Denon DVD-2910 DVD/SACD player
Average as a CD player but not bad with SACD's where it is smooth, fluid and involving. Its highs are fluid and airy, the pace is not bad and it has nice bass that's dry nor fat. But is not the most "live" sounding player, instead it has a slightly synthetic colour. Multichannel audio is a nice feature but I found that it doesn't improve the sound quality per se. Video by the way is class-leading. But we only care about sound, don't we:-)
Denon DA-500 DAC
This is an oldie but stil a goodie. Still it can improve upon built in dacs of entry level cd players and dvd players. It soothes with a rich, full-colour sound that is fluid and well-detailed. Tonality is on par with the dacs built into recent Denon surround receivers.
Marantz CD 4000 cd player
Not particularly highend but neutral, rhythmic and fast. At the money it is a very good player. As a transport it is simply better that you'd expect, only giving way to the Sony XA50ES on the basis of refinement and detailing.
Marantz cd94 MKII, CD85, CD80, CD74 and CD84
The CD94MKII is one of the best cd players Marantz made in those years, today this is still a very engaging player, offering a relaxed, soothing and inviting sound that is completely free of artifice and hardness. Fluid, supple, airy, silky, spacious.. it all applies. And it had deep and full bass. This is all when used as a complete player with its analog outputs. Use the player as a transport into a suitable dac and you'll have a transport that is almost unbeatable. Only the CEC TL1x could surpass it. And not even on a detail-bases but in soundstaging and overal fluidity.
Extensive Reviews:
Meridian 506 cd player
The original 506 is less rich of sound than the 506-24 but faster, tighter and more spirited. It is essentially very neutral and correct but is also more boring and gray sounding, despite the lively sound. Excactly why this is is difficult to point out but the solution is to use colourful cables with this player.
Meridian 506-24 cd player
Very relaxed, fluid and creamy sounding player with a full bass but sometimes a lack of attack in the midrange. Percussion can sound as if the drumsticks have been covered with socks sometimes but boy does this player sound ever so seductive! Despite its lack of dynamics and slam, it is still very refined and plenty detalailed and all in all an excellent antidote for digital sounding setups.
Meridian 508-24 cd player
A very different animal from the 506-24! While the 506-24 could be accused of sounding too relaxed and soft, the 508-24 is fast, lively and bubbling with energy. The interesting thing is that it manages this without sounding analytical or oherwise electronical. The 508-24 is fluid and has velvety smooth highs, yet is one of the most enthusiastic players I've heard. This is a rare combination. A comparison with the Wadia 860 is very interesting, showing points scored for both the Meridian and the Wadia and it comes down to taste really. For the outlay this is one amazing player. Note: in the setup menu there are interesting settings that can tweak the player's sound to make it range from very relaxed to very speedy.
Extensive Reviews:
Musical Fidelity X-Ray cd player
Very clean, dynamic and lively player. Very different from the A3 variant which is warm and not very fast. The X-Ray is impressive with percussion and is rhythmically very strong but can also sound too clean. It has little colour or warmth and really deviates from the MF house sound in this respect.
Mark Levinson No.36 DAC
Relaxed and full sounding player that is essentially quite natural, with a warm midrange. Rhythm (PRAT) is not its strong suit and it can also be slightly tame dynamically. It really needs an agile and open/dynamic system to match. A sophisticated dac that is very refined but not very visceral.
Mark Levinson No. 360 DAC
A lot better than the 36, in fact a different animal: much better detail, control and spaciousness. Even though it has excellent dynamic differentiation, it is still very well-mannered and can come across as slightly too restrained. It's difficult to describe but I mean this in a PRAT way. It adresses to the brain in an impressive fashion but it didn't make my foot tap the way the Wadia 861 did. But then, the Wadia was a little rougher around the edges and less airy so I guess it comes down to taste and system synergy.
Naim CDX CD player
Very fluid, creamy-warm and relaxed player. Almost Naim-untypical fullness of sound giving the player a typical "analog" feel. It has full, deep bass but it can lack pitch definition, making the bass somewhat wooly but nevertheless this is a very musical and engaging player that sounds like a Meridian 506.24, but with even more "balls".
