NO KIDDING!...I sell Theta/Wadia/Sony Super/Bel Canto/Aud Research and I used to deal in Sonic/Meridian, and some of the people I know in the business with expensive gear use the Panasonic DVDA310 DVD player CD's!!!...Terrific in fact! I have listened to some of the best DAC/Transport combos in the world, and this unit hangs with some of the most expensive gear out there!...No kidding!! If I were looking to upgrade right now (givin the current uncertainty of SACD/DVD-A) I'd spend as little as possible..But that's just me. Unless someone is looking to go SACD or buy a $10000 DAC that does 24/192, I don't see it! I first hear about this player (with sceptisism) in an audiophile magazine, and the reviewer raved about how it was (overall) better than his several thousand $ Levinson DAC/Trans combo! Well years later a friend of mine told me he was using this with his Electa Amators/Coda amp/Pass pre, and that it was really musical!...So I decided to pick one up and try it for myself. And, long story short, I now own 3 of these players along with gear such as Thiel/Coda/Classe/Aud Research/Harmonic/Mit/etc! for about $300 you can pick one of these DVD players up(that will do 24/96 processing) that's extremely musical/detailed/dynamic! OK, so the dynamic contrast (parts quality?) isnt as good as what comes out of the better transports out there, so what! I use the CD STOPLIGHT from Audio Prisms with my DVD player and it's at least a 25% improvement!(that helps even the playing field in the dynamics dept.!) Anyway, If your into staying into the more upscale product names, I completely understand! However, if you want to pick up one of these guy's to try (I'm looking to sell one of my Three units at pressent), you can get one in the $300 range...And it will spin DVD's and 24/96 discs! |
I've seen the Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1 selling for just under your $1500 minimum, and it was Stereophile Class A in its time. I have one and find it very musical, and have had Sonic Frontiers separates and a Parasound 2000 Ultra too. The SFCD-1 is the best I've had, and you won't get a Wadia 830 for $2000, which is the next step I hope I'll be taking. |
I would get Linn Karik-Numerik combo, also "class A"(stereophile) and as good as any digital-end even at today standards. |
RESOLUTION CD50 if you can find one . ONE OF THE BEST PEROID . |
My recollection is that the 200 series transports are pretty good, with a lively and rhythmical presentation (many say - better than the 500 transport, which is dynamically dead). But unfortunately Meridian DACs are not good - I have owned the 200 series one and a 566-20, and I most certainly do not recommend them. So, in your position I would trial a DAC that was upgradable to DVD-Audio, and which preferably could upsample too, and keep the Meridian transport. The amount you save by doing this will probably compensate for the fact that the Meridian DAC will be almost worthless on its own. This leaves you the option of buying a "new standard" transport later. |
Yes, Resolution Audio CD50, without question, without compromise. |
i owned a sfcd1 and is no match(not even close)to the resolution audio cd-50 player,if the sfcd1 is class a(which i don't dispute)then we need to add another letter to the alphabet in front of the letter A,just to do justice to the resaudio player,if you like open,clean,transparent,neutral, detailed,powerful,not forward,not laid back natural sound,then look no further,i say it again,buy the player,you won't be sorry,but if for some weird reason you don't like it,you won't have any problems selling it,i don't think you can do better for around $2000,Al |
just to be clear,i'm not carl eber,but i respect the guy. alfred |
does this guy carl have a life.his opinion is all over the place plus he has a answer for everybody.i use a sf player and i will wait for the war to stop .then i will upgrade spend your money elsewere in your sistem or wait untill everybody else starts dumping there cd players and get a top of the line for a bargain. |
I've used a Resolution Audio CD50 for over two years. I recently added a Shunyata Power Snakes AC cord between the PS Audio P300 and the player, replacing an Electra Glide. The improvement was huge and dramatic, as much as any reasonable component upgrade. Most AC cord effects are fairly subtle...this was not. But expect the normal 100 hours break-in. |
Aga, getting a CD50 used would be getting "top of the line" for a bargain. Yes, I have a life. All of my concubines are very happy! And Sturd, I'm trying the Black Mamba on mine right now. Aga, if you don't like my psts, don't read them; I'd be ok with it. |
Carl & Mike resolution audio CD50 looks like good player, product is now almost 3 yrs old has it been upgraded and how do you know if you have upgraded version? has RA announced a new design yet? Soundstage has good review |
CALL MIKE AT RESOLUTION AUDIO,650-493-5090. THIS player has had minor upgrades,mainly the transport due to the constant changes at philips.THE newer ones also have surface mounted components.SONICALLY ALL THE CD50'S HAVE THE SAME MUSICAL SIGNATURE.THIS PLAYER IS A REFERENCE COMPONENT. |
Hi guys, * Carl & Alexander... I am waiting for the eventual combo player of SACD, DVD-Audio, etc. I am living with my Pioneer DV-05 as my CD player temporarily. Do you think it is worthwhile to pick up the Panasonid A-310 or is the difference not significant enough to bother with? Regards. |
Bmp, I've not compared the Panasonic and the Pioneer DVD players directly. Perhaps you'll consider one of the affordable upsampling DACS from Perpetual Technologies, MSB, or especially the Bel Canto DAC-1?? They work well with DVD players as the transport, and you could play 24/96 video spec audio DVD's too..............Megasam, they're supposed to get a new transport this summer, when production starts again, or so I'm told. I'm not sure if mine uses the surface mount technology or not, but it's so good (and has beaten everything else so badly) that I'm not concerned about it at all. It's just very fulfilling to listen to CD's on it...my life is full and rich with musical satisfaction..... |
Hey guys, is the Pioneer DV-05 a decent entry-level model? What else compares under $800? |
Maxibob, The DV-05 is far from an entry level model. Its picture quality is virtually identical to the Pioneer DV-09 whose picture quality has still not been surpassed. I have owned the Panasonic A-310, Denon DVD-3000, Sony DVP-7700 and now the Pioneer DV-05. The DV-05 wins by a hair in picture quality over the Sony, but ergonomically the Sony beats the DV-05. The only way to get a better picture from the DVD format is with the new progressive scan models, and then you need the rest of the gear to use it. At the $650 or less price range it is one of the best choices at the moment. I suspect Pioneer will be coming out with a progressive scan model soon, but I bet it will sell for over $1500. Get the DV-05 or the Sony 7700 and you will probably be very happy. The DV-05 won the Platinum award in the Sterophile guide to Home Theater (or was it Home Theater?, I forget) |
Maxibob, The DV-05 is far from an entry level model. Its picture quality is virtually identical to the Pioneer DV-09 whose picture quality has still not been surpassed. I have owned the Panasonic A-310, Denon DVD-3000, Sony DVP-7700 and now the Pioneer DV-05. The DV-05 wins by a hair in picