Nad C521 or DenonDCD 1450 AR?

 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 4
Registered: Aug-04
i am thinking of upgrading my actual CD player with one of these cd players: Nad C521, Denon DCD 1450AR, marantz CD6000; which one of those is the best one?what are the main differences between those players?
Thanks. MAx
 

nout
Unregistered guest
Wich is the best one is for you to decide.
But I'll try to inform you anyway. (using "the general opinion" - magazines, consumer reviews and my own humble opinion)

The plain Marantz cd 6000 (it cost around $350)was followed by the (improved) 6000 OSE ($499) and 6000 OSE-Le (also $499).
They are no longer made, The Marantz cd 7300 ($499)has replaced them. But i guess you already knew that...you're looking for a secondhand player?

Compared to the Denon DCD 1450 and NAD C521, the Marantz 6000 OSE and 6000 OSE-Le (and the new cd 7300) are the better players, soundwise, although some people don't like the treble performance: too bright for their taste.

The plain Marantz cd 6000 however is no match for both the NAD and Denon.
But beware, the 6000 OSE and OSE-LE, seem to have problems reading certain CD-R's. (mostly cheap ones or those who are burned at extreme high speeds, experiment with it)

The Denon is the best-build player, big and build like a tank.
But I've read reviews about reading problems and skipping.
When it comes to sound, this player sounds marginally better than the NAD C521($350).

The improved c521BEE ($399)however beats the Denon.
When looking for the NAD C521 try to get your hands on the 521i, this model accepts CD-R's and CD-RW's better than the plain C521.
Or buy the C521BEE.
NAD is known for slow disk reading: when skipping to another track this takes longer than average, but it wouldn't bother me at all.

What is your budget? When it's around $350 up to $399, I'd go for the NAD C521BEE ($399) or maybe the Marantz cd5400 OSE ($350) (this machine eats everything, abused cd's/crappy cd-r's)
Second-hand I would go for the Marantz cd 6000 OSE(LE), you can find this player for $250 /300 or the NAD C541i ($300/350) which I prefer.
$500 up to $600, I'd go for the NAD C542 ($599) or the Marantz cd7300 ($499) both very fine players.
Second hand you can find for this amount of money players like the Arcam cd72, Marantz cd 17 and if lucky Marantz cd17 MK II!

You cannot go wrong with any of these players (with exception of the Denon perhaps - heard some nasty things about this machine), listen to a couple of them and decide.
 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 5
Registered: Aug-04
thaank you Nout for your very nice and exhaustive answer; i'll try to find a player in very good conditions/second hand(mint);i don't wanna spend more than 450 euros...hope to find a good player,until now i was only able to find a shop here which sells a C521 new for 300 euros, i've tried it and it sounds nice but it's just C521, not "i" version neither 521Bee...but it's new and boxed.
I let you know.
Max
 

New member
Username: Problems

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-04
I have a question my friend has a 1994 nissan altima i told her id setup the deck in her car so i did. i ran constant power thats taken care of but, the harness and the antenna. the power antenna thats not going up and i stuck the power atenna into a empty jack in the antenna thing so it has reception but it will not go up why? is it because it needs power to it? someone help me she keeps bugging out about it.
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 183
Registered: Jun-04
try the car audio forum...this is home audio
 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 6
Registered: Aug-04
hahaha vols, very funny...
I don't have 5000$ to spend on a CD player,i'm a student, it's my fault? or i cannot even be considered here because i only want to spend 400$?? If you're that rich to say that i must see on caraudio forum and you are disgusted by my choices in CDplayers, then you can buy one for me...
 

