Best sounding / highest build quality 5 CD Changer?

I have an Onkyo 5 Disc CD changer that I bought 4 or 5 years ago. I paid somewhere between $250 and $300 for it. I chose this changer solely because it integrated well with my Onkyo receiver. Other than being a 5 disc player, it's nothing special. It works well and it does everything it's supposed to do, but I've never really liked it because it feels cheap - it doesn't weigh as much as the single disc player it replaced and that bothers me for some reason... Personally, I would choose something other than Onkyo. I would try out a Denon first. I think CD's played on my Denon DVD player sound good.

Since you're accustomed to the superior sound of the Arcam gear, why don't you pair any one of those changers with a nice outboard DAC, a la Benchmark's DAC1?

None of those. The most solidly-built 5-disc changer I've seen in the while is the Rotel RCC-1055. $700 though. But the transport doesn't feel cheap and flimsy like Denon and Marantz and it's one tank of a player if you must have a carousel. It also sounds great, which is the most important thing. It uses the same DACs and output stage as the single-disc RCD-1072, but lacks the torroidal power transfomer. As far as 5-disc changers go, you really don't see anything higher-end than that.

Did you like the Sony ES model?

I have a CDP-CA70ES that I think sounds great.

Dante743.

I have been seriously considering purchasing the Rotel 1055, changer and was going to pull the trigger on one until my dealer said that Rotel is revamping it and coming out with a new version in a month or two, (actually was told the end of March, but that has come and gone), that is supposed to be significantly better. Price should stay the same so I am told.

Onkyo DX-C390.

The Marantz 5 CD changers are built solid and heavy. I have the CC4300 which I use as transport with an external DAC. It's analog out also sounds great, but not with the smoothest treble - owning to the outdated NJM DAC - and can sound fatiguing over time.

I could not find any reviews of the new Marantz CC4001 5 disk carousel changer. The CC4001 looks cosmetically like the CC4300, but has better specs, a detachable power cord and a much better DAC.

Incidently, the single-disk CD5001 received excellent user feedback at AudioReview. Click here for the reviews. Both the CC4001 and the CD5001 share the "SACD Grade" Cirrus Logic CS4392 DAC and I would imagine they would sound pretty similar.

But I would be interested in the opinions of anyone who has tried the CC4001.

Perhaps I can help.......not more than two hours ago I stood at my front door taking delivery of a Marantz CC4001 from the FedEx driver; I bought a "referb" unit for $218 and change (that includes shipping to Seattle) from Accessories4less; it looks as if it might have been a return...there is a slight unpretentious scratch on the front, left corner face. Otherwise it's "new" is every way. Service from Accessories4less was extraordinarily exceptional...I definitely recommend them without any hesitation !....but that's another story.

As I type this I am listening to Donald Fagen on the new Marantz.......Yikes !!!

The first thing that strikes me about the CC4401 is the how noisy the carousel is in operation. I bought the Marantz because I need something to replace a Harmon Kardon Model 25 DVD player which I had been using temporarily as a replacement for an older Onkyo DX-5500 CD player which went belly up for the second time. Rather than take the Onkyo in again for service and shell out, at bare minimum, another C note, I decided to temporarily make due with the HK DVD player until I decided what to do about buying a new dedicated CD player. Incidentally I found the sound from the HK to be rich, full and well rounded. In retrospect I might have done better to continue to use the Harmon Kardon as the CD player and just get a new DVD player. ( if anyone is interested......I REALLY liked that old Onkyo player.......both the "face" of the unit, and the remote, each have individual track selection buttons (1-20) providing direct access to every track individually.......also the Onkyo has a separate volume knob, again, on both the unit face AND remote......GREAT feature when your across the room and want to adjust volume !!).

Anywho......I decided to replace the Onkyo. I wasn't necessarily interested in a carousel....but the price on the CC4401 from Accessories4less is remarkable......and feedback at Audio Review on the CD5001 was good. ( Both the CC4001 and the CD5001 share the "SACD Grade" Cirrus Logic CS4392 DAC as noted above.....and I too imagined they would sound pretty similar. ). So there you have it......and now I own the CC4401.

