank you. I’m a two channel stereo guy for now but might get back into 5.1 at some point!

[@mikexcopeland]

I just picked up an older Panasonic DVD player at Goodwill for $12, as a CD transport (using optical out) and I love it!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. It’s a lot of fun finding these for so cheap.

[@bobf6763]

Same here. It came with a remote, even displays the track number on the front of the player, and my DVD player was only $5! Sound is beautiful, too.

[@shanemay3797]

I have a mid 1990's sony component stereo system TA-AV 561A which has a 51 cd jukebox CDP-CX571, separate tape deck am/fm radio & amp, it currently runs 3 speaker channels plus the sub & is capable of adding another two speakers. If I remember rightly in 1993 it was a $2000 Australian dollar system that I picked off of Ebay 6-8 years ago for about $300 AUD in good working order and I've added another Denon DCM-340 5 cd disk player from a garage sale for another $20 & a pawnshop Playstation 3. I just need now to finish off my system with a good blu-ray player & a good record player & to enjoy my system more often. It may not be a High end system by today's standards, but it can do the job of what I ask of it after working.

[@ForeverAnalog]

It's not about how much we spend, but how much we enjoy listening to our systems. Thanks for watching!

[@zam200864]

Appreciate the explanations

[@Sunshine_Superman]

Sorry, but this is only good advice up to a price point and for a A/v applications that want CD/SACD/DVDA playback For people with a dedicated 2 channel systems ‘out with a budget end system’ then a blu-player isn’t going to cut it. I mean for resolving systems where it’s easy to tell the difference between sources.

[@ForeverAnalog]

You’re right that when it comes to audio advice it’s always first dependent on the owner’s system level! Thanks for watching.

[@Sunshine_Superman]

@@ForeverAnalog Thanks, my man, fair reply. Respect.

[@oscarc9755]

Love this blu ray 4K player. I collect dvd, blu ray , 4K and blu ray 3D films , so it’s perfect. It can also read all different format of music, flac or m4a etc.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@DarkShroud24]

@@borakurt13 Sony's current upscaling in these players is really good. The Sony BD player in the video is the UBP-X800M2, I have the UBP-X700 and it does amazing even with older DVDs.

[@shotgunmasterQL]

I currently switched up my setup since my modern receiver broke, so I'm currently using an older (but high quality) all analog Tandberg amp and the headphone out from my TV for most digital sources. I'm no DAC expert, but thankfully the DAC in the TV sounds pretty okay, not as good and clean as my AVR's, though. Slightly "fatiguing" I guess, but the sound isn't muddy or dull. However, for CD use I'm now using a Sony DVD DVR I originally bought from a thrift store for digitizing VHS tapes. I also do some retro gaming, and while I don't mainly use the DVR for any of that stuff, I have experimented with its video transcoding/conversion capabilities, which seem to be very good. So since the analog video output quality seems to be really clean and well handled, I assume the audio DAC should also be up to that par. I think the analog output from that DVR through the all analog amp now sounds a bit better for CDs than my previous setup. The amp probably also influences that as well, since my speakers are bright, my old AVR used to be slightly bright as well, while this Tandberg amp is definitely warmer. But I would definitely prefer the DVR's DAC over my TV's. If I want to just have some noise while doing stuff, loading up my rips through the TV is easy and even for some quick listening it's not bad, but if I get a new CD that I really want to listen to, it goes into the DVR and analog out to the amp.

[@imammarc]

I have a Sony UBP-X700 Blueray player sitting in my garage and hooked it up to my Denafrips Ares II DAC and was really impressed with how it sounded. My Cambridge Audio CXC transport is a bit more revealing but only on some recordings that have that extra info to give. But in most listening situations the Sony does really good. The only part that was a little disappointing was the usb playback. It is capable of playing hi resolution but you have to manually switch the sample rate in the settings. It doesn’t do it automatically. Anyway. Thanks for the video!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing!