Panasonic DVD RV32 DVD player
Pretty standard but musical and enjoyable at that. It is not incredibly detailed or otherwise remarkable in an audiophile way but it is at least friendly, fluid and never shrill or in your face yet not lacking dynamically.
Rega Planet cd player
Natural, lively and entertaining player. It is not the most refined or detailed around but it just makes music. Especially well suited for jazz or other real music (ie not electronic). The player is neither analytical nor warm, however more relaxed than the more expensive Jupiter.
Rega Jupiter cd player
Technically better than the Planet but still somewhat masked compared to the Sony XA50ES. The Jupiter is still not analytical but absolutely not warm or smooth either. I'd call it neutral. Like the Planet more suited for real music instruments than electronical music. The Jupiter is tweaked so that it delivers more accurate sound than the Planet but this is at the cost of a more finicky transport. It doesn't read all cd's, skips easily and I have had the transport replaced 3 times but still it wouldn't be reliable.
Sony XA5ES cd player
It has the same transport but its dac is less open sounding. Use it as a transport and have near-XA50 quality at a lower price. Beware though that this player is a lot older than the XA50.
Sony XA7ES cd player
Sounds a lot like the XA50ES but more natural and fuller thanks to its discrete output stage. Also has balanced out.
Sony XA50ES cd player
For the secondhand money this is simply a brilliant player. Fast, tight, detailed, spacious and refined but not the most natural in timbre. For example Rega sounds more real, less synthetic, but that's a minor thing because you can't get better sound for the dollar. In standard shape the XA50ES can be slightly too technical but this is easily adressed by installing the LCaudio clock upgrade. This makes the player more refined, more focused but at the same time more natural and more relaxed while maintaining speed.
Sony 707ES cd player with Swoboda modification
Even more accurate and dynamic than even the XA50ES with LC Clock it is incredibly impressive at first hearig. But these improvements are very technical in nature, making the player also a bit too clinical and analytical. If you crave detail, you won't find better than this but if you like a smooth ride, the 707 Swoboda is not for you.
Wadia 12 dac
Although this was Wadia's cheapest dac it is still very good considering its second hand value. Like all Wadia's it's not the most fluid dac aropund but the sound is very natural, rhythmic and lively. Detailing is never in question. It is still an upgrade when used as a dac connected to a Meridian 507 cd player.
Wadia 25 dac
After hearing this dac for the first time I was amazed at its enormous soundstage, its back to front layering and its rhithmic timing, as well as its solid bass. If you've never heard Wadia this is simply a revelation. It does carry the usual Wadia tradeoff: all the above advantages at the cost of some air and fluidity in the highs, but it is not severe and can be compensated for with the right cables. Second hand available for comparatively little money, this still is a great buy. Maximum 48khz, so not suitable for high res formats.
Wadia 26 dac
Sounds a lot like a Wadia 25 but in the end is more dark and grounded, less airy, less expansive. It sure is a lot cheaper than the 25 though, and the 26 beats the 12 in every respect; most of all it is much more solid and meaty in the bass. The 26 only goes up to 48khz so no high res formats apply.
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Wadia 861 Cd player
A reference player but one that divides opinion. There are people that say it's the most real sounding player and there are those that find it digital sounding. The truth, as always lies somewhere in the middle. Speaking for the Wadia are its immense 3D soundfield that is both wide and deep. It also has the best bass I've ever heard in a digital component. It is rock solid, articulate, deep and powerful. Its best area however is in the mids that are very natural and acoustically real sounding. I haven't heard better piano or drums on other players. This player is capable of lifelike dynamics and can be truly thrilling. Because of the filtering that Wadia uses there is amost no pre- and post ringing which explains why it is so good with transients and soundstaging but the same filter causes the highs to roll off gently audibly and measurably. It is also this filter that makes the player sound slightly dry in the highs and although this player is very colourful, it can for these reasons sound too controlled and too dark. But when carefully matched (open system, good rack and musical cables), this player can be extremely engaging. There's one more thing about this player: the transport has to run in every day again. After playing about 3 cd's it loosens up and portrays the fluidity it's capable of.
