Anyone heard about Ancient Audio Lektor 5???

Larry is right that is why I went with the Raysonic CD168 at retail of 2500.00. It uses for 6922 tubes in its output stage which runs class A and uses good parts including Auri Caps. I think the sound of this player is fantastic and I think the only player that may beat it is the Meitner.

the way audio reproduction is moving to computer server technology I would never spend that kind of money on a cd player....you can buy many very good players for around 2K if you have to have a new on...any player you buy now will plummet in value very quickly.

Hi,

Is that the price for a new unit, and would it be the granite or the wooden cabinet? If new, then USD 6k would look fine for wood, excellent for granite.

I had a "V" on trial a few weeks and didn't have a hard time deciding to keep it (haven't put it in my system description yet). Two observations. First: rest assured you will not be wasting your money; second: merely as a cdp it is not without competition at its price level, though (I'm sure you will get suggestions from other posters).

Where it does become increasingly interesting: you would also be buying a very good tube (6H30) pre-amp with one additional input. So, if that is enough for your intentions, you could save on that end. The volume control is in the analog domain (as it should). I've tried it as a "normal" cdp with my Unison S2K amp (in which case you set the output at a fixed level that suits the input of your amp, but you cannot take the volume control entirely out of the signal path) and also as a cdp/pre-amp directly feeding Tidal Intra as well as Kharma Matrix 150 amps. In all cases the results were convincing enough for me to open up my wallet. I'll probably end up pairing it permanently with the Kharma's.

Apart from a cdp that lets you indulge in a homogenous, grain-less flow of music ("analog" in my understandig of that term), authoritative in its presentation and building an excellent stage, you also get a fine piece of craftsmanship and a real "looker" at that.

Now, the next model in Ancient's hierarchy, the Lektor Prime is a quite formidable machine and beats the "V" without discussion, but it sells around EUR 8k in Europe, so that will probably bust the budget (it did in my case). Unless, of course, you already had some additional budget for a pre-amp set aside...

Good luck