[@mircobalzano2455]

Thanks for your great video as allways! I must say you didn't convince me .. LOL :) I still prefer dedicated CD player because, listening music is my screen-free moment of the day. One more thing: what do you think about reliability? CD players looks much better built. Big hug

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching. The thing I enjoy most about this hobby is that everyone has their own likes/dislikes when it comes to audio gear! I just love when someone has something they really like listening to like you do. I can't speak too much to reliability but all my old vintage CD players would eventually have problems with the lasers dying and not being affordable to replace. So I would think a new laser in a modern player would be more reliable, no matter if inside a CD or blu-ray player!

[@kalayongyuanOK]

In my opinion I still like an ordinary CD player because bluray player front panel lack some buttons like skip, pause, repeat, shuffle etc. But I respect your opinion too.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

Front panel, is that a Joke ? We all run playlists, Lossless Audio, press tracks, lol, you read displays on it too, or use the remote for that, LOL !

[@kalayongyuanOK]

@@lucasRem-ku6eb I don’t read display panel lol, it’s just that I like pressing buttons on players like what Techmoan said. Also I’m not talking anything like playlist, streaming as this has nothing to do with CD players lol. What I’m commenting here is sharing my thoughts on why I like ordinary CD players from the 80s and 90s thru the 2000s rather than boring designs today.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

@@kalayongyuanOK i hate Techmoan, sorry, i repair old synthesizers and chips etc, effect boxes, Amega, for COOL PEOPLE only. lol I never needed streaming services online, Radio only, kiis fm, keep myself fresh. All lossless streaming here is by myself, needing non compressed streaming only, having control over my own tracks.

[@kalayongyuanOK]

@@lucasRem-ku6eb well then that’s your opinion. A well mastered CD can sound better and in fact all my CDs are 80s first pressed that were made excellent compared to CDs today with loudness war.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

@@kalayongyuanOK I love creative people, music is my passion, coding games too. We need old gear for that. Cool ?

[@Cartier_specialist]

I just bought an Oppo 83 and called it done. It will play everything you mentioned plus HDCDs which I do own several of.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@kevintomb]

Early 2000s Panasonic DVD players rock. They beat everything for display, buttons on panel and still have very good sound!

[@ForeverAnalog]

I’ll keep my eye out!

[@mrfroopy]

I'm sorry but did I miss you discussing using the analog outs of the Blu-Ray player into the preamp? I don't have a preamp with a dac and I think the Cambridge player sounds good analog out to my reciever. Every single Blu-Ray player I ever had running analog to my receiver sounded horrible and headache inducing.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I might not have tied that together well, apologies, but when I discuss the fatiguing sound of the Woflson DAC in the Cambridge CD player when listening to the Beatles and Pink Floyd, that's when I have the RCA analog outputs connected from the CD player to the preamp. The Emotiva DAC in the preamp smoothed those sounds out for me for this comparison video.

[@mrfroopy]

@@ForeverAnalog The point I am making is that this isn't apples to apples. Manyy eople don't have an outboard dac so I want to hear the Blu ray dac compared to the internal dac on the Cambridge. I get that the Emotiva is better and smoother but ..

[@kevingest5452]

@@mrfroopy the DVD player doesn't have analog outs.

[@masonb9788]

We have a lower priced Sony BluRay player. It’s connected to our TV via the hdmi. Then I take the analog outs from the TV to my receiver, an older Yamaha A/V receiver. I also take a optical out from the TV to the Receiver. Both methods sound really good. The receiver is about 20 years old and the Samsung TV is about 10 years old. No idea what kind of DAC is in either the receiver or the TV but they both sound fine and pretty much the same. The BluRay player has a nice TV interface and the other part I love is that I can load a USB drive with files (FLAC, MP3, WAV), plug it in the front and it will play them just fine using the same interface.