Without further ado..... my first impressions : the mid-range is hollow (even a bit "muddy") and over emphasized . Overall this player just simply lacks the depth, balance and richness I am used to enjoying. The remote is the cheapest (read: "flimsy") acccesory I have ever seen ! As noted above the noise from the carousel while operational is disconcerting, but to be fair I have never owned a carousel before, so pehaps I need to allow some time for "adjustment". On the plus side the unit certainly is hefty......Marantz is known for build quality; my first receiver was a 30 watt Marantz made back in the late 70's; it was a notable work horse......probably cost about $200 bucks new! I kind of wish I still had it around for the spare bedroom....but alas, it went by the way of a trade-in as I continued to upgrade.

I will follow up with new thoughts and impressions as my experience with the Marantz CC4401 progresses.

- regards to all !

I read good things about the yamaha c750. One review right here:
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/t...amaha-dvd-c750
It also does sacd and dvd-audio. I would like to demo it but I personally can not find it anywhere locally. I Think i may just end up buying it anyway at the end of the month. Crutchfield has it for $299. I'm sure you could find it for cheaper if you are into bargain hunting.

P.S. Is there anyone who owns (has experience with) this unit and would like to chime in in terms of how it compares to the other players listed in this thread?

For the time being the CD changer with the highest built quality is the Rotel 1055, but it's more expensive than any Yamaha, Marantz, Denon, Soy, H/K or Onkyo changers.

I've own different changers and based on my previous experience my two personal recommendations are the following:

1.- Avoid the H/K 8385FL. I own one and its construction quality is very poor.
2.- Denon, Marantz and Onkyo CD changers are more robust than any Yamaha or Sony changers.

Regarding the sound quality, this is more related to personal taste and preference than anything else.

I would be happy with the Denon DCM-390 or the Onkyo DX-C390.

Diamondback1,
Thanks for your first impressions on the Marantz CC4001.

Is the sound of your CC4001 carousel grinding?

When changing CDs my (non-refurb) Marantz CC4300 makes a pretty audible sound that is not unpleasant. However, some people with refurb units have reported a grinding noise that I have never experienced.

As to the initial impression of the sound, I remember initially my Marantz did not sound smooth at all (it actually sounded a bit rough and congested in the mids). But after some 20 hours or so the sound began to smooth out considerably.

Could you post your impressions after some 20 hours or so?

The addition of Vibrapods made a noticeable improvement to my CC4300. If you have the time, could you roll up a few of sheets of newpaper into a couple of cylinders and place them under the Marantz and let me know if you notice a difference.

Thanks,

When the carousel moves there is no grinding noise........just the sound of the machinations of the system as it rotates into position to align the selection. To be fair, I am accustomed to a single disc unit with a tray that slides in and out silently and not the sound of mechanical turning as the carousel rotates. It will take some time for me to adjust.

Interestingly enough, as I continue to listen to more music I detect a change in sound quality........an improvement. After several hours, while listening to some jazz ( Billy Holiday, Verve Silver Collection) I noticed more separation in the mid range......and more harmony between all the various ranges. The mid definitely is more expanded now....I can hear the separate instruments with more clarity; the muddy and hollow tone has nearly "evaporated" and the overall sound has a much richer quality....the mid no longer stands out with a distinct hollow auditory "uniqueness" . There is now a real overall "studio quality" to the entire sound......significantly more round, full, and natural.......with an impressive integration of all the ranges ! I am actually quite pleased at this point with the unit. I am presently on the verge of giving the Marantz CC4001 my whole-hearted endorsement; it is sounding extraordinary at the moment.

I have gone back and re-listened to the first CD I played on the new unit, Donald Fagen's "Night Fly".....the improvement in sound quality is like night and day.

Is this a typical phenomena with new CD players ? Is there a "break in" period that often accompanies the introduction of a new CD component into a system ?
I would be curious to hear about others experience with this.

- regards

Diamondback1,
Rest assured the mechanical sound of the CD changing is "normal" for these Marantz carousel changers.

Your experience with the Marantz CC4001 seems to echo those of the reviewers of the CD5001 (in AudioReview) - that the sound quality improves after initial use.

The "enlightened AVS gurus" on this forum will say it's all in your head. I'm not sure I agree with them becaue my experience has told me otherwise.

