The Audio Note Kits DAC 2.1C (roughly equiv to factory DAC 3 I believe) was truly a revelation to me after trying a number of DACs and CDPs, some up to 3x its price. The smoothness and timbre of the NOS/filterless topology with great dynamics and microdynamic finesse (something very many easy to listen to, "analog-like" DACs are missing).
Have never heard the AMR or the new db audio.
Vinyl is still better, substantially. |
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Ayre CX7e-MP
I never thought CD could match vinyl. Now I'm questioning whether it is better than vinyl (and my vinyl rig costs 3-4x the price of this CD player) |
Squeezebox Duet > MHDT Lab Havana DAC |
Well Vinyl Lovers the new Music Vault One has the ability to Record Analog at 24 bits up to 192 KSPS. It will capture the soul of the album and be indistinguishable in AB comparisons on the overwhelming majority of systems that people own. Actually it may sound better depending on your turntable because the Music Vault One is not susceptible to acoustic feedback.
The "Truth" according to me anyway is that older CDs weren't mastered that well which makes them sound crappy and most CD players have to do error correction as the CD is plying and they don't always get it right if the Disc surface has issues. The Music Vault Rips the CD to a HD and Does error correction using computer methods that get it right or none of our software would work.
The end result is the Music Vault Music Servers are the best sounding Digital sources out there and do get the soul of your music and the new Music Vault One can make perfect copies of your Albums too.
I am the designer and Manufacturer of the Music Vault Servers, I thought the disclosure was needed. |
How's the playback on that Music Vault? Recording vinyl doesn't seem too difficult- my Yamaha CDR does it very well (although the interface is pretty lame). But, the actual recordings sound very close to the vinyl. And, that's not really an "audiophile" piece of equipment. |
I think you are asking me how good the Music Vault One sounds.
It sounds better than most CD players. I think you will find that your really crappy sounding CDs will sound pleasant enough through a Music Vault and your really good CDs better than you have heard them before. In addition you can down load Hi Res files from HD Tracks or other sites and play these as well, something most CD Players can't do. It is a server after all. |
Ayre CX-7e. Have had it for a few years and love it (should really go for the MP upgrade soon!). Some CD's are better, some records are better - my vinyl rig is a bit higher end than the CDP, but it's close. One thing the CDP can't do is fill the room with music the way that the best vinyl does...but I suspect that's down to the missing resolution of the CD format.
Abbey Road - remaster - parts of it are better on CD, parts are better on vinyl...some of the remastering choices on this album were quite drastic and removed some distortion that's in the original recordings, so in that respect, the CD is better. In terms of filling the room with music though...as usual, the vinyl wins out. |
I use the EMM Labs CDSD SE and the DCC2SE DAC combo. I bought the EMM XDS 1 player recently. But nothing beats the Vinyl set up.
It just sounds natural. Digital is all about sound shaping using algorithms. That is music to some years and noise to others. Tis best to listen to what u r more comfortable with. But try one must to all possible sources and technologies... |
Naim CD5x, Marantz DV7001 (for SACD) and Squeezebox Duet with Cambridge DacMagic.
Nothing compares to vinyl through my Basis 1400/Encounter MkIII/Ortofon Kontrapunkt b. |
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Reimyo DAP-777. It has an organic warmth that's very similar LP. It needs a good cd transport, with very little jitter though, since the DAP-777 doesn't sport a digital buffer. |
Cary 308-T. It makes very beautiful music with a natural level of detail. |
I'm using the Goldenote Stibbert. It sounds wonderful. I can listen to albums or CD's and not feel the need to compare them. |
Soundlistening,
As I said, these are Japanese pressings of some popular music,
To name a few:
Tracy Chapman : New Beginning and Telling Stories
Pink Floyd : Wish you were here
Fleetowood Mac: Rumours
All these are pretty popular, may I call "mass-market", I have the European pressings of these very same albums but they sound like CDs, the Japanese version sounds like LPs.
Hope this helps. |
Redgum Audio Rgcd-Dac5enr |
i'm currently using a MCD201 + ARC DAC7; i'm trying to ressurect my old favorite, Wadia 6i
egay |
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For me PS has changed the title of the thread to " Hi rez lovers, what vinyl do you use. Yup I said that and I'm wearing nomex. |
I use a Denon CDR-W1500, which is a dual CD recording deck. The main thing I use it for is making excellent CD copies of vinyl records and other sources (tapes & radio). It has digital inputs and outputs (optical & coax) and has a 24bit DAC.