[@rosielupita5230]

Try using Toshiba DVD Player with high resolution 192 kbps and 24 bit specifications you will be surprised how your favorite will sound like a hi-fi recording. Just connet the audio out to cd audio-in of your pre-amp or directly to your integrated. Just make sure you use high grade interconnect and the cheap ones. I have been using the Toshiba dvd player for my 15 years. I did a blind test with my fellow audio friends a couple years ago. I covered my Toshiba and played my hi-fi jazz CDs and asked them to guess what hi-fi CD player I have on my tube amp stereo. All were wrong and shocked to know it was a Toshiba DVD playerm. All of them now own a Toshiba. We all get to play DVD concerts through our hi-fi audio gears with or without the video connected to the flat screen TV. Recently another friend bought and tried. He is very much satisfied. Try it and it only cost about $30 a piece.

[@ahlapski]

I don't know the rest of your system consist of, but I think part of the problem you've encountered with the Cambridge CD player is the preamp. If you connect directly the Cambridge to a half decent integrated amp then to a pair quality speakers. You will find the Cambridge sounds very much different from your experience. Fact is the Cambridge doesn't sound harsh; far from it. I know, because I own one. Just my two cents.

[@Chirpy85]

Im a huge film buff. I have a region free sony blu ray player and a panasonic 4kuhd blu ray player however I only sometimes play CDS on it. I mostly use those for movies. The reason for this is because I prefer listening to music on my high res headphones since I live in an apartment and I like having my music set up separate from my movie set up, my cds are in my den and the tv is in the living room. I own the new maraantz cd player and all my cds sound amazing on it. I am happy with it. Yes, I know it is the more expensive route but I am a passionate about movies and music, so I prefer keeping it all separate.

[@feeterican]

I have the same Sony blu-ray player and there also able to play Blu-Ray audio discs as well. What I really like is I'm able play any optical disc and also play video and music and pictures over the network using windows media player. It took a few minutes to get all the folders recognized and the blu-ray player to see it on the network. But for the most part with the new player and windows 10 I can play every file format that I have on my PC. Old blu-ray had trouble with some files not being recognized.

[@simeonbanner6204]

Ah thanks. I have a blue ray that often doesn't recognise discs. Glad somebody else has had the same problem.

[@gbrm6077]

I used a Sony Bluray player with digital output to a heavily upgraded belCanto DAC. It was really good. I then tried an Audiolab 6000CDT transport with the belCanto. There was no comparison. With the Audiolab, the imaging was very defined in space, not vague like the Sony. The sound stage was deeper, wider and there was so much more detail in the midrange and treble. The music was not veiled as with the Sony. These tests were conducted in a dedicated, treated, stereo room, with really good equipment. The results may not be as dramatic in different systems.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I would like to get a hold of a 6000CDT soon. Nice to see they are currently $100 off.

[@MrKentaroMotoPI]

Just add some Shun Mook Mpingo Discs and you have arrived!

[@AT-wl9yq]

@@MrKentaroMotoPI I tried those and didn't hear a difference. But the transport he recommends above will make a big difference.

[@user-lt1nj7nq4z]

I have the same set up, m800 for films & Audiolab 600CDT albeit into an small Arcam external DAC and entirely agree with your experience. The Audiolab is head & shoulders above the Sony for CD playback even though the Sony is linked directly to a fairly high end Arcam receiver.

[@clivepacker]

This is ok if you’re Joe Blow buying cheap crappy gear from anyone. Guess what? All cheap crappy gear is cheap and crappy. Even Cambridge make basic stuff although not as mainstream as Sony. True audiophiles will know that a dedicated CD player at a more typical price point will always always perform better than any video player. Get an Emotiva ERC 4 and you’d never look at the Sony again. Evaluating sound quality at the $300 price point is pretty meaningless. It’ll all be “ok”. You don’t have to spend a ton more to do way better. But there is a huge return on investment in moving from $300 to $1000

[@TriAmpHiFi]

The Sony has no DAC...............It's a streaming, all digital media player. The Emotiva ERC4 is $650, a $325 transport & $325 dac in one crappy chassis of chinese junk, It can't even play Lossless, SACD's, HDMI or DSD. 🔈🔉🔊

[@jikenj]

Good video some good info there couple years back I bought a Xbox One s because of the Blu-ray and connectivity of course it's in my living room setup I recommend the Steven Wilson gentle giant pure audio of the power and the glory thanks.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching!

