Diamonds
Well-known member
Have you owned Esoteric's CDPs? They are quite good. I have owned them and many other highend players.
High End ($$$$) CD/SACD Players
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Have you owned Esoteric's CDPs? They are quite good. I have owned them and many other highend players.
Diamonds
Well-known member
The problem I see is you don't own a 5k cdp. How do you know???
slowGEEZR
Well-known member
I think almost any high-end brand of CD player that costs a few thousand dollars will give most of what the medium can offer. I love this quote from a stereophile review of the Naim-555...
"On vinyl, when Du Pré bows her instrument, my heart breaks. On CD, I merely take note (in this case, literally). The massed strings melt in my ears via vinyl; via CD, they merely tickle. In an A/B comparison, the hall alternately appears (LP) and disappears (CD). (In all fairness, so do some pops and ticks.) That's just the way it is, whether you spend $2800 or $28,150 on a CD player—which is not to fault the Naim CD555-555PS. In fact, the Naim pairing's rhythmic and dynamic agility and low-level resolve made its rendering of this recording quite involving and attention-grabbing, if somewhat harmonically reticent compared to the Zanden player that I reviewed last November, which costs nearly twice as much and measures only half as well (though the latter is probably a bit of an exaggeration)."
"On vinyl, when Du Pré bows her instrument, my heart breaks. On CD, I merely take note (in this case, literally). The massed strings melt in my ears via vinyl; via CD, they merely tickle. In an A/B comparison, the hall alternately appears (LP) and disappears (CD). (In all fairness, so do some pops and ticks.) That's just the way it is, whether you spend $2800 or $28,150 on a CD player—which is not to fault the Naim CD555-555PS. In fact, the Naim pairing's rhythmic and dynamic agility and low-level resolve made its rendering of this recording quite involving and attention-grabbing, if somewhat harmonically reticent compared to the Zanden player that I reviewed last November, which costs nearly twice as much and measures only half as well (though the latter is probably a bit of an exaggeration)."
Spike
Well-known member
Did someone say...Goldmund?
Funny that someone would bring up the Goldmund SACD player and the $5000 price point . Check out this thread on the Head-Fi forum: Goldmund vs Pioneer. As the pics show, the $6000 Goldmund is just a shuffle of a $200 Pioneer electronics in a fancy case plus a toroidal transformer. Draw your own conclusion about "forking out at least $5000 to make a sensible, audible difference".
Spike
lugano said:
Funny that someone would bring up the Goldmund SACD player and the $5000 price point . Check out this thread on the Head-Fi forum: Goldmund vs Pioneer. As the pics show, the $6000 Goldmund is just a shuffle of a $200 Pioneer electronics in a fancy case plus a toroidal transformer. Draw your own conclusion about "forking out at least $5000 to make a sensible, audible difference".
Spike
amey01
Well-known member
Exactly - it is the law of diminishing returns. Are $10,000 MLs ten times better than crappy entry level floorstanders? No way either. But if we want the level of performance to which we are accustomed then we must pay increasingly large sums. That's why our wives love us so much!!!
I have an older Sony 333ES 2 channel SACD player and I can clearly hear an improvement of SACDs over Redbook CDs. I think it was valued at about $1200 new (I picked it up used a few years ago). It also does a decent job with redbook CDs. However, my more expensive Wadia 581i is much better on both redbook CDs and SACDs are take it up a couple more more notches. However, there are some redbook recordings that are just incredible and rival the SACD format.
The Wadia 581i is clearly superior over the older Sony but there is of course a price penalty to go with this route. However, not having to buy a preamp helps offset the cost for the Wadia source. Also, using the digital input on the Wadia for the Squeezebox SB3 brings that music server into a much higher class of playback especially for FLAC ripped files. These older Sony SACD players such as the 555ES or the 333ES are excellent values in the used SACD player market and I highly recommend one if you're looking for an SACD player on a budget.
I haven't been impressed with SACD playback on my Oppo player but I also don't have an HDMI input to try direct streaming. Only through analog connections. DVD-Audio has been consistently great through the Oppo and other universal players I've used. Unfortunately, the DVD-A format is dead but you can still find DVD-As at the used CD or online music stores.
