Hi all:

I am a believer that decent sources, wire and amps that are indistinguishable sonically from big $$$ gear, don't have to cost much (http://www.matrix-hifi.com/contenedor_ppec_eng.htm).

I have been using an old $25 external NEC Multispin 6Xe CDR-602 CD-ROM drive (http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue3/cdrom.htm) as my CD player for several years, feeding a Panasonic XR45 amp, to Green Mountain Audio Europa's. However, my old drive is starting to have trouble reading some discs and songs.

I have music cranking for 5-12 hours a day, so it gets a ton of use. (In the past, I have prematurely killed Sony, Panasonic and Cambridge Audio CD players.) I was wondering about getting a DJ player, such as a Pioneer CDJ-100s. I know that I don't need all the features, but I am attracted to the robust design, small footprint (the player sits on my desk, beside my monitor), and ease of loading.

My question is - does the internal 'DJ processing' introduce any lossy compression? Or would I be getting reliable, bit-perfect output from the SPDIF digital output?

Also, are these players audible when they spin the disc? My NEC is totally silent - when I press my ear right up against it, I am unable to hear anything. This is a requirement for me, as it sits alongside my 0 dB, no-moving-parts PC.

Or should I be looking at something else?

Thanks a lot for any guidance.

Why don't you use your PC?

No hard drive?

I do use my PC. I use my CD player as well. I have over 1,000 CD's around - so I need a CD player as well as a PC source.

My PC is a VIA mini-ITX based system, with a Scythe case that acts as a heatsink (so no fans), an external power brick and a flash hard drive with the OS and apps. So 0 dB and no moving parts. Media is stored on external hard drives - spun up as needed.

Why not play directly from the CD ROM drive?

Mine sounds like an airplane taking off.

Also, I will occasionally play CD's when my computer is powered off. Interesting, it seems like all the other folks who frequent HydrogenAudio have 'moved on' from standalone CD players ??

I use portable CD player Panasonic SL-CT820 to occasionally listen to Audio CDs. It is robust enough and has line and optical outs, but I dunno if it will stand rude abuse. I think careful handling is a technical requirement for such a precise electronic device.

Edit. Ah, yes . There is also Panasonic SL-SX428 portable cd player which works (almost for a year) 24/7 as a background music source for an office PBX, it is playing back Audio CDR with repeat function enabled.
So, how did you manage to kill your players?