Can A $20 Blu-ray Player Outperform A $500 Cd Player? Find Out With These Mods!

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0:00 Intro
0:32 Sneak Peak
0:47 What We Need
1:30 Sony Blu-ray
2:46 Add A Screen
3:53 No Buttons
4:22 The DAC Matters
6:22 The Not So Big Secret
7:06 Sony Issues
7:58 Drag Races
9:25 Build Quality

[apislapis]

I ain't throwing out any of my heritage formats 78s) just because some sales person tells me they're out of date or old hat and if anyone has any sense nor will they. Always love this sort of thing and if this helps young people starting out to show an interest in CD that's fabulous. They will learn that as they age the market will sell them perfectly good stuff then the market will tell them that their perfectly good stuff no longer is. Ignore them. Enjoy your music in whatever fomat and thank you Matt for bringing us enjoyment at an affordable price. 5 star liked.

[ForeverAnalog]

Adding the $40 screen is a great idea!

[DonnieMulligan]

When Skynet takes over, humans can still rock out with hard media.

[Peter-gcpm]

I have Pioneer PD S 707 as a CD transport. I was really surprised when it started playing music after a few seconds. I really appreciate that quick access to music.

[damayor]

Outstanding as always Matt. I'm using a few cheap Sony Blu-Ray players as transports into a variety of DACs and they sound great. Thank you for the tip on the small display for those players! I was surprised by how many of my friends who have vintage gear don't utilize the DAC set up you showed. A couple of my players feed into vintage Adcom systems and they sound amazing. Thank you and keep up the great work.

[SergioGarcia-jgyy]

I use to buy Sony cd players used. For me they're great because of the displays, features (program time accumulation, auto pause, quick reading and quick search, information about time, ...). Some have decent dacs inside but is common to have digital outputs also. The downside of them all is they're old and lenses, buttons and displays can fail anytime soon. I'm listening to a cd over a Sony dvd player and a SMSL SU1 dac right now and it sounds amazing.

[patrickgeorge]

I started back listening to vintage Kenwood recievers. On the cd route I have a few Sony ES model cd players I use as transports.
Moved on to an Onkyo DX-C390 6 disc player. I have the Integra CDC 3.4 as well and would suggest it over the Onkyo even though the are owned by the same company. The Integra is $400 versus the Onkyo at $350 yet the Onky has a 2 year warranty and the Integra has a 5 year warranty. Well worth the extra 50 bucks to me. Good video, keep em coming!

[kenlyon]

Hi Matt,
How timely. On a lark, I recently thought I'd see just how dirtbag I could go to build up a genuinely satisfying CD based system. I bought an SMSL DA1 amp, an SU1 dac and a no-name Chinese DVD player w/ a tiny display (Gokuid), all purchased new off Amazon and am currently awaiting arrival of a used pair of Wharfedale Diamond 6 off eBay. My total including interconnects and cables for well under. US$250
I really think it'll be pretty decent, esp in a smaller room.If nothing else, the tiny setup will be as cute as a puppy.

[stephenz.]

I rip the CD’s to an old PC, which has Audirvāna > stream to Wiim (multiple Wiim’s) > Schitt DAC > Stereo System. I love this setup. I can play music all over the house.

[phillipmeza]

Matt, I enjoy your content very much, thought I'd write a little... I do have a Sony BDP-S3700 (Blu-ray) that I forgot about! I recently connected it to my TCL 4K Roku TV along side my WiiM Ultra & XTZ "IcePower" Amp ELAC bookshelf's & Acoustic Audio Sub with a few Jazz & Classical Disc's, Its Sweet! Be Well!

[Downhuman]

I have to laugh at the people in this comments section saying they hear a massive difference in quality between a standard blu-ray player and an expensive transport. No you don't - unless you were using the DAC on the cheaper blu-ray player going out through the analog connection. A digital bitstream is a digital bitstream no matter the source and it should be handled identically. The transport doesn't change the soundstage. It doesn't change the volume. It doesn't change tone. It just transfers the digital 1 and 0's to whatever DAC you happen to have your amp and speakers connected to. And that's it - it will either do this job or it won't -- there are no gradients to how well it does it.

[FunFiEmpire]

I agree the small screen is brilliant. Another great video. A first - you're the only audiophile that recommends steel toe boots for listening safety.

[JonMahnke]

I have the audiolab and when I’ve compared it to cheaper dvd players the difference has been clear with my Schiit Bufrost DAC. The soundstage in particular is much wider.

[MrSlipstreem]

Even the more sensibly priced Denon AVRs have very good DACs in them nowadays. I'm using a £20 secondhand LG BP250 Blu-ray player connected via HDMI to a Denon AVR-X1600H and CDs sounds spectacularly good with this setup.

[OSGamer]

The addition of a touch screen is a creative touch (pun intended).

[donjaun]

I still have my collection of CD's I started since the 80's. When CD's started. I love and listen to them when I want to hear music. I also have several top of the line Alpine car audio decks and multiple CD changers for my cars. I love the format. 👍😎👏

[CounterRhythms]

I recently streamlined my main system. I'm using a used Sony BR player's digital out into the coax in of my powered speakers. It works just fine and way good enough for my ears. My player has a track display so no need to turn on the TV when I'm just using it for CD's.

[JimDugan-zg]

The tip to use a small screen for track listing was genius. Just ordered one.

[johnstump]

Another great video with good information, I like the idea of the little mini monitor since I have quite a few Pioneer Elite super audio/DVD audio DVD players that you need to get into the on screen menu to make your adjustments if you want to use them for audio only and the mini screen would be perfect for that.
Thanks again Matt for another great video.. PS…I’ve been integrating the modern into my vintage system for years now and I’m glad to see you demonstrate the vintage owners so they won’t give up an excellent receiver from the past for some cheap modern AVR one that’s got those convenience that will never sound as good..

[SuperGregore]

what is the simplest way to add hdmi arc to my setup, I have a denon amp with digital inputs and a streaming tv that I would like to use for streaming music from time to time.. Thanks in advance