[@davespagnol8847]

I bought a Cambridge Audio One unit a few years back. It combines an audio amplifier, with FM and DAT radio, Bluetooth and a CD player. It's sound quality is very good, but its weakness is the slot-entry CD player, which sounds good when it works, but rejects some CDs, while others jam in it. And it doesn't allow segues between tracks, there's always a gap. It has one RCA analogue input, a USB input, an optical digital input and a coaxial digital input. My record player has the RCA input, an old computer that I repurposed as a media centre has the USB input, and the TV has the optical digital input. I have a Panasonic blu-ray player which also combines a PVR. I thought I'd try playing a CD through it. It was OK-ish. Then I checked round the back of the unit and it had a coaxial digital output, which I connected to the only unused input on the amp, and the sound was great. There's just about enough info in its window to navigate from track to track on a CD. To be honest, unless the transport playing a CD is an absolute dog, I can't see how it can make too much difference to the sound quality, which, as you observed, is mostly dependent on the DAC. Not that I play CDs that often, I rip them to FLAC on my main computer then transfer them over a local network to the media centre computer. But it's useful to have the facility and not to have to worry about how the Audio One will react to every new CD.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for watching and for sharing!

[@briannewell6064]

Just buy an Oppo and yer done.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah but whew some Oppos are getting up there in price!

[@bricktonyb]

Absolutely!

[@bricktonyb]

@@ForeverAnalog If you can find them.

[@paulmcwilliams8641]

I bought the same machine about 18 months ago, because I wanted to try SACDS, but found that dedicated SACD players prices were pure madness. I only have a small collection of SACDs and DVDADs and probably won't be increasing them much. It is mainly used for my FLAC files stored on a solid state hard drive, therefore no moving parts. The Sony feeds my Yamaha A-S801 amp which powers my Revel speakers and the system is really just for listening to music, although I have a TV and satellite receiver connected too. I just can't be bothered with records any longer.

[@ForeverAnalog]

The whole SACD thing is just…complicated and annoying lol.

[@MrDegsy69]

@@ForeverAnalog could not agree more. Open source FLAC is the way to go and is now almost a defacto music industry standard like AIFF. Give me a open source Volumio or Kodi equipped media player over this locked down pigs garbage any old day.

[@ibdam1]

Great info. Thank you.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for watching!

[@boss123400]

I plug anything with video into the TV HDMI to let it process the video and send the sound out via arc for the receiver to process. Straight sound into the receiver first. 4k Blu Ray and 4k Apple TV into Sony a90j for processing. Makes it almost like separates ;)

[@marcbegine]

I got the Sony X1100ES, got also analog output (Ok bit more expensive), great sound😎

[@silvershadow4965]

I have this as well. It makes more sense for playing SACDs since the player is decoding the SACD layer as opposed to sending it digitally to another DAC which may not decode SACD.

[@pumasgoya]

I used a Pioneer Elite BluRay player for years. It was getting old and took forever to load though so I switched it out for a Samsung DVD player which sounds just as good. I like the Minor Threat print.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you. The artist is Nathan McKee!

[@Coneman3]

This makes a lot of sense unless you have a very high end system and want a hi end CD transport like a Jays Audio one. But a good blu Ray player makes a pretty good CD transport.

[@rbattson7171]

My 3o year old technics cd player started playing up! Didn't want to spend £250-300 replacing it. Went on line, for cheaper alternatives., found a guy who went to Asda(Walmart in the U. S.) bought a basic 'Asda tech' dvd player £20 with hdmi function, but unlike some it has rca connectors, so no dac required. I bought one! Set it up to my 35 year old harmo/kardon amp, it sounds great, saved myself at least £225 still grinning.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Thank you for sharing!