Extensive Reviews:
Yamaha CDX-930 cd player
A beauty to look at and the sound isn't half bad. It is in fact warm, relaxed and natural. It portrays a full and rhythmic live feeling but sadly its highs are a bit grainy. Overall a very exciting and engaging natural sounding player but ultimately (even used as a transport) not as refined as for example the Sony XA50ES (used as player or transport).
Meridian 507 cd player
Very natural and neutral player with plenty detail and pace. It keeps the perfect middle between detail/analytics and musicality but is somewhat boring for it. It is comparable to the 506-20 but better in certain aspects such as speed and detaling. It is however not as relaxed and fluid as the 506.24 and cane come across too businesslike, mostly because its bass, hoever agile, is thin and lacks some power.
Consonance Reference 2.2 192kHz Tube CD player
Incredibly lucid and airy sounding player that has a tube output. It is however not tubey in the sense that it is warm and cuddly. Instead it is fast, bright and open. It is high on fluidity but the bass is very thin and the sound doesn't project much outside of the speakers. Also the dynamics are somewhat restrained. Altogether a player with many plus sides but it has to be combined with care.
Marantz CD 14 cd player with Feickert modification
Difficult to say if it's the Feickert I'm hearing or the intrinsic sound of the CD14 but this player is dynamic, musical, lively and detailed. You could say the sound is like a Swoboda'd Sony but less technical sounding. The highs are somewhat darker and the sound is more dry than I'm used from Marantz.
Audio Aero Prestige SACD player - signature version
Fast, tight, dynamic and detailed. It's a thrilling player. It is also a very capable SACD player. Be sure to try SACD's because the player sounds quite a bit more analog that way. With CD's it can be over-dry and can lack some colour although the highs are airy and fluid, they are still very much recognisable as PCM sourced. It is probably best matched with warm sounding partnering equipment.
Extensive Review:
Marantz CD 16 Exclusive Limited Edition cd player
Made especially for the German market in a limited supply of 300 players. This player has the well know CDM4 on board and it shows: authority, calmness, fluidity and airy highs. But on top of this the Feickert mods have improved speed, dynamics and detailing while maintaining its natural "analog" sound. The player now has pace and is more engaging than the standard CD16. Also very good when used as a transport into the Audiomeca Dac.
Extensive Review:
Nakamichi Dragon Reference CD player
This was a Nakamichi reference player, so expensive that few people bought it. It is still very rare. It looks stunning and upon first inspection you might struggle to find the drawer and wondering what to make of the 3 different boxes. In fact it is a disc changer transport (with built in spare-dac), power supply and dac. Compared to the Wadia 861 it shows Wadia's usual dark tonality as well as a certain dryness but the Wadia at its turn shows the Nak's weaknesses: it is somewhat synthetic sounding and flat soundstagewise, and doesn;t sound convincing, even though it is velvety smooth and well-detailed. In effect it sounds too Sony-like for me.
DCS Delius/Purcell DAC and Upsampler
have to have the appropriate settings plus they have to be in a complimentary system but when everything is sorted, they perform at such a high level that it is astounding. When the purcell is set to 174 or 192khz the sound is incredibly airy, fluid and un-digital while maintaining pace and rhythm. There's amazing low level detail but never in a way that it annoys, it's more like very refined analog than digital. PCM? Not that you can detect-as long as you leave the Purcell in the chain. The soundstage is very wide while focus is superb. The sound doesn't project forward like Wadia does but that comes down taste because the overall presentation is definitely very much state of the art. Using the Purcell is obligatory. When removing the Purcell or putting it in cloning bypass, the sound becomes incredibly cool, dry, over-controlled and grey, immediately making the nature of digital known. Also, when the components are placed too compliantly (rubber feet or wobbly rack) or the wrong powercables are used, the sound can become slow and muddled. In spite of all enthusiasm I have for these components, still I find them slightly too clean. They lack character. I know this should be a good thing, but in my system (Martin Logans) they ares sometimes too revealing.