I run it alternately through a Sonic Solutions DAC for listening. The built-in DAC is very good but i prefer the external unit because it is very warm and pleasant. |
Sony SCD XA5400ES. I also have a McIntosh, and Arcam, and previously the Ayre CX7e. All are good, but I only listen to the Sony. It is phenomenal. |
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SONY DVP-NS 305 of about 10 years old, the good thing is it operates flawless and plays DVD s as well , expensive cd players are a waist of money in MY opinion with maybe the exception of mark levinson and zanden audio. |
EAR Acute Cd Player with Nos Siemens, in my researchs it is the best affordable cd player which close to analog. The best I listened is the mbl transport+dac gear. It was nearly better then most of the analog setups I have ever listened. |
various vintage players attached to camelot arthur w/ battery supply. fantastic dac btw but battery onlasts about 1.5-2 hours per charge... |
EMM Labs XDS1 which sounds analogue, very much like my Skala/Oracle/SMEIV combo. The other day, music playing but not paying attention, I was surprised to see it was coming from CD and not vinyl. So far vinyl still superior but when the XDS1 is fully broken in, maybe not for long. |
dcs Ouccini with U- clock,Playing SACD ,XRCD and the likes |
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Vinyl system: Nottingham 294 'table and arm w/Dynavector 17D3 through a Nova Phenomena phono preamp. Wonderful!!!
Digital: Musical Fidelity 308 cd player used as a deck into a Lavry Engineering DA10 dac. Very good. Plenty of body and presence. Comfortable listening over time. |
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Proceed CDD into a Monarcy Dip into a Monarcy NM24 with 1960's Siemen-Halske tubes. |
I use a Conrad Johnson DAC-3 and Krell MD-2 Transport combination and love the sound. It is the closes to vinyl I have experienced in my setup so far. In fact it sounds so good,it showed me my turntable needed some tweaks. I picked up both pieces from from this community.
I am now convinced a separate DAC and transport will sound better than most integrated CDP(s). |
LEVINSON 390S becaues it sounds wonderful.Vinyl rules sounds much better!! |
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Naim CDS2/XPS power supply/Super Burndy. This player has none of the digital nasties, gives nice weight to the instruments, is full sounding as well as dynamic and plays effortlessly...meaning it doesn't seem strained or forced. It really gets the essence of the music, all of the little nuances and dynamic shadings exceedingly well. It allows you to forget about the medium and concentrate on the music.
My vinyl rig in a Linn LP12 with battery powersupply/ Naim ARO tonearm, Benz Wood MC cartridge. |
MacBook Pro with a Weiss DAC1 mkII FW and Amarra. Lovely midrange and the best bass I've heard. Totally smooth high end too. |
Parasound Belt driven transport - Classe Dac-1 |
Currently I'm using my Oppo BDP-83 Bluray/multiplayer. Very nice machine given its modest price. The stereo output section has Cirrus Logic 4398 high end dacs.
I've also begun to import my vinyl into my Macbook using either Audacity or Garage Band. This is to then mix down to Redbook CD format to make CD's of my vinyl. The first few discs were via the Mac's built in A/D converter. But I'm now adding a Tascam outboard digital interface unit that should get me even better importing of vinyl to my Macbook. I'll import using 24 bits 88.2 or 96 and mix down to 16 bit Redbook to burn CDR's I may keep some favs in 24 bit mode on the hard drive and play back via the Tascam's 24/96 D/A converters. |
Nad 565bee CD Player
Because it's not a Vinyl sound but quality digital.
I enjoy having the best of both |
Fishing,
Do you find the selectable oversampling and filters on the 565bee to be useful? Do you notice much of a difference with different settings? Thanks!
-Bob |
I keep the player on no upsampling/filter 2
I notice filter 1 is more relaxed & 5 is between 1&5
Not especially fond of upsampling but it doesn't sound bad
Overall straight CD sounds excellent
Did you see some of the reviews online?
Also the player sounds very good with all types of music,getting to the heart.
Always making sense of the music |
Not very much difference using filters but subtle.
The upsampling is not my favorite choice prefering without.
I use Filter 2 mostly
Overall the Nad565 is a no nonsense,quality cd player that satisfies |
Just bought a CD1R from GamuT - serve my needs for red book playback! |
Ayre C-5xeMP universal player |
I use a Modwright modified OPPO BDP 83SE and I am more than happy with the sound. Vinyl is different - better in some aspects - not in others (VPI Superscout with Shelter 90x). |
I guess it's time for an update, after 4 years. Still using (and loving) the Raysonic CD128 but the Ack dAck is long gone. For the past year or so I've owned an Oppo BDP-83SE, primarily for SACDs. The Oppo also sounds very good on CDs for the price, but is no threat to the Raysonic in that regard. |
I am surprised no one has mentioned the CDP "The Last Record Player" by Einstein Audio !! It really is something worth an experience. It elevated the respect I had for this company to a new level. They do things at a different level IMO, at least when it comes to their source components. Now they have a new CDP called "The Source" . |
I use the PS Audio Perfect Wav system (trans & dac) for my digital playback. |
Squeezebox Touch > VALAB "NOS USB Re-Clock". I swapped out the output caps and that helped quite a bit. |
Second the Rega Saturn. Gobs of crisp detail from stem to stern, but without the analytics, make for hours of fatigue-free musical delight. |