The Wadia 581i is clearly superior over the older Sony but there is of course a price penalty to go with this route. However, not having to buy a preamp helps offset the cost for the Wadia source. Also, using the digital input on the Wadia for the Squeezebox SB3 brings that music server into a much higher class of playback especially for FLAC ripped files. These older Sony SACD players such as the 555ES or the 333ES are excellent values in the used SACD player market and I highly recommend one if you're looking for an SACD player on a budget.
I haven't been impressed with SACD playback on my Oppo player but I also don't have an HDMI input to try direct streaming. Only through analog connections. DVD-Audio has been consistently great through the Oppo and other universal players I've used. Unfortunately, the DVD-A format is dead but you can still find DVD-As at the used CD or online music stores.
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TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
Hey all,
I've deleted posts in this thread that were off topic.
Nobody is banning anyone.
Have a nice weekend and don't forget
GO PACKERS!
I've deleted posts in this thread that were off topic.
Nobody is banning anyone.
Have a nice weekend and don't forget
GO PACKERS!
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Diamonds
Well-known member
Tom Brady...what an awesome quarterback. History in the making. But then there is Brett Favre...Also history in the making but Favre is such an awesome quarterback and a proven leader and has shown unprecedented dedication and loyalty to a team and city. If the Packers and Patriots meet in the Superbowl this game could go down as the greatest Superbowl of the century!
GO CHEESEHEADS!!!!!!!!!!!
:rocker:
Oh yeah, Expensive CD players are cool too.
GO CHEESEHEADS!!!!!!!!!!!
:rocker:
Oh yeah, Expensive CD players are cool too.
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YIKES!! Do you think I should send a link to Goldmund??
Update: http://www.goldmund.com/news/2008/01/
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That's hilarious that they labeled that newsletter: "Marketing News." What an oxymoron. More accurately, they should call it: "Marketing Hype." And they really need to update their logo, since their products obviously are no longer "Swiss Made."
Pioneer makes the "best designed" DVD drives? Since when? And what modifications do they perform to justify cranking the price up from $200 to $6,000?
amey01
Well-known member
A bit more info. Remember, this is the "budget" Goldmund......
>>>>>
After showing you a first picture of the outside here is a little more technical picture showing the inside mechanical construction and the Goldmund modifications made to the original Pioneer mechanism. The parts in hard aluminum (silver color), brass (golden), mid-strength aluminum (green), and soft aluminum (red) are clearly visible and are connected in a way so the “Mechanical Grounding” effect is optimized. No plastic link anymore, ultra-precise rectified pivoting points, ultra-rigid skeleton for the reading mechanism and you already have part of the answer to the magical question : “Why does it sound so much better ?”.
>>>>>
After showing you a first picture of the outside here is a little more technical picture showing the inside mechanical construction and the Goldmund modifications made to the original Pioneer mechanism. The parts in hard aluminum (silver color), brass (golden), mid-strength aluminum (green), and soft aluminum (red) are clearly visible and are connected in a way so the “Mechanical Grounding” effect is optimized. No plastic link anymore, ultra-precise rectified pivoting points, ultra-rigid skeleton for the reading mechanism and you already have part of the answer to the magical question : “Why does it sound so much better ?”.
Attachments
mikesinger
Well-known member
i may be in the minority here but i have spent big bucks on all in one players only to be disappointed by multiple mechanical failures with the transport mechanism.
i looked at my listening habits and redesigned my system (90% redbook and 10 % sacd/dvda) and went for sound quality and reliability.
Ended up with the Audio Aero Prima Dac (incredible) and a CEC TL-2 (belt driven, reliable, and fluid sound) for redbook and a marantz 7600 (throw away when it breaks) for sacd.
a well recorded redbook sounds pretty darn good !!!! if i had to do it again - i would pick up a vpi scout and get into vinyl. there is WAY more software available and it is rock solid reliable.
i looked at my listening habits and redesigned my system (90% redbook and 10 % sacd/dvda) and went for sound quality and reliability.
Ended up with the Audio Aero Prima Dac (incredible) and a CEC TL-2 (belt driven, reliable, and fluid sound) for redbook and a marantz 7600 (throw away when it breaks) for sacd.
a well recorded redbook sounds pretty darn good !!!! if i had to do it again - i would pick up a vpi scout and get into vinyl. there is WAY more software available and it is rock solid reliable.