Extensive Reviews:
Meridian 602 cd transport
Even though this was a reference comboplayer, I was disappointed by its sound. The transport uses a Philips swing arm mechanism which are usually a guarantee for musicality but in this case I found the transport-dac combo decidedly gray and lacking vitality. Sure, there was no grain, hardness or other nastyness to the sound and the treble was in fact quite fluid but the sound failed to grab attention and it had the opposite effect of my feet: they would stop tapping! Besides this dullness, the soundstage was narrow and devoid of colour or substance.
Listening to the transport by itself I was still disappointed because the Marantz CD94MKII easily bettered it allround. Even though the Meridian uses the excellent CDM4 swingarm transport it still managed to sound less fluid, less lively and frankly more dull and more electronical than the Marantz.
Meridian 606 dac
Even though this was a reference comboplayer, I was disappointed by its sound. The transport uses a Philips swing arm mechanism which are usually a guarantee for musicality but in this case I found the transport-dac combo decidedly gray and lacking vitality. Sure, there was no grain, hardness or other nastyness to the sound and the treble was in fact quite fluid but the sound failed to grab attention and it had the opposite effect of my feet: they would stop tapping! Besides this dullness, the soundstage was narrow and devoid of colour or substance.
Closer investigation showed that most of this was the fault of the bitstream dac but since even the simple Denon DA500 beat it in every aspect. But the transport itself was also less liked than that from the Marantz CD94II which all round bettered it hands down.
Proceed PDT-3 CD transport
The last is this range of Proceed transports, the PDT3 still makes use of the Philips CDM4 transport and therefore naturally sounds fluid and subtle. But is is also quite fast on the transients and very dynamic. It even beats the Marantz CD94 (used as transport) in these aspects but deviates from the latter because it is even more precise and detailed but also a little more dry making it slightly more technical.
Audiomeca Mephisto II cd transport
A very special transport, developed by Pierrew Lurne in cooperation with Rene Boonen (designer of the famous Philips CDM4 transport) to maximise cd playback through minimised air friction and maximised platter size. Soundwise this transport is very lucid, fast, open and detailed. Yet there is no harshness or shoutyness and despite all agility, the sound remains fluid. It is however so very astute that it can come across as too controlled. The match with the Audiomeca Enkianthus dac is superb, on the other hand the match with DCS Delius/prucell is very bad. This may have to do with the way the input receivers do their work, the Audiomeca being of the free-flowing kind.
CEC TL1x Belt Driven CD Transport
This is the best cd transport that I have heard. It is simply glorious but never dull. There are many "warm" or "analog" sounding transports but they always seem to sound slow, soft or even muddled. Not here. The Tl1x is fast, dynamic and very engaging. It is in fact the most analog transport that I have heard, being even more fluid than the Marantz CD94MKII. It has a huge soundstage while having pristine focus and staging. Its highs are fluid, airy and silky, the mids are neutral; neither warm nor cool and the bass is tuneful, fast and rhythmic. It combines well with all dac that I tried. It is a reliable transport that reads almost all cd's and cdr's. A top transport then. The only thing that can be said is that it doesn't have Wadia bass and that track access is slower than usual.
Extensive Reviews:
Vincent S3 CD player
A very affordable player that turns out to be much better than you would give it credit for. Even when compared to the excellent Audiomeca Enkianthus dac, it doesn't disappoint. It is not as detailed and focused as the Audiomeca's and compared to more expensive components it misses out in resolving power but it makes up for this with sheer enthusiasm. The sound feels natural (not synthetic) and the overall impression is neither laidback nor relaxed. The only aspect turning away from neutrality is its treble which is very brightly lit. So much so that other dacs appear dark in comparison. It is never shrill or grainy however and could probably easily be compensated for with the right cabling.