One factor I'm absolutely convinced does cause nasty sound is a new soldered joint. Whenever I've soldered a new part (like a capacitor in the signal path in my amp) there is an initial period of congestion which deminishes quickly (within 10 hours or so). This may be partly what you are hearing, and also conditioning of the mechanical parts - since your player is brand new.

Your choice of music, Donald Fagan/Steely Dan, is great for auditioning audio components as that band's CDs are always of the highest quality. In a good CD player you should hear the attack and decay of percussion independantly from the other players in the band. In fact in Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters" is used as a reference by many audiophiles. With the vocals singing "Shake It!", the sound of the attack and decay of the cymbal that is hit simultaneously should not be obscured. This is a good test of PRAT (pace, rhythm and timing).

The concept of "break-in" is pretty controversial. The enlightened gurus say this is a snake oil concept invented by evil cable vendors, designed to keep you from returning their cable before the 30 day return period. My own experience is with cables is that they also "condition" over time. I'm not sure if its due to resonance causing miniscule physical changes or whether its due to the dielectric actually "breaking in". The concept of "dielectric biasing" seems to be catching on in the audio-enthusiast circles. If this this was purely snake oil, I'm not sure why such cables (for example the Audioquest DBS) have such a high demand and resale value in eBay.

Thanks again for your good review. That is the first review of the CC4001 I have seen anywhere.

Cheers,

I am really curious to hear ur experience since ur last post. U r the only one who seems to be writing about this player, which a lot of folks are considering buying... which includes me.
Is it still growing on you?
Did you ever do an A/B with ur DVD player?
Or a different music style?
I am in a dilemma as to which player to buy. I dont have the mega bucks for the Rotels etc. My choices are b/w Onkyo 390, Denon 390, Marantz 5001 and 4001. Your help will be highly appreciated.

Thanks.

I'm prepared now to give the Marantz CC4001 my full endorsement....my system has never sounded so good ! Today I played June Christie, Nancy Wilson and Linda Ronstadt's " 'round Midnight " ( with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra ).....if any flaws were going to be revealed surely they would have been evident with this last recording.....with the soaring, penetrating vocals and those Nelson Riddle Big Band arrangements. I'm just stunned at how good everything sounds !

Now I have Beethoven's 9th ( 3rd movement ) playing......the soundstage is fabulous ! Tomorrow I will play some rock and do an A/B with the Harman Kardon DVD player, that is now hooked up to the upstairs TV . I'll report back with further
information on the unit within the next few days.

This unit was steal at the price I bought it for......and I am transfixed by the quality of the sound at the moment.

- Regards

Fantastic. Thats what I was hoping for. I agree, for the price it seems like a really good deal. Have you thrown any mp3s at it. If I am not mistaken, doesnt it play those too.
I will look forward to future impressions from you, once u run thru some rock... enjoy.

Peace.
Thanks Chris...

Hi,

In some other forum somebody wrote that the cc4001 mechanism is very noisy while playing. Is that so?

greetz

You may want to consider getting a decent mid-price changer and use it with a separate DAC. Good used DACS (Bel Canto, Benchmark, etc.) can be had for $500-800 at Audiogon.

The new revision RCC-1055 also adds MP3 playback. I have one of the older RCC-1055s sitting in my showroom and haven't had any transport problems with it yet (it was probably built before the "bad" production run). Rock solid piece of gear.

I'd be shocked if the CD changer didnt make noise especialy when I preesed disc and i didnt hear it changing!

I dont have a CD changer anymore! the JVC stereo I had gotten in like 2006 was not good
cd/dvdchanger ATE DVD's I just started re-using my old DVD player and stereo!

Just wanted to say thanks for giving me hope. I also have this model Marantz as was excited to get it. Flung open the package and was happy with how heavy the unit was (CD players are so light now) and the over all build quality on it. The remote is cheese, but I just put it in the universal I use and voila...nice remote.

Then I popped in some music...and I was upset. I prefered the sound of my Sony upconverting DVD player using the H/K DAC in my receiver to the new Marantz's sound. I am happy to hear that it gets better after being used for a while.

One problem I am still having though is the player is VERY skip happy on even slightly scratched discs...also it does not play dual disc content.

Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks

Ty

I too own the Marantz, I went from a low end Sony to the CC4001. I now experience the open soundstage, and hear the seperate instruments in Jazz, classical music, etc. Granted Im using good cables as well, to include Signal PowerCord, and Signal Cable Silver IC's so that may make a difference to some, and not others. The player is rather noisy only during disc changes, not during playback of any sort. Then again I wouldnt say it was too noisy as to think something was wrong with the player. I purchased a CC4300 and experienced the grinding etc, sent it back to audioavisor and went back to the Sony before going to the new CC4001. Im all for it, and may even try using an outboard DAC to see if the player has even more potential.

I always thought it was odd that most high-end brands don't make CD changers. The mechanics are not rocket science and really shouldn't sacrifice sound quality. Are they assuming audiophiles have no friends and thus no parties, and no love life, thus would never be too "busy" to get up and change the disc?

I've been using a Sony changer circa 1993, and am curious how much a Rotel will improve the sound. Hard to find one used for under $400 though.

I'd go with this suggestion given the requirements.
There aren't many changer which I'd consider using as a transport, another is a the Sony DVPNC555ES.
The Benchmark DAC is quite superb.

The nice thing about the Onkyo is they are the only company to make a 6 disk changer. Mine is about 15 yrs old and doesn't have a digital output. I was looking for a replacement but the one feature I like and can't seem to find is a number pad that allows me to go to track 7 without hitting the forward button 7 times. I've used a few other players and noticed a sound improvement but I think I may hold off and go with a media server instead of a new CD changer.

I recently purchased a second Marantz CC4001 CD changer, after previously purchasing another unit that behaved very badly (high noise levels or would not load disk track information). The latter just got worse as time went on, so I returned it (my guess is that the laser was dying).

Before buying this new player, I compared several dedicated CD players at a small local audio-only retailer. I found the CC4001 (and its single-play sibling, the CD5001) compared very well with the NAD 542 and the NAD C525BEE single disk players. There was no problem of any kind playing some of my CDs and CD-Rs with any of these. The final choice was again based on the 5 disk changer capability of the CC4001 -- something I had gotten very spoiled with over the years with my old Sony CDP-CE545. It was interesting to me that the store owner and the two other store personnel all agreed that the Marantz players were every bit the equal of the NAD players, based on a lot more comparison time than I had. They gave the NADs a possible slight edge for circuitry, and the Marantz players an edge for overall build quality.

The new CC4001 at home has been an excellent player. I have tried out dozens of our CDs and CD-Rs, and they have all played beautifully. I have found the sound to be very smooth and clean, with some evident improvements over our (slowly dying) Sony CE545, as well as our Denon DVD/CD player in our TV room. One disk that really showed off the Marantz was the "Lord of the Dance" CD. This has a lot of high energy tracks, especially at the frequency extremes; my wife and I used it a lot to audition speakers some twelve years ago (we settled on Linn towers for our music room). The smooth decay of dance step ambient sounds in the midst of strong music is really impressive with the Marantz. Very low bass frequencies also seem better reproduced on some CDs. The only times I have heard congested sound from this player is with CDs that aren't that well recorded in the first place (typically, recorded-in excessive high frequency levels). The Marantz won't fix any built-in problems with poor CDs, but it will play high quality CDs in a way that makes us smile.

I like the small remote for this player. It isn't cluttered with nearly useless buttons and it is very easy to use. However, I wish the player had a Program button on its front panel, not just on the remote. That is a shortcoming I've found on a lot of CD players. I must give credit to Sony for its superior operating designs -- I'm going to miss that shuttle/jog dial on the front panel.

Although the CD drawer noise is comparable to the Sony's, the 5-disk tray is much quieter, faster, and more precise. One shortcoming of the Marantz player is a fairly dim display that is very hard to read from across the room. Actually, the display itself isn't bad (the Denon 390 also uses it), but the display faceplate filter attenuates the brightness.

Oh, yes, and the Marantz is one of the heaviest players I have seen. It has very good build quality, and one very massive power transformer inside.

Overall, I find the Marantz CC4001 to be an excellent dedicated CD player without even considering its relatively low price. It also has the convenience of a programmable 5-disk changer, without any associated sonic drawbacks (nor should there be). We are very, very happy with our choice.