Thread: SACD Player with a built in pre-amp. What??

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Post by Kal Rubinson April 18, 2013 (21 of 46)
The 8200CDQ is CD/2 channel only. A CD player with some "preamp" features. I see its value only as a stand-alone and not for anyone with a real system.

I appreciate your enthusiasm but you should learn more before spending money.

Post by Bicman April 18, 2013 (22 of 46)
Thanks Zeus. You run a fine website.

Post by Bicman April 18, 2013 (23 of 46)
Kal Rubinson said:

The 8200CDQ is CD/2 channel only. A CD player with some "preamp" features. I see its value only as a stand-alone and not for anyone with a real system.

I appreciate your enthusiasm but you should learn more before spending money.

I like the fact that the Audiolab 8200CDQ has a pre-amp, but really like it because, according to What HiFi?, is sounds better than the 8200CD. And the Audiolab 8200CD is What HiFi's award winner for its price range. Plus, the accolades from web based review sites of both CD players is wide spread.

The cost of the two is separated by only $400.00 here in Canada.

You are right, I am not quite sure of the pre-amp capabilities of the 8200CDQ, but I guess I will find out. For $400.00, or the cost of a months supply of cigarettes for the wife and I, I get a "pre-amp" and what ever configuration it comes in.

Post by stvnharr April 18, 2013 (24 of 46)
Bicman said:

I like the fact that the Audiolab 8200CDQ has a pre-amp,

Interesting unit for sure, and the preamp functions are a nice feature. But it does not play sacd's.

Post by Bicman April 18, 2013 (25 of 46)
stvnharr said:

Interesting unit for sure, and the preamp functions are a nice feature. But it does not play sacd's.

Yes, you are right. But it plays a mean CD and will also play 2 channel material from SACD Hybrids. Dire Straits SACD, Brothers in Arms plays really well on a CD player. But only the DSD stereo portion, not the multi-channel SACD portion.

Post by Bicman April 18, 2013 (26 of 46)
Kal Rubinson said:

The 8200CDQ is CD/2 channel only. A CD player with some "preamp" features. I see its value only as a stand-alone and not for anyone with a real system.

I appreciate your enthusiasm but you should learn more before spending money.

"In addition to the 8200CD, the 8200CDQ adds full preamp functionality whilst maintaining the same chassis size as the 8200CD. The existing digital inputs are joined by three line-level analogue inputs, providing source selection and volume control in the analogue domain. The preamplifier section is fully balanced and all analogue input signals are converted to balanced form, helping to reduce distortion and noise. Class A gain structures are present throughout, and users may choose between preamplification in the analogue or digital domain in respect of the digital inputs. In addition, the 8200CDQ adds a direct-coupled, discrete, Class A headphone amplifier, accessible via a socket on the front panel."

This from Audiolabs website. I'm not real experienced with pre-amps, but it sounds like a pre-amp to me.

The tuner in my receiver, Arcam AVR600 is noted as not being the best. I am hoping, keep my fingers crossed, that I can add a Audiolab tuner to the CD player. I haven't investigated this further, but it sounds like something I could do down the road.

Post by Kal Rubinson April 19, 2013 (27 of 46)
Bicman said:
Dire Straits SACD, Brothers in Arms plays really well on a CD player. But only the DSD stereo portion, not the multi-channel SACD portion.

No. A CD player cannot play the "DSD stereo portion." It can play only the CD-compatible hybrid layer.

Post by Bicman April 19, 2013 (28 of 46)
Kal Rubinson said:

No. A CD player cannot play the "DSD stereo portion." It can play only the CD-compatible hybrid layer.

I stand corrected. Thanks Kal.

Post by Bobpaule April 19, 2013 (29 of 46)
Since the A1UDCI with the fully balanced stereo pathway I feel the need to upgrade to an additional stereo balanced preamp with "processor bypass" to get a purer analog experience than my PR-SC5509 can provide. For a while i thought a new processor would help but a move to an SSP-800 or AVP-A1HDCI would be a step back from a video processing standpoint given the fabulous job the HQV Vida pulls on the 1200 DVD collection with a DVD-M100 server.

My candidates are solid state only:

1. AR MP1 (multichannel out of "print") or REF3
2. CP-700, last one before the Middle Kingdom digitalized USB reiterations.
3. MBL 5011

I keep looking but they are friggin pricey, add separate monoblocks, speaker switchers, additional interconnects and we are talking midsize sedan here:)

I guess i need to wait until my Viagra days after kids leave for college to start my analog forays.

Post by Kal Rubinson April 19, 2013 (30 of 46)
Bobpaule said:

Since the A1UDCI with the fully balanced stereo pathway I feel the need to upgrade to an additional stereo balanced preamp with "processor bypass" to get a purer analog experience than my PR-SC5509 can provide. For a while i thought a new processor would help but a move to an SSP-800 or AVP-A1HDCI would be a step back from a video processing standpoint given the fabulous job the HQV Vida pulls on the 1200 DVD collection with a DVD-M100 server.

My candidates are solid state only:

1. AR MP1 (multichannel out of "print") or REF3
2. CP-700, last one before the Middle Kingdom digitalized USB reiterations.
3. MBL 5011

I keep looking but they are friggin pricey, add separate monoblocks, speaker switchers, additional interconnects and we are talking midsize sedan here:)

I guess i need to wait until my Viagra days after kids leave for college to start my analog forays.

Consider the Parasound P7.

Kal (who just bought the last AR MP1)

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