nout
Unregistered guest
LOL
Hey Massimo, Vols didn't respond to your question but to Mikes (his question was about a Nissan altima - so Mike advised him to go to the car audio forum).
Have you bought a new cd player yet?;)
 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 7
Registered: Aug-04
excuse me then...yep i bought a nad 521 ; looks very crappy but sounds fine, i wasn't able to find a better looking denon dcd 1450...
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 184
Registered: Jun-04
lol...good purchase massimo...i think you will be quite happy with it
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 185
Registered: Jun-04
I am certainly not "rich", although I must admit that Rich is the name I go by...What speakers are you using with the NAD
 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 8
Registered: Aug-04
I'm using a pair of Kef Q7, i bought those speakers 2 months ago in dark apple color, and the amplifier is an "old" 1995 Sony TA F808ES.
 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 9
Registered: Aug-04
i choose NAD C521 mainly because i ran out of money buying those new speakers(her in Italy they are 1500Euros/pair) so i decided to go the ceap way for the Cd player; before of the Q7 i owned a pair of horrible Jamo X870 and before of the TA F808ES(which for me is a very very good amp) i owned an Harman Kardon HK3480(i was very disappointed with this 3480, ridicuolus Vmax function, ridicuous and extra cheap internal components, inexistant bass).
I originally started with a technics Su 8080 amp, then a kenwood 5020, then i switched to a very good Onkyo integra aSV810Pro that i sold for buying the crappy HK3480, luckily i sold the 3480 very fast and bought the TA F808ES used in mint conditions (original package...no scratches, like new)on ebay in Germany.
The Kef's are for me a very good pair of speakers, and the C521 is a good bang/buck product, but it is extremely ugly aesthetically and it seems that it's been built by a 10 years old student in electronics who purchased a do-it-yourself kit from the Zimbabwe on internet:-)P.S. not to mention the remote control of the NAD...think that people in Nad have very nasty pushers for their hashish...
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 189
Registered: Jun-04
Sounds like you will have nice system in the making, congrats!
 

New member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 10
Registered: Aug-04
thanks vols, where are u from?
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 201
Registered: Jun-04
Originally England, I live in the U.S. now
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 202
Registered: Jun-04
Let us know how you NAD works out for you, I am currently in the market for a NAD 541 or perhaps Marantz 5400
 

Bronze Member
Username: Alexfromholland

Post Number: 28
Registered: Aug-04
Hi Massimo,

I have a NAD C541 (bought it second hand) CD player, a NAD t743 and Celestion F30's speakers. Celestions use the same drivers as KEF(although tey sound completely different). I like the C541 very much. It is an excellent player, which I bought for EUR 160,- (two year old).

Actually, I must say that NAD equipment sounds very good, despite the problems mentioned in "NAD A/V receiver hiss issue". I would suggest you go with NAD as they sound "smoother" than Marantz IMHO...
 

Bronze Member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 11
Registered: Aug-04
for Me: in fact i bought a NAD c521 ...looks terrible but sounds good:-)
 

Bronze Member
Username: Massimovisconti

Marta, Viterbo ITALY Italia

Post Number: 12
Registered: Aug-04
today in the afternoon i went hearing an hifi system from a friand of mine...he owns Sony CDP330(somewhat ...crap??), a good luxman C03 +M03 amplifier(in gold finish, old but beautiful) and a pair of mythical AR 10i(pi)speakers...i found that those speakers were much more musical than kef Q7 i own...on my Q7 the sound seems not to go out as on the AR10i(pi)...i have to say that the room where he listens music is four times bigger than the size of my room...naturally the acoustic is better in his room, but i was very positively impressed by the sound of those AR...I actually have my speakers mounted on spikes, what's the main differences between mounting speaker on spikes or mounting them on rupper tacks?
 

New member
Username: Myka

Post Number: 2
Registered: Mar-04
I wonder why so many single disk cd players are recommended, yet not 5 disk. What would be the best choice for a 5 disk player, no budget really. Thinking somewhere around $200-$450.
A friend wants to sell me his Sony CDP-CX350 (old I know) but back then it was Sony's flagship cd player/changer. Any suggestions?
 

Silver Member
Username: Rh1

Post Number: 251
Registered: Jun-04
Higher end players tend to be single disk, lower end multiple disk. Not always the case but for the most part this is true. I can't make any recemmendations to 5 disk players as I have not listened to any higher end ones
 

Anonymous
 
Any CD player will be ok... everything does the stuff equals... many blind tests confirm it.
Regards.
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