I had the opportunity to do an early review of a pre-production edition of the Integris CDP for "Audio Ideas Guide". This was a departure for the magazine but Andrew Marshall, the Guide's editor, felt that the opportunity to alert the world to this important new Canadian audio company and it's products could not be missed. This was after he heard and reviewed the complete Aurum system,the CDP and the 300B. I have had the chance to hear it too and agree it is amazing. Since then, designer Derrick Moss has made a couple of simple easily implemented improvements in the CDP. These include the use of the Isoclean gold fuse, and the effect of interconnects and power cords. He has settled on the Cardas Golden Reference interconnects and his adaption of the CGR power cord (implimented by Cardas) that includes Wattgate terminators. I liked the CDP from the "get go". Now I am completely in awe of its ability to retrieve information from the lowly "red book" CD. In what I would call my "mid range" system, (Bryston 3bs bridged, one each per channel, and PSB Goldis), the sound I am getting from the CDP is nimble, supple and very refined. I also listen to vinyl and can report the the Integris CDP's pre-amp (sometines overlooked in the debate) is also in the referance class. (I am waiting for an Aurum phono section). I cannot say how the CDP compares to other hi-end products that performe the same tasks but I can say that anyone with a large collection of vinyl and/or conventional CDs sould make the effort to hear the CDP or, better still the complete system, so as to share in this exceptional audio experience. In the end, you will be glued to the music which is, really, what it is all about.