Krell KPS20i cd player
Ikon of the late nineties and a challenge to the big Wadias, the Krell has a very different sound than you'd expect. Their amps are heavyweights, usually with a big sound that has plenty bass. This cd player is different, having ample bass, but being rather more polite and well-mannered than you'd expect based on its appearance. This can be partly explained by the built in CDM9 swing arm mechanism. This definitely puts its mark on the sound. Using this machine as a player, it's sound is very smooth, refined and polished but ultimately lacks a bit of drive and attack. It's very detailed and nothing's really missing but it's just laidback. Using the dac with the CEC transport changed matters ad made for a much more engaging sound that had more drive and presence while maintaining the polished fluid character. But still the sound tends to the a bit overpolished compared to both the Wadia 861 and the Audiomeca Enkianthus dac. A crosscheck with the Mark Levinson no 360S dac and my PC as a source confirmed the earlier results. The Krell is not unlike the 360s in character but it loses out on inner detail, transparency and pace. The Krell is very seductive but sometimes sounds too slow. The 360s is faster, cleaner and slightly cooler but overall they are much alike, both having a fluid and colourful presentation.
Extensive Review:
Weiss DAC2/Minerva dac and firewire interface
Are you searching for a super-accurate and finely detailed dac for your PC? You've found it in the Weiss Dac2. However, if you're you searching for a full, musical sound, that can potentially replace your highend cd player as a source of listening pleasure, the Weiss may not convince you entirely. For what it offers detailwise, its asking price is very reasonable, but when compared to cd players that cost the same, in my view, musically you can do better.
Extensive Review:
Audiomeca Enkianthus Upsampling DA converter
Very musical and involving dac. It has pace comparable to Wadia 861's and tops this with a very fluid treble that's also quite open and airy. The dac has plenty slam and speed and in fact makes for a very good combination of musicality and fluidity on the one hand and excitement and dynamics on the other hand. The Audiomeca is a fluid and smooth performer but it is not as super-silky in the treble, nor as hyper-detailed as a Mark Levinson 360s or DCS Delius/Purcell.
Extensive Reviews:
Mark Levinson no 360s dac
The 360s is a very sophisticated and neutral sounding dac. It is neither clinical nor warm. It has extremely good detailing, only giving way to the dcs delius and purcell dac/upsampler combo. The 360s also has a very wide soundstage and doesn't sound flat; in fact it's quite layered sounding but not quite a Wadia in this respect. But it's also not a Wadia in the highs, which in the Levinson's case are susper-silky and almost lush, as well as its midrange that's simply glorious and in no way electronic or otherwise artificial. The bass is deep, round but also very articulate. it is in the bass that there is most difference compared to the 390s cd player. Whereas the 390s cd player is more lush and round, the 360s is more refined and articulate. All in all. because the 360 dac is more controlled and the 390s player more free I'd say that the 360s is more audiophile and the 390s more musical. Compared directly to the 390s cd player, not compared with the 360 that I had years ago so the 360 and 360s may actually sound a lot alike but I cannot confirm this with certainty anymore.
Extensive Review:
DAD (Danish Audio Design) AX-24 da converter
Contrary to what you might thing when you see this "studio" dac, this is a very musical performer. It has a lively, upfront delivery and killer bass. In fact it has the best bass I've heard since the Wadia 861. Despite its liveliness it is never aggressive or shouty and has lucid but grain-free highs. The DAD might well be the most neutral yet un-academic sounding dac I know. It is honest yet never clinical like dcs the delius-purcell combo can be. Just don't expect it to be a smooth operator. It is just not as velvety rich nor does it image as widely as the Levinson no360s but that dac is for different tastes. The DAD might not be a looker but it just might be the dac for you.
Extensive Review:
Mark Levinson No.390s CD Processor (integrated player)
This is the first 'S' Levinson that I've had in the system and I have to say that it seems to really make a difference. It can also be that an integrated cd player is simply more together sounding than separates, with their jitter issues, but this player sounds more agile and timely than both the 36 and 360 dac did some time ago with several transports. The 390s sound is very organic, with a full, agile bass, a very natural mid and airy, fluid highs. It is full, slightly warm and harmonic but uncoloured and natural sounding at the same time. It throws a wide and deep soundstage and it just doesn't sound like a CD player. The only criticism I can have is that it is not the most physical sounding player. It is always well-mannered and simply will not shout at you. But I like that in a CD player:-)
Extensive Reviews:
van Medevoort CD350 CD/SACD player (bottom)
Although this player was just visiting and was only listened to briefly, it was immediately evident that it has a very different character than the resident Mark Levinson no390s. The van Medevoort seems to be all about dynamics, liveliness and accuracy. It is fast and agile and well-detailed, with fresh and open highs. It is also quite upfront and somewhat dry but definitely not harsh. And even though it has a well-formed and grown-up bass, it comes across to me as more matter of fact, more grey than the Levinson. Or the Audiomeca, or the Krell, or Meridian for that matter. These characteristics are also evident when the CD350 is used as a transport. The point is: this is probably not a player for people who like music to be rose-tinted or otherwise gentle and romantic. For me, it sounds somewhat digital and lacking colour. But if honesty and accuracy are what you're looking for, then this player is probably hard to beat at the price.
