Ok, I'm looking to upgrade my CD Player. It's the last part of my uber-headphone system and I'm hoping to get the best player possible for under $12k used. I know that affords me alot of options, and I imagine I'll do some travelling and testing before I buy, but I wanted some opinions first. Right now, these are the main ones I'm considering:
*Reimyo CDP-777 *Linn Sondek CD12 *Naim CDS3/XPS2 *Wadia 270/27 *Wadia 861se w/Statement mod from GNSC *Meridian 808 *EMM Labs Meitner CDSD/Dac6 *Esoteric DV-50 with full mods from Reference Audio Mods *Classe Omega SACD
I'm not so much into characteristics - the overall performance is more important for me. But I do need a player with great bass (both in extension, detail, and volume) as my headphones are a bit bass shy. Any reviews/comparisons would be much appreciated.
You have to take Norm's posts with a grain of salt. His latest acquisition, whether it be Vacuum Reference, Stealth Indra, H-Cat, Exemplar 3910, Exemplar 5910, Halcyonic, Cerious, ad. nauseum is always the greatest thing ever heard. Roll with the flow and wait for the next component. I am.
Whitewind, the Halycronics is not on the above list,there are mod cdp, that I can mention but No1willfan is very specific on the players, he is considering.Thanks
Whoopadeedoo, do you mean something like the Accuphase DP-77? Heard. . . looks great. . . and the sound. . . sure is different! Judy, feeling a touch acidulated today? All, let us not knock Norm's Halcyionic active isolation platform quite yet. From the only thread discussing it on the Gon, it looks like it was born for and is mostly still use for mechanical isolation of laboratory equipment. See: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1112411577&read&keyw&zzhalcyonic From what I can tell its manufacturer's claims are at least in principle quantifiable and verifiable. I may have to start selling lemonade on my driveway during weekends. . . perhaps some day I will be able to afford one of these creatures as well. . . and in case of earthquake I will climb on top of one for 'total protection'.
Sorry if I disturb your sensibilities, Judy. Please avoid my posts. I think you are unable to see my great enthusiasm for the H-Cat and the Halcyonics. I like the Cerious and think the Exemplar products are the best moded units I have heard, but do say the Reimyo is the best digital I have heard. I am certainly not alone in singing the praises of the Indra. I am sorry you don't have enthusiasm for anything.
I own the Meitner gear and very happy with it. All of the above are great players with different personalities and already a lot of comments done. Among them Meitner/Reimyo/dcS are generally similiar in quality (well by that I mean cutting age digital), clearly a cut above the rest, but with different characters and a matter of personal taste: the one thing Reimyo can't do is play SACDs which is factor to consider. If you want to consider price as factor, the new Ayre universal player is extremely good and I would recommend auditioning it against the Esoteric gear. I plan to do so next year as I move into another house and build a second system: perhaps the dcs new one box player will come into play but it is 50-100% more expensive than the other two: hopefully they will be cutting prices? Yeah, right.
Sure thing Judy. . . no prob. As soon as you reciprocate, of course. . . and watch that helico-bacterium pilori. . . truly nasty stuff it can be! It can do a real number on your gastric pH. On the other hand riding a halcyonic platform might help. . . the Mythical Halcyon, in the shape of the Kingfisher, had in antiquity the power even to calm the winds and the waves of the Kraken. . . . or so I am told. . . that was before my time.
FWIW, Judy's post strikes me as having a cruel undertone, e.g. "...ad nauseum...", "...always the greatest thing...", etc. Norm is one of the very few people I know of who is almost constantly trying new, cutting edge components. And I gather from reading his posts over time that he is not always posting about just "His latest acquisition...", i.e. I believe that he tries many things that he does NOT like that much (and that he doesn't post about). When he does post something positive, I always think that OF COURSE it's because it's the best he's heard! (isn't that largely true of all of us, the only difference being the amazing volume of equipment that Norm hears in a year?). Seems to me there's a HECK of a lot more benefit in what he has to say (and introduce us to) than there is downside. And, OF COURSE, one should take what he says with a grain of salt. I take what ANYone says about audio components with a grain of salt.
Having heard the dCS stack, the EMM Labs gear, the Wadia 27/270 and the Linn, I would choose the EMM from those choices principally because it does SACD and I like SACD far more than redbook. If it were just redbook, though, I'd go with the Linn, it isn't the most detailed or revealing but it just sounds "right" to me--the others are a little too analytical for my taste (Meitner's sound surprised me, quite the opposite of what I would have expected given his early CD3 CD player, still one of my old favorites). And I'd choose (and have chosen) my Forsell/Audio Logic combination over all of them, but I am admittedly an unabashed fan of those pieces, as my posts will attest, so take that for what it's worth.
Jfz/Joperfi: Wouldn't you want to hear from people who "actuallY" heard Tbg's system and see what they have to say? We all have our own bias and I bet you will find someone who heard it say it was not their cup of tea.
Busypk: Of course!! I have no idea why you would assume what I said would preclude that. I feel quite the opposite: it would be another great piece of information.
Listening for yourself requires a good ear and hard work. Some just prefer to follow the leader and go with the flavor of the day hoping the leader knows what he is doing. This is frequently not the case.
