Best used CD player around £100

[Fermit and Sarah]

My olds are adopting a bit of old kit off me, a Rotel RA930 amp (30watts P/C) and some Mission 760's. I need to sort them a CD player to go with it, at around £100. My obvious thought is an Arcam Alpha 7. A great CD player, and we have one in our lesser second system out the back.

Are there any other must consider models that I'd be mad to not consider?

Also some recommendations for a suitable speaker cable for a basic set up like this? I'm a big fan of Van Damme's quality v price, so maybe this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Van-Damme-268-525-060-B...

Edited by Fermit and Sarah on Saturday 8th September 19:55

Edited by Fermit and Sarah on Saturday 8th September 20:44

[Fermit and Sarah]

Yes, I'm aware of the SE, that is actually what we have out the back (with a 7 amp and Kef Q15's) I have also had a plain 7, and although I've not heard them side by side I was equally happy with that. Thanks for the advice.

Oh, and another thing, in case anyone has any further suggestions, dad is 73, and a luddite, so nothing other than basic to use!

Edited by Fermit and Sarah on Saturday 8th September 20:52

[Fermit and Sarah]

Dolf Stoppard said:

Marantz CD5004 for £169 brand new. Over budget, but buy sensibly priced speaker cable and it shouldn’t be too far away. Or there’s some on eBay for £99. But is it worth it?

Do you think it would match the performance of the Arcam? (asking genuinely - I don't keep up with what's what with hi-fi anymore, I'm clueless!)

[Fermit and Sarah]

Dolf Stoppard said:

Not sure how it would compare to the Arcam. But the Marantz CD players have been five star machines at all different price points in What Hi Fi for as long as I can remember - and yes, I know people have their own views about this publication!

Most Hi Fi shops will also offer systems with them as a component, and I can’t ever remember reading anything bad about them. Oh, and I have one!

Yes, I get that. Many moons ago (at 18 years old) I worked at Nottingham Hi-Fi Centre (the best hi-fi place in Notts) where I gained my love for nice hi-fi. WHF were right on much, from my point of view, Rotel are IMO lovely budget amps (the one I'm giving away was an unused summer house stereo!) and at the time Mission 752 Freedoms were the 'best speaker under £1000' for years on end , which I agreed with, and 23 years later I still have them in my main set up (Tag McLaren/ Audiolab amps) and I adore them.

The old NHFC stalwart manager Jerry always said 'Bloody What Hi-fi, they'll give stars to who ever buys them the best lunch'

Marantz have always been highly regarded though, I agree. It's just the lack of ability to hear said Marantz side by side with the Arcam. I'm sure it would sound good, it's just not knowing if as good.

[Fermit and Sarah]

techiedave said:

Totally random comment and hopefully OP understands it's well meant.

I wonder if an older persons hearing may simply not be that as precise as perhaps the OP's is.

Reason I say that is my own hearing has changed over the years. I currently still use a Meridian 206 Cd Player Had it since I think 1991.
I also have an Arcam Black Box Dac I bought second hand some 15 maybe years ago. I bought the arcam simply to put some quality into the output from a dedicated PC I use for music.
As a side line noting the Arcam had 2 digital inputs I put a good quality co ax digital input to it from the Meridian Cd Player. I used to be able to tell a discernible difference between the direct output from the CD player and when routed via the DAC.

I lost that ability a few years ago. They both sound fine and my daughters can hear subtle differences I can no longer hear those differences. I guess what I am suggesting is that a good well built quality made player may be all that's required

It's a fair comment Dave.

I'm 41, and I am equally as happy listening to my Alpha 7/Kef set up as I am my Tag/Mission one which cost me around £4k to put together second hand. Home cinema is where I can tell a huge difference though, and that accounts for maybe 75% of the better systems use. That is based on previously having a modest Yamaha processor attached to a previous Arcam set-up.

And on the hearing front, we're just getting used to dad being able to hear again. He was as deaf as a post, but he has finally buckled and admitted he does actually need a hearing aid!