Linn Unidisk 1.1
This player reminded me strongly of the Weiss DAC2/Minerva da converter for its clean, tight, fast, open, business-like and dry sound. The 1.1 sounds lively and fairly enthusiastic, although I wouldn't call it very dynamic because it seems to compress large dynamic swings, making both soft sounds and loud outbursts sound evenly present. In all fairness, this player is absolutely not grainy or otherwise badly behaved, but it was just very clinical to my ears, not possessing the relaxed fluidity, rich colours and the large soundstage that I like. Everything sounded just a bit too controlled and too cold. Overall I find this true of all other Linn components I have heard. It seems to be the company signature sound. The built in transport is very good: upbeat and confident. Using a separate Mark Levinson dac made for a large improvement, leaving only a slight dryness/greyness to the sound.
Musical Fidelity V-DAC
Max 24/192. In: Coax, toslink, USB. Out: cinch. One of the cheapest DA converters available, yet very musical and refined in sound. Works flawless with both usb, coax and toslink digital signals. Even though it is a very small dac with an even smaller outboard adapter-style power supply, this dac sounds mature, refined and spacious. It sounds MUCH better that you'd give it credit for.
Behringer Ultramatch Pro samplerate converter (asynchronous upsampler)
Max 24/96. Digital In/Out: AES/coax/toslink, Analog in/out: XLR. The Ultramatch is a very interesting little device. It is no substitue for the dcs Purcell but it definitely has some very appealing qualities, most obvious its function as reclocker, firming up the sound. Apparently not all upsamplers are created equal. The Ultramatch's inherent dry character means that you'll have to use warm or smooth sounding cables to get the best results but there's plenty room for experiments. If you have a PC as source, you might find its attribution addictive! It costs only about 300 euro. So do yourself a favour - set aside your preconceptions and just give it a try.
Extensive Reviews:
JVC XD-Z505 DAT recorder
Uitstekende machine, vergeleken met de Sony DAT's qua loopwerk veel betrouwbaarder, sneller en stiller. Klankmatig prima maar niet zo goed als de Sony's in dezelfde prijsklasse. Pas echter op met 2e hands DAT-recorders: de mechaniek kan verlopen zijn waardoor de error-rate enorm stijgt. Hierdoor kunnen tapes die op andere DAT recorders opgenomen zijn vaak slecht afgespeeld worden. Erger nog: soms spelen ze op het eerste gehoor goed, maar blijkt bij nader luisteren dat alle kracht en finesse weg is omdat de foutcorrectie zo hard aan het werk is.
Philips DCC 900 DCC recorder
Philips en tape-loopwerken… wat kan iuk zeggen... Klik KLIKKERDEKLIK klik klak kaaaa-LIK! Onbetrouwbaar: Dropouts dropouts. Ik heb 2 exemplaren gehad en beide waren catastrofaal. Zo erg zelfs dat ik weer terugging naar de Nak RX202.
Sony MDS JA-50ES minidisc recorder
Underestimated machine with superb sound quality, almost as good as the XA50ES. People who believe that MD isn't mature should listen to this one. Sadly the transport turned out to be unreliable: I've sent it in for repairs 3 times, same story for the JA30ES. This is a shame because all other Sony MD recorders I've had are highly reliable and (anno 2011) still play.