Was there anything in my last post you disagree with? Given your intense interest and enthusiasm for this hobby I would expect your unequivocal support for my position.
This kind of post doesn't accomplish anything and shows up once a week. What's the best ________ under whatever. You'll get 100 different answers each time which won't really narrow it down for you to audition. I understand you are looking for people to list one CD player over and over so you can really find one that is the best, but that will never happen. So, you won't get the answer you're looking for.
People will tell you the best is whatever they purchased.
"Listening for yourself requires a good ear and hard work. Some just prefer to follow the leader and go with the flavor of the day hoping the leader knows what he is doing. This is frequently not the case." regretably your post is undecidable: the pronoun 'this' you utilize in your third assertion can arbitrarely be interpreted as being an abstraction of either the 1st or the 2nd assertion., hence I have no idea if I can agree with you or not. Don't you just love these metadiscussions? (chuckles!)
oh, yes it is. sobriety is the cause of all problems in the world today.
the world needs to get together and collectively discuss things over a pint or six.
and, while i agree with you in spirit, judy, i must suggest that an air of diplomacy or humility might take the edge off of your seemingly endless string of negative and condescending posts.
>>"I tell it like it is. Humility and diplomacy are for politicians and weaklings."
What an absolutely stupid comment. Did you fire up all two brain cells to come up with that one? If you reflected before you wrote, you'd realize that humility and diplomacy are the province of the strong and wise. I've made A LOT of friends by being humble, diplomatic, and helpful. Just check my posts. By the way, for someone so critical, I find it curious that you haven't posted your system. Afraid to have some of that criticism turned back on you?
Actually, The "I say it the way it is" syndrome in phycology is nothing more than a dilusion of graduer. My Dad's been using it all his life to his own detriment. He's finally coming around.
I think only God can say "I say it the way it is". Since, you would have to be all knowing to really do that. Everything else is just an opinion from a limited perspective.
Ah Judy, that really hurt! Unfortunately I am largely abstinent, so I hardly ever experience the benefits of an altered state. . . would like to more often, though . . . Alcohol after all is known to intensify one's musical experience.
Boy, this thread turned ugly. Far from my intention. But I'm sincerely thankful for the suggestions and reviews. I just traveled to Dallas a few days ago to try out the Reimyo and and the dCS (knew some guys that had them) and I must say I was supremely impressed with both. The dCS was outstanding but a little out of my price range. The Reimyo was just as good, and in fact I think I preferred it, and well in my price range if I wait long enough. I need to find someone that has the CD12 and the Meitner combo near me now.
Yes, 911 and Katrina scared people to evacuate. After Rita, no one will leave. I prepared most of yesterday for an overcast day with some wind. At least it is somewhat cooler.
The Mighty Reimyo CDP-777 no doubt, I own one my self. This is the BEST single box player that I ever heard in my system, PERIOD.... also if you don't want to spend that much money then my second favorite one is the CLASSE OMEGA SACD, very good player as well with AMAZING! Midrange, but the Reimyo CDP777 is untouchable!
The Reimyo CDP777 is very special. It is so musical, that I actually look forward to listening to CDs. In fact, I find that CDs reproduced on it are as musically satisfying as the SACD or DVD-A. Only vinyl still outperforms the CDP-777 in my system.
The Reimyo CDP777 is very special. It is so musical, that I actually look forward to listening to CDs. In fact, I find that CDs reproduced on it are as musically satisfying as the SACD or DVD-A. Only vinyl still outperforms the CDP-777 in my system.
Right on Splaskin. The Reimyo CDP-777 is a VERY special player. I hear few TOP SACD player's in my system before I decided to go with the Reimyo, there not much differences when listed to SACD on the others player's matter of fact to me The Reimyo sounds much better, detail, beautiful midrange, dynamic, open, well balance top to bottom, musicality and thundering impact!. even thought the Reimyo is NOT a SACD player it performance is Incredible! You must hear the CDP777 unit to appreciate the palatability of the music sounds. They reproduce words that cannot describe the experience. In my personal opinion the Reimyo CDP777 is one of the best single box CDP money can buy.
No1willfan if you come across to try them all on your system you should cause that's the REAL Test, Hearing is Believing!
You are right, Robm, but obviously many find it worth it. I love it but could not bring myself to buy one especially as I want to have SACD capability, necessitating another expensive unit. There are certainly other more expensive digital front ends that I find do not equal the Reimyo even comparing SACDs to cds.
I'm definitely now leaning towards the Reimyo. I heard the EMM Labs combo yesterday and while it was extraordinary I really think the Reimyo has it beat when it comes to musicality - which in my book nearly trumps all. I still have some more players to try out, but the more I've heard the Reimyo, the more impressed I've been with it.
The player is $15,500 without AC cord unless it has recently increased in price. It can be purchased for under $12K new or for less used if you shop around.
Gotcha. Wow tough decision. Reimyo would be a must audition then if you can. $12k is a lot to be dropping just based on our opinion. I guess if you buy used you could always sell it if you change your mind. I've never heard it, but everyone (indluding outside of audiogon) has great things to say about this player.
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