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I also have gone back to CEC. I have purchased a CEC TL51XR after not reaching 'audo nirvana' with my Ayre. The CEC was much less expensive, offering similar build quality, and sound that frankly is indistinguishable from the CEC. So I have pocketed the dollars and bought some more CD's...
tonepub
Senior Member
Well, I obviously couldn't disagree with Mikey more on the CD555, that's why I bought it. And when we got it in for review, I was listening to a Meridian 808 and Wadia 581i which are both no slouch.
However, I don't have a 100 thousand dollar turntable to compare to, my analog front end at the time was only an SME 10/SME V with the MOFI 3.5 C (Myabi) cart and the ASR Basis Exclusive phono pre.
But I will have the 50k Continuum in a week or so, so it should be a pretty interesting comparison.
Also noted, was that when the Naim got here, as much of a Naim fan as I am, I was all ready to shoot it down and say that it was no big deal. But it sounded so organic and natural, that after three months, I just found myself listening to it most of the time instead of LP. Don't get me wrong, I still love vinyl and not all music is available on CD (nor is it always as well recorded), so I wouldn't go without a good record player.
All things being equal though, if I could have every record in my collection duplicated with equal quality on CD, I could happily live without a turntable and just use the 555.
Funny thing, every person who has listened to my system and A-B'd both came away with the same conclusion. I don't feel that CD playback on the 555 is better than analog, but it is organic and musical enough that I am achieving just as emotional of an experience.
I'm just happy to be getting playback in both mediums that I enjoy so much!
However, I don't have a 100 thousand dollar turntable to compare to, my analog front end at the time was only an SME 10/SME V with the MOFI 3.5 C (Myabi) cart and the ASR Basis Exclusive phono pre.
But I will have the 50k Continuum in a week or so, so it should be a pretty interesting comparison.
Also noted, was that when the Naim got here, as much of a Naim fan as I am, I was all ready to shoot it down and say that it was no big deal. But it sounded so organic and natural, that after three months, I just found myself listening to it most of the time instead of LP. Don't get me wrong, I still love vinyl and not all music is available on CD (nor is it always as well recorded), so I wouldn't go without a good record player.
All things being equal though, if I could have every record in my collection duplicated with equal quality on CD, I could happily live without a turntable and just use the 555.
Funny thing, every person who has listened to my system and A-B'd both came away with the same conclusion. I don't feel that CD playback on the 555 is better than analog, but it is organic and musical enough that I am achieving just as emotional of an experience.
I'm just happy to be getting playback in both mediums that I enjoy so much!
The Memory Player will give you the best of both worlds!
http://www.novaphysicsgroup.com/Specifications-Upgrades.html
I would love to hear your review on this.
amey01
Well-known member
tonepub
Senior Member
I am very intrigued with the memory player and am pursuing a review. I really liked what
I heard at T.H.E Show... These guys are on to something really good indeed!
Now that I have the Wadia 170 iDock in house, I've noticed a pretty big difference between playing uncompressed tunes on an iPod Classic (with hard drive) vs. an iPod Nano with solid state storage.
I'm sure this is the wave of the future. Everyone I've ever talked to at Naim, Wadia and Meridian have all said that when you can eliminate the spinning part, the sound gets better.
However, I think the ultimate sound quality jump will come from recording directly to solid state memory and then transferring the music to a solid state memory storage device, eliminating anything spinning in the recording chain...
Who knows, perhaps this will become the next step in audiophile recordings?
I heard at T.H.E Show... These guys are on to something really good indeed!
Now that I have the Wadia 170 iDock in house, I've noticed a pretty big difference between playing uncompressed tunes on an iPod Classic (with hard drive) vs. an iPod Nano with solid state storage.
I'm sure this is the wave of the future. Everyone I've ever talked to at Naim, Wadia and Meridian have all said that when you can eliminate the spinning part, the sound gets better.
However, I think the ultimate sound quality jump will come from recording directly to solid state memory and then transferring the music to a solid state memory storage device, eliminating anything spinning in the recording chain...
Who knows, perhaps this will become the next step in audiophile recordings?
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Bernard
Well-known member
Interesting player. How much does it sell for ?
tonepub
Senior Member
I believe it's about 18k....
