Ancient audio Lector Prime cd player

I visited Jarek in Krakow and heard the Lektor Prime and the less expensive Lektor V. There was no comparison between the two. I bought a Lektor Prime two and a half years ago and have been very happy. I have not heard the Lektor Grand SE or his new Lektor Air. Most recently, Jarek built for me a 300b amplifier to match the CDP. Jarek makes great electronics . . . and they look great, too.

The build quality on the Lektor Prime is excellent. Karelfd is correct in his comments about its functionality. The ability to control everything using a single remote is great. One thing is strange; the volume control is only via the remote.

You are discussing CDPs that live in the rarified atmosphere of being among the best. I have not heard the competitors to the Lektor Prime that the two of you mention, but I am thrilled with my Lektor Prime. It feeds into a custom-made upgrade of the Ancient Audio 300b Integra amplifier (with Shungang Black Bottle tubes) and a pair of Zu Definition 2 speakers. The sound is organic, lush, and huge (as apposed to loud) with a lot of tone. I have compared live performances with CDs recorded by the same groups and two sound amazingly alike. For example, just last Saturday, I heard the Tallis Scholars in concert and then listened to their CDs as soon as I got home.

The look of the Ancient Audio equipment is stunning, understated, unique, and customizable; important to me since I am a slave to aesthetics, and my system is in plain view in my living room. I agree that having a volume control (actually a two-input pre-amplifier) within the Lektor Prime is a plus; maybe this does not work well in other CDPs, but it does here. It keeps the look minimalistic without sacrificing sound.

I have not heard the Lektor Prime paired with a production level Single Six in my system. When I visited Jarek to audition his two CDPs, this amplifier was under development. But if you like the sound of 300b tubes, maybe Jarek will make a 300b amplifier for you like he did for me. I have paired the Lektor Prime with two other amplifiers - the Yamamoto A-08s and a locally made DejaVu 45/2a3 SET. It was good, but not as good as the Ancient Audio 300b amplifier that I am currently using - perhaps because they are both made by the same designer.

Yes, two; and both were huge. A year ago, I upgraded my Zu Def 2s to the Def 4s. The word upgrade is a bit of a misnomer since these are totally different speakers that just happen to look the same and have a similar price tag. The Def 4s are superior in almost every respect; there are threads that discuss them in depth. Deeper, tighter bass. Better off-axis imaging. Increased efficiency and dynamics. Greater tone. Etc. There is a good review on Audiobeat. Then last spring, I sourced a pair of Takatsuki 300b tubes from Japan. While I have never heard the Westen Electric 300b, the Takatsuki are phenomenal; the review in 6Moons that was reprinted from HiFidelity of Poland was spot-on as was the review in Dagogo and Part-time Audiophile and threads on Audiogon. Unfortunately, they are also very expensive.