HiFi questions CD player, DAB/CD/Spotify connect combo

[T4tomo]

Right so I set up my old Hifi Separates last night. Its nothing fancy, based around a Cambridge Audio azur amp.

Turntable & amp were perfect, I was soon blasting out Smoke on the Water, much to the OH's amusement.

The CD player (again Cambridge Audio) has a slight issue, in that when you open the tray it pops open but zooms straight back in again, so takes good timing to change the disc over , its possible, but not ideal and not a long term solution.

Question 1 - would this be repairable or is it in the just not worth it category?

Now bear with me on the next bit as it it may wander as much as a @wafter thread.....

I was also looking at options to be able to play Spotify through it. (I have a decent sound bar in the same room so I can bluetooth my phone into that (or 3.5mm jack connect my old ipad to that too, but the amp and speakers have more power and charm).

So first google wormhole was getting a blue tooth connector to the amp, I have a 3.5mm jack to RCA input cable so anything with headphone out I can connect to the amp. Amazon echo dots are a reasonable option apparently, we have the OH's in the kitchen, and you can bluetooth most things into a dot.....I dont have amazon music subscription, but do have a family Spotify account.

That then led me to integrated DAB / radio players and then onto some which also have a CD slot in the DAB player which then led me similar that also have Spotify connect built in, which is great because one SConnect is going it doesnt matter if you wander off at party out of bluetooth range it player straight off Spotify servers over wifi. (small aside I used to play my spotify over the OH's smart TV with SConnect, whilst out, particularly if she was in listening to Take That and then smile as she told me how spotify on the TV was playing up)

Question 2 - on the assumption that the CA CD is farked, anyone care to recommend a CD player that you can also bluetooth into as a minimum? Somethimg with Dab and / or Spotify Connect is a bonus. As a backstop the old Ipad jack plugged in the amp will take care of the Spotify and radio option by using BBC sounds / various internet radio apps. The battery isn't great on the ipad, but it can have the charger cable pretty much permanently plugged in if left sat on / by the Amp.

I don't want to spend a fortune, I don't have the hearing of a bat to fully distinguish between good and brilliant Hifi systems, I just want a solution to play CD's and have be able to somehow connect Radio and Spotify.

I did come across some Auna stuff that looked good, but some of the trustpilot reviews on customer service were horrific. e.g.
https://www.auna-multimedia.co.uk/index.php?lang=1&cl=search&searchparam=connect+CD
anyone any experience or alternatives?

 

[fossyant]

My old Hifi is mainly used now with a small bluetooth receiver connected to a 'Tape 2' input - yes it's that old - 1986 JVC ! We watch movies on a projector screen and sound to the hifi.

The CD may need the lid removing to see if there is any fluff etc causing it to return. Worth a look and a blast with electrical contact cleaner, but probably not worth repair. Does the amp have and spare inputs ?

 

[Tenkaykev]

My old Hifi is mainly used now with a small bluetooth receiver connected to a 'Tape 2' input - yes it's that old - 1986 JVC ! We watch movies on a projector screen and sound to the hifi.

The CD may need the lid removing to see if there is any fluff etc causing it to return. Worth a look and a blast with electrical contact cleaner, but probably not worth repair. Does the amp have and spare inputs ?

1986 JVC !
That brings back memories. I think the name referred to the " Japanese Victor Corporation "

 

[Drago]

My hifi is 80s vintage. Nothing OTT, a mix of workmanlike and decent but not top-flight Kenwood and Technics doobreys.

I run my Alexa through ipthe amp by virtue of a 3.5mm to dual RCA lead and run it through a spare input on the amp. A modern optical input would doubtless be "better", but honestly the sound quality is superb and in no way lacking to my cloth ears.

As for your CD tray, perhaps carefully take the top case off and see what is happening?

 

[T4tomo]

The CD may need the lid removing to see if there is any fluff etc causing it to return. Worth a look and a blast with electrical contact cleaner, but probably not worth repair. Does the amp have and spare inputs ?

This is probably option 1 then. will have to do when the OH is out as it will need to be plugged in at some point to see what the issue is!!

Yes 6 inputs, although one is for where you need a pre amp and my turntable has that built in, so has to connect to another input, so effectively 5 inputs. Turntable, CD and jack cable to RCA for Ipad (or a bluetooth receiver etc) in use.

 

[Profpointy]

May or may not be quite what you want to do, but I loaded up all my CDs onto the PC's hard disc. Because it can re-read dodgy bits on the disc you should get a better version than even a good CD player reading the disc as it goes. Use "lossless" format rather than MP3 or similar which loses information. I have a professional studio quality sound card (similar quality to what was used in the recording studio) but there are very reasonably priced DACs (digital /analogue converter) to allow you to play back. There are also nonsense priced units from the likes of Naim, which really aren't going to give better sound. I have thousands of CDs stored like this

 

[T4tomo]

May or may not be quite what you want to do, but I loaded up all my CDs onto the PC's hard disc.

Correct not a route that suits me, although I can see why others use this method. I either grab a CD or Vinyl and listen to it, or use Spotify

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Why do you use CD's when you have Spotify?

Apart from maybe the odd artist here and there that isn't on Spotify I can't see the point.

 

[T4tomo]

Why do you use CD's when you have Spotify?

Apart from maybe the odd artist here and there that isn't on Spotify I can't see the point.

you can't see, it but I can hear it.

 

[raleighnut]

Right so I set up my old Hifi Separates last night. Its nothing fancy, based around a Cambridge Audio azur amp.

Turntable & amp were perfect, I was soon blasting out Smoke on the Water, much to the OH's amusement.

The CD player (again Cambridge Audio) has a slight issue, in that when you open the tray it pops open but zooms straight back in again, so takes good timing to change the disc over , its possible, but not ideal and not a long term solution.

Question 1 - would this be repairable or is it in the just not worth it category?

Now bear with me on the next bit as it it may wander as much as a @wafter thread.....

I was also looking at options to be able to play Spotify through it. (I have a decent sound bar in the same room so I can bluetooth my phone into that (or 3.5mm jack connect my old ipad to that too, but the amp and speakers have more power and charm).

So first google wormhole was getting a blue tooth connector to the amp, I have a 3.5mm jack to RCA input cable so anything with headphone out I can connect to the amp. Amazon echo dots are a reasonable option apparently, we have the OH's in the kitchen, and you can bluetooth most things into a dot.....I dont have amazon music subscription, but do have a family Spotify account.

That then led me to integrated DAB / radio players and then onto some which also have a CD slot in the DAB player which then led me similar that also have Spotify connect built in, which is great because one SConnect is going it doesnt matter if you wander off at party out of bluetooth range it player straight off Spotify servers over wifi. (small aside I used to play my spotify over the OH's smart TV with SConnect, whilst out, particularly if she was in listening to Take That and then smile as she told me how spotify on the TV was playing up)

Question 2 - on the assumption that the CA CD is farked, anyone care to recommend a CD player that you can also bluetooth into as a minimum? Somethimg with Dab and / or Spotify Connect is a bonus. As a backstop the old Ipad jack plugged in the amp will take care of the Spotify and radio option by using BBC sounds / various internet radio apps. The battery isn't great on the ipad, but it can have the charger cable pretty much permanently plugged in if left sat on / by the Amp.

I don't want to spend a fortune, I don't have the hearing of a bat to fully distinguish between good and brilliant Hifi systems, I just want a solution to play CD's and have be able to somehow connect Radio and Spotify.

I did come across some Auna stuff that looked good, but some of the trustpilot reviews on customer service were horrific. e.g.
https://www.auna-multimedia.co.uk/index.php?lang=1&cl=search&searchparam=connect+CD
anyone any experience or alternatives?

A lot of CD players now have front mounted computer inputs (well my old Denon has as does the new Marantz) that allow iPads/iphones to be connected to the players DAC

My hifi is 80s vintage. Nothing OTT, a mix of workmanlike and decent but not top-flight Kenwood and Technics doobreys.

I run my Alexa through ipthe amp by virtue of a 3.5mm to dual RCA lead and run it through a spare input on the amp. A modern optical input would doubtless be "better", but honestly the sound quality is superb and in no way lacking to my cloth ears.

As for your CD tray, perhaps carefully take the top case off and see what is happening?

Hate to disillusion you but Kenwood and Technics are certainly NOT 'top flight'. I use Amps that were designed in the mid 60s (first sold in 1967)
but have a slightly more modern Pre-amp dating from the late 80s/early 90s. What happens when they go wrong you may say well you pop them into the box and send them to the factory service dept in Huntingdon where virtually every component can be replaced. Since being bought out by IAG* in the 90s and production being moved by them to China QUAD realised that a service department was needed in the UK so kept a lot of the old engineers on in a dedicated unit. When my 44 developed a fault earler this year I was able to bring my old 33 dating from @1970 back into use as they quoted 8-12 weeks turnaround but then they have equipment come in from all around the world'

* International Audio Group who also own Mission/Cyrus and TAG amongst others.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

you can't see, it but I can hear it.

I'd definitely need the hearing of a bat to hear a difference between Spotify Premium (I presume) and CD quality.

At age 66 I can still hear eg Mp3 compression loss but that's about it.

I did try Tidal before selecting Spotify Premium and back to back they sounded the same.

Previous system used was Arcam rPlay streamer + Sugden Masterclass amp' + Dynaudio speakers and playing SP through that was spot-on, lots of high and mid detail and thumping low bass.

Current system (more modern, although a lot cheaper) is Arcam rPlay + Cyrus One amp and Dali Oberon speakers - sounds even better.

I did have a Sugden CD21 which I used initially on the old sytem to check quality back to back CD vs Spotify quaility as well but couldn't detect any difference.

Happy listening and I hope you get sorted soon.

NB: I used to use Smoke on the Water (top track) to test bottom end as well as Simple Minds Biko and Massive Attacks Angel - all good tracks to use. Angel will soon expose a flabby lower end.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

A lot of CD players now have front mounted computer inputs (well my old Denon has as does the new Marantz) that allow iPads/iphones to be connected to the players DAC

Hate to disillusion you but Kenwood and Technics are certainly NOT 'top flight'. I use Amps that were designed in the mid 60s (first sold in 1967)
but have a slightly more modern Pre-amp dating from the late 80s/early 90s. What happens when they go wrong you may say well you pop them into the box and send them to the factory service dept in Huntingdon where virtually every component can be replaced. Since being bought out by IAG* in the 90s and production being moved by them to China QUAD realised that a service department was needed in the UK so kept a lot of the old engineers on in a dedicated unit. When my 44 developed a fault earler this year I was able to bring my old 33 dating from @1970 back into use as they quoted 8-12 weeks turnaround but then they have equipment come in from all around the world'

* International Audio Group who also own Mission/Cyrus and TAG amongst others.

He didn't say they were "top flight".

 

[T4tomo]

I'd definitely need the hearing of a bat to hear a difference between Spotify Premium (I presume) and CD quality.

At age 66 I can still hear eg Mp3 compression loss but that's about it.

I did put a smiley there, yes there isn't a lot of difference, but I believe you still technically get a better sound quality with a CD, although I understand premium is better than the free spotty, so less of a difference.

Its also a lifestyle choice: I used to read on a kindle, now I've gone back to books and If i'm going to listen to a classic album, then I prefer a CD to firing it up on spotify, I shave with DE safety razor. If we're having a party, I just fire up a playlist on Spotify.

Using the ipad as my Spotify interface appeals as then people can queue up tracks they want etc. and I'm not reliant on it being from my phone and hence having to do all the choosing or being nagged to put something else on. I just need to see if i can nurse the CD player back into full working order.

NB: I used to use Smoke on the Water (top track) to test bottom end as well

I just grabbed Machine Head for testing purposes and a bit of nostalgia.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

If we're having a party, I just fire up a playlist on Spotify.

Using the ipad as my Spotify interface appeals as then people can queue up tracks they want etc. and I'm not reliant on it being from my phone and hence having to do all the choosing or being nagged to put something else on.

I just grabbed Machine Head for testing purposes and a bit of nostalgia.

Similar re party (usually dinner party here).

We start off with a pre-built playlist - inc' our guests known tastes which always goes down well.

And at some stage, if we end up playing cards or mexican train or the girls want to dance; we just pass the tablet around to let people queue whatever grabs them.

Can be mildy annoying when they cock the queued tracks up - usually drinks related.

Machine Head - not listened to them for yonks. Might spool them up for my gym session later today.

 

[T4tomo]

Machine Head

as in the Deep Purple album, smoke on the Water is first track on side 2, not the US band that followed much later