NAD CD / DVD Players...Your Opinion?
12-01-02, 05:43 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Section 529, Wrigley Field
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
NAD CD / DVD Players...Your Opinion?
I'm in the market for a new CD player and have basically settled on a NAD. But I have a problem. I don't know whether to get the NAD 541i CD player (single disc) or the NAD t571 DVD/CD 5 disc player.
Price is not an issue.
The fact that the t571 is a progressive scan DVD player is not a factoring consideration. It will not be used as a DVD player at this time.
The only issue it audio quality. The five disc changer would be nice to have as well as the MP3 decoding it also offers, but is the audio performance on the 541i greater enough to disregard those conveniences?
I'm not sure if the two units use the same DACs but they are both 24 bit/96.
Any information is greatly appreciated!
My system consists of a Marantz SR-7000 with B&W 602s at the stereo speakers.
Thanks!
Price is not an issue.
The fact that the t571 is a progressive scan DVD player is not a factoring consideration. It will not be used as a DVD player at this time.
The only issue it audio quality. The five disc changer would be nice to have as well as the MP3 decoding it also offers, but is the audio performance on the 541i greater enough to disregard those conveniences?
I'm not sure if the two units use the same DACs but they are both 24 bit/96.
Any information is greatly appreciated!
My system consists of a Marantz SR-7000 with B&W 602s at the stereo speakers.
Thanks!
Last edited by joe liquor; 12-01-02 at 05:45 PM.
12-02-02, 12:41 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i use an NAD 502 cd transport for cds. they make fine stuff. it will blow away most all sony, panasonic, pioneer, etc. if you can get one for a decent price, definately go for it. they make quality stuff.
12-02-02, 12:51 PM
#4
Cool New Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you want to play music CD's then there is absolutely no question that you should go for the dedicated CD player 541i. DVD players just don't have the musicality to accurately reproduce CD's. The NAD 541i is an award winning CD player - go get it!
12-02-02, 02:27 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i dunno how much looking around in this forum you have done, but you may notice that not many of the people here have higher end stuff. someone with a $199 sony player is about the highest it gets, and thats still low end, not even mid-fi in my opinion.
this may not be the forum to get an opinion about the NAD, but personally, cant get too much better for the money.
this may not be the forum to get an opinion about the NAD, but personally, cant get too much better for the money.
12-02-02, 08:15 PM
#7
Cool New Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
NAD & Lack of Replies
The reason why you won't get many replies about NAD and CD's on this Forum is because it is basically a Home Theatre forum and you are asking a music HiFi question. Music HiFi and Home Theatre are worlds apart and although NAD do offer Home Theater hardware their real roots are in the top end reproduction of music. If you really don't need top notch reproduction of music then you can save yourself a lot of cash by buying a brand name $200 DVD player (Toshiba's have a good record). It will play CD's adequately through any system - but not even remotely in the league of a dedicated stereo HiFi system.
12-03-02, 09:27 AM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Section 529, Wrigley Field
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I realize that this is a Home Theater Forum and that many people here are satisfied with a Bose HTIB for their systems. But I've seen plenty of sigs here that prove that I'm not the only one that falls in the mid-HiFi arena when it comes to their systems. Hell, there are people here that have spent three times the amount on their pre/pro than I did for my whole system.
Anyway, my point was that I'm surprised to see a company, like NAD, that is known for its quality and performance at reasonable prices to not have any type of following on this forum.
Plus...I was asking a question about a DVD/CD player vs. a CD player...home theater, right?
Anyway, my point was that I'm surprised to see a company, like NAD, that is known for its quality and performance at reasonable prices to not have any type of following on this forum.
Plus...I was asking a question about a DVD/CD player vs. a CD player...home theater, right?
12-03-02, 12:08 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i still stand on my original statement :-)
i work in sales, and if i had a dollar everytime a customer TOLD ME that spending an extra $100 on a DVD player isnt worth it, i would be rich.
most of the general public thinks that any dvd player will play a dvd, a HTIAB will sound just fine, and cable is cable :-) oh, and they think bose is actually good.
i work in sales, and if i had a dollar everytime a customer TOLD ME that spending an extra $100 on a DVD player isnt worth it, i would be rich.
most of the general public thinks that any dvd player will play a dvd, a HTIAB will sound just fine, and cable is cable :-) oh, and they think bose is actually good.
12-03-02, 01:51 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Section 529, Wrigley Field
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by cowanrg
i still stand on my original statement :-)
i work in sales, and if i had a dollar everytime a customer TOLD ME that spending an extra $100 on a DVD player isnt worth it, i would be rich.
most of the general public thinks that any dvd player will play a dvd, a HTIAB will sound just fine, and cable is cable :-) oh, and they think bose is actually good.
i still stand on my original statement :-)
i work in sales, and if i had a dollar everytime a customer TOLD ME that spending an extra $100 on a DVD player isnt worth it, i would be rich.
most of the general public thinks that any dvd player will play a dvd, a HTIAB will sound just fine, and cable is cable :-) oh, and they think bose is actually good.
I didn't buy my B&Ws for the sound...I bought them because they have those cool Kevlar woofers. 
12-03-02, 02:51 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ill give you mine with kevlar cones for your b&w's then :-)
cable makes so much difference, its like listening to a totally different system. only of course if you have other decent components.
cable makes so much difference, its like listening to a totally different system. only of course if you have other decent components.
12-03-02, 03:03 PM
#12
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Diego
Posts: 3,402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would go with the dedicated single disc NAD CD player...Im also thinking of getting that myself 
We sell NAD at work (as well as B&W) and I speak from everyday hands-on experience. The audio circuitry in the cd player is better than the 5disc DVD/CD changer. But, either one will not let you down.
BTW, what series 602's do you have? I have 602 S3 for fronts, 601 S3 for rears and the LCR 60 S3 center channel.. Next month I can finally afford the ASW600 subwoofer.
We sell NAD at work (as well as B&W) and I speak from everyday hands-on experience. The audio circuitry in the cd player is better than the 5disc DVD/CD changer. But, either one will not let you down.BTW, what series 602's do you have? I have 602 S3 for fronts, 601 S3 for rears and the LCR 60 S3 center channel.. Next month I can finally afford the ASW600 subwoofer.
12-03-02, 04:43 PM
#13
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally posted by joe liquor
Anyway, my point was that I'm surprised to see a company, like NAD, that is known for its quality and performance at reasonable prices to not have any type of following on this forum.
Anyway, my point was that I'm surprised to see a company, like NAD, that is known for its quality and performance at reasonable prices to not have any type of following on this forum.
slightly off topic but-
this past summer i was heavily researching speakers to upgrade.
i got a chance to take home some Magneplanars for a weekend and the dealer gave me a NAD reciever to use also, because i was concerned about the one i had driving the 4 ohm load of the maggies.
by the end of the weekend, the maggies weren't even on my radar anymore. all i could think about was the NAD.
when i realized the maggies weren't going to work out in my room, for the hell of it i hooked the NAD up to some other speakers i had and i was floored by the difference in sound.
this was compared to an Onkyo 600.
i got another chance to demo the NAD reciever at home , this time against a Harman Kardon 520, with a different pair of speakers.
same result.
spectacular difference to my ears between the NAD and HK.
i see tons of posts about HK- barely one or two a month about NAD.
based on what i was hearing with that model, i ordered their newer one, sight unseen.
some of these have had serious quality control problems, but i went ahead anyway because, damnit!,
the sound was just so noticeably better.
i'm not close to being an audiophile, but even i could hear it...
12-03-02, 07:42 PM
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Section 529, Wrigley Field
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by discostu1337
I would go with the dedicated single disc NAD CD player...Im also thinking of getting that myself We sell NAD at work (as well as B&W) and I speak from everyday hands-on experience. The audio circuitry in the cd player is better than the 5disc DVD/CD changer. But, either one will not let you down.
BTW, what series 602's do you have? I have 602 S3 for fronts, 601 S3 for rears and the LCR 60 S3 center channel.. Next month I can finally afford the ASW600 subwoofer.
I would go with the dedicated single disc NAD CD player...Im also thinking of getting that myself
We sell NAD at work (as well as B&W) and I speak from everyday hands-on experience. The audio circuitry in the cd player is better than the 5disc DVD/CD changer. But, either one will not let you down.BTW, what series 602's do you have? I have 602 S3 for fronts, 601 S3 for rears and the LCR 60 S3 center channel.. Next month I can finally afford the ASW600 subwoofer.
The thing that is making the decision hard is that I can get the t571 for $399...which is so darn tempting, but I'll probably go with the c541i for a few bucks more.
12-03-02, 07:47 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Section 529, Wrigley Field
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by ckolchak
not just this forum...
slightly off topic but-
this past summer i was heavily researching speakers to upgrade.
i got a chance to take home some Magneplanars for a weekend and the dealer gave me a NAD reciever to use also, because i was concerned about the one i had driving the 4 ohm load of the maggies.
by the end of the weekend, the maggies weren't even on my radar anymore. all i could think about was the NAD.
when i realized the maggies weren't going to work out in my room, for the hell of it i hooked the NAD up to some other speakers i had and i was floored by the difference in sound.
this was compared to an Onkyo 600.
i got another chance to demo the NAD reciever at home , this time against a Harman Kardon 520, with a different pair of speakers.
same result.
spectacular difference to my ears between the NAD and HK.
i see tons of posts about HK- barely one or two a month about NAD.
based on what i was hearing with that model, i ordered their newer one, sight unseen.
some of these have had serious quality control problems, but i went ahead anyway because, damnit!,
the sound was just so noticeably better.
i'm not close to being an audiophile, but even i could hear it...
not just this forum...
slightly off topic but-
this past summer i was heavily researching speakers to upgrade.
i got a chance to take home some Magneplanars for a weekend and the dealer gave me a NAD reciever to use also, because i was concerned about the one i had driving the 4 ohm load of the maggies.
by the end of the weekend, the maggies weren't even on my radar anymore. all i could think about was the NAD.
when i realized the maggies weren't going to work out in my room, for the hell of it i hooked the NAD up to some other speakers i had and i was floored by the difference in sound.
this was compared to an Onkyo 600.
i got another chance to demo the NAD reciever at home , this time against a Harman Kardon 520, with a different pair of speakers.
same result.
spectacular difference to my ears between the NAD and HK.
i see tons of posts about HK- barely one or two a month about NAD.
based on what i was hearing with that model, i ordered their newer one, sight unseen.
some of these have had serious quality control problems, but i went ahead anyway because, damnit!,
the sound was just so noticeably better.
i'm not close to being an audiophile, but even i could hear it...
12-03-02, 08:48 PM
#16
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle
Posts: 4,454
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had the NAD 541i and it is an excellent CD player for the price. However when I heard the Meridian 588 there was no comparison so I had to go with the Meridian. If price is truly not an issue with you then get the Meridian 588...it will blow you away.
12-03-02, 09:16 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hehe, not much can compete with meridian digital gear...
but NAD and meridian are in totally different categories. its like comparing yamaha to krell. if you want some a great cd source, wadia :-) they make tanks for cd players. sound great too. however i really like meridian too.
im actually in the process of rebuilding my NAD cd player into a wadia/meridian hybrid kinda thing. using the basic components of the NAD, but just beefing up power supply, transport and case.
but NAD and meridian are in totally different categories. its like comparing yamaha to krell. if you want some a great cd source, wadia :-) they make tanks for cd players. sound great too. however i really like meridian too.
im actually in the process of rebuilding my NAD cd player into a wadia/meridian hybrid kinda thing. using the basic components of the NAD, but just beefing up power supply, transport and case.
12-04-02, 09:13 AM
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Section 529, Wrigley Field
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by palebluedot
I had the NAD 541i and it is an excellent CD player for the price. However when I heard the Meridian 588 there was no comparison so I had to go with the Meridian. If price is truly not an issue with you then get the Meridian 588...it will blow you away.
I had the NAD 541i and it is an excellent CD player for the price. However when I heard the Meridian 588 there was no comparison so I had to go with the Meridian. If price is truly not an issue with you then get the Meridian 588...it will blow you away.