Sony MDS JA-30ES minidisc recorder
Almost as good as the JA50ES above but with savings in the shape of more plastic elements, a less sturdy housing and slightly less good sound. Sadly again the transport is the issue.
Sony MDS JE500 MD recorder
Super-dependable transport (despite being a simple thin steel plate and plastic affair) and sounds much, much better than you'd expect. Notably recordings made from analog sources (LP) keep the analog quality of the original recording and sound smooth and fluid. Surprisingly the JE500 sounds much better when recording (both analog and digital) (more natural, the JE520 is slightly plasticky/synthetic) than the JE520 that is supposed to be the better machine.
Sony MDS JE520 MD recorder
Although the transport is almost entirely made from plastic, this is a dependable machine that sounds fine (still in line with same-priced cd players), just not as good as the older JE500, which sounded like a really good cd player.
Sony DTC 57ES DAT recorder
Despite the DAT format being officially transparent and superior to MiniDisc, this machine sounds inferior to the XA50ES cd player and even the JA50ES minidisc player. This is most likely to do with the output stages and not with the format per se. But the 57ES sounds synthetic and lacks expression. Additionally its transport is super-unreliable: I've sent it in for repairs three times after which it was replaced by the DTC59ES, which had the same problems. I then went on to Philips DCC 900, only to find that this was also a disaster, but I digress...
Sony DTC 59ES DAT recorder
Same story as for the DTC57ES above, although its sound can be bettered by using an offboard DAC.
Wadia 27ix DAC with GNSC Statement Upgrade
Compared to many dacs, my Levinson no.360S included, the Wadia 27ix GNSC sounds more physical, more powerful, more colourful and more dynamic as well as having an incredibly large soundstage. The latter can also be very well-layered from front to back but this is something for which you really need the clocklink, as I experienced with my 861. With the 27ix GNSC and using a Levinson transport or a PC there is no clocklink and this makes the Wadia's headstart a little less because its soundstaging without clocklink is in the same leage as the Levinson. In order to hear its maximum potential, you'll need a Wadia transport with clocklink connection. But even without clocklink, it is a reference quality dac that competes even with the very best dacs available now.
Extensive Reviews:
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Ayre QB-9 USB DAC
Brilliant USB-DAC that manages to make the computer sound like real, breathing music. Fluid, effortless, airy, subtle, smooth and with a complete absence of electronic signature. It's only lesser quality is in the bass, which is ever so slightly lightweight. But I've compared it to the Levinson no390S cd player which admittedly has very good bass and overall, I wouldn't see this as a problem, more like a different taste. Surprisingly sounds even better with full size computers than with laptops.
Extensive Review:
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Arcam rDAC
This cute and cuddly small USB-DAC but packs enormously colourful sound: full, smooth, fluid and very engaging. It is just very easy to listen to. Sure, it doesn't have the Ayre QB9's detail, speed or airyness but it sure is raising the bar for what's possible at 429 euro.
Extensive Review:
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Accuphase DP400
The Accuphase provides an open window onto the music and is neutral to boot. That was expected. What wasn't expected was its smoothness and fluidity. Even though it is exquisitely detailed and well-focused, this is definitely not an analytical measuring device. Instead it is a dynamic, lively and musically engaging player.
Extensive Review:
PS Audio PWD
Max 24/192. In: 1x toslink, 1x coaxial, 1x AES/EBU, 2x I2S, USB, ethernet. Out: cinch, XLR. Immensely flexible and high performing DAC/network streamer. It isn't the absolute best dac in the world as it lacks some refinement but it is big on dynamics, solidity, articulation, detail and very enjoyable due to its engaging enthusiastic musicality. When used in combination with network audio, this is currently the best solution I have heard, beating every computeraudio solution out there, including my best PC based solution.
Retail price approx 4500 euro (including The Bridge)
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Wadia 171i Transport (for iPod/iPad/iPhone)
The 171i is a so-called transport for getting audio from an i-device in a highend manner. Its digital output is special in that it is real, proper, digital audio, straight from the hard disk or memorychip inside the i-device, be it an iPhone, iPod or iPad. Other cradles only take the analog output but the Wadia deciphered the digital stream, to offer unprecedented audio from an i-device. Amazingly, it really succeeds and, given a state of the art dac, really produces state of the art sound.
