Beogram CD 5500 connections

4 replies
PO
Offline
politician
Bronze
Posted October 28, 2018 at 14:00 GMT
#2254264

I'm in the final stages of fine-tuning my system (about which I'll do a comprehensive post in the general forum, with pictures, in a few weeks' time) and have decided to swap my CD source from a Beosound 9000 to a Beogram CD 5500, having tested both machines against each other.

I want to link the CD 5500 to my BeoLab 90s via S/PDIF, but I'd also like to be able to have remote control. Is it possible to connect the CD 5500 simultaneously by S/PDIF and to a Beomaster 5500 (which would not be connected to anything else) to get digital sound and remote control?

Finally, does anybody believe that there is a better-sounding playing in the B&O range than the 5500? And would I be better off connecting to the Lab 90s via the optical rather than S/PDIF input? (I'm thinking of connecting the BS9000 optically once the 5500 is up and running, as the multi-CD feature is useful when comparing masterings.)

B(
Offline
Benjamin15 (archived2)
Bronze
Posted October 28, 2018 at 16:15 GMT
#2254265

Can't help on the connections point, but in my opinion the CD 5500 is the best sounding CD player B&O made. 

Ben

PO
Offline
politician
Bronze
Posted October 28, 2018 at 16:24 GMT
#2254266

Thanks — that was definitely my impression too, based on the different models I've owned or heard.

Peter
Offline
Peter
Gold
Posted October 28, 2018 at 17:33 GMT
#2254267

The CD5500 is the best - however they do vary!! The Motor changes from a brushless to a conventional brushed motor in the later model and the TDA1541 type seems to be fairly random! Most will have a TDA1541A and some will have the S1 or S2. The S2 is regarded as a Holy Grail version and there are a few around! To use the CD5500, you need something that will accept IR signals and the CD5500 does not have this. Therefore a BM5500 or similar is needed.The optical output will bypass the DAC and therefore rather negates the point of the CD5500 though the transport is good, being a Philips CDM4/11, used by a number of high end CD player manufacturers. Interesting link

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovox.png Beovox.png
Beovision-11.png Beovision-11.png
Beotime.png Beotime.png
Beosound-Stage.png Beosound-Stage.png
Beosound-Moment.png Beosound-Moment.png
Beosound-5.png Beosound-5.png
Beosound-2.png Beosound-2.png
Beoremote-One.png Beoremote-One.png
Beoplay-Portal.png Beoplay-Portal.png
Beoplay-Earset.png Beoplay-Earset.png
Beomaster.png Beomaster.png
Beolit.png Beolit.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png
Beocenter-2.png Beocenter-2.png
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