Retail price approx 500 euro
Olive 04HD hifi server
cd player/cd ripper/DAC/network player/HD storage/server. Max 24/192. Wireless ethernet. In: RJ45 (network), USB 2.0. Out: digital coax, toslink. Analog: cinch. Storage: 2TB. Formats: WAV, FLAC, MP3 (128 and 320 kbit/s), AAC (128 kbit/s). Touchscreen, integrated CD drive and hard drive. Elegant, all in one solution. Control via touchscreen on frontpanel, supplied IR remote or i-app. This is one very comfortable all in one solution. Dynamic, lively, rhythmic: this is one enthusiastic music playing machine. As an integrated it already performs as well as a very good CD player and when used in combination with a high end dac, its performance gets even better.
Retail price 2499 euro
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Trends UD10.1
This full featured version of the UD10.1 Lite has more outputs, better power regulation and a more precise clock.
Retail price approx 175 euro
Audio Synthesis DAX Decade
The DAX is an amazingly luxuriously sounding component. It makes every CD sound smooth, full and relaxing. To top it off, it offers extremely refined treble with lots of air. But the DAX falls behind on other aspects that are also important for the overall music experience. Its midrange is too recessed, percussive instruments (piano too) lack attack (transients are softened) and bass, although being full and full-colour, lacks drive, articulation and dynamic expression.
Extensive Review:
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Marantz CD12 LE
The CD12 combo sounds a lot like the Philips CD960 and Marantz CD94 (MK1) in that the sound is extremely creamy and relaxed and harmonically extremely pleasing. The CD12 too, sometimes sounds too rose-tinted and too zen. Switch to using the CD12 transport into any of the present dacs and there's much better transparency and low level detail and the treble is just state of the art, but the overall sound is still somewhat slowish. PRAT isn't its strong suit. The thing is, switch to the CD880, CD85, CD80 or any other lesser player and it is painfully evident that they lack harmonic ripeness and in comparison sound somewhat empty.
Extensive Review:
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Ayre CX7
While the Ayre CX7 wouldn't be my player of choice because my system yearns for more colour and bass fulness, nevertheless this player offers a unique sound that I haven't heard in any other player. It is extremely airy, unforced and relaxed while avoiding to sound slow or undynamic. It has very good microdetailing but never sounds agressive, dry or harsh. In addition it offers a free-flowing, ethereal soundstage and altogether produces a sound that never tires.
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Marantz CD11 LE
Although the CD11 is the CD12's successor, it sounds entirely different. The older player still manages to sound more colourful, more creamy and more harmonically complete. But where the CD12 can sound slow or undynamic and often a bit too ripe in the bass, the CD11 has a nice upbeat sound that's also very involving. Detailing and transparency are quite good while keeping that familiar smoothness and treble air that I have become to love so much about these classic swing arm players. The CD11LE is better with rhythms and percussion while the CD12 is better with slower music and voices. I'd rate both the CD12LE and the CD11LE as the best Marantzes I've heard yet, both having their specific strong sides and both being emotionally highly involving.
Extensive Review:
Philips Classic CD players
All these players were compared in an extensive review and cross referenced with Marantz CD94MKII, Audiomeca and DCS. In short: the old Philips players can be very musical and involving. Some even come close to the Marantz CD94MKII. See the review for more info.
Extensive Review:
Wadia S7i
The S7i is Wadia's current top CD player. Despite CD Rom transport still 100% Wadia: solid, fast, dynamic, detailed and with superb soundstage layering. Also it has the most open treble for a Wadia yet. I have compared it extensively to the older Wadia 861 and to the current best streaming devices. Is native CD replay still superior over streaming audio? Read all about it in this extensive review.
Extensive Review:
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Naim CDX2 CD player
Solid, dynamic, lively, swinging cd player with excellent bass and great PRAT that can be a touch rough and isn't stellar in low resolution or soundstaging, but gets the feet tapping and is simply highly enjoyable.
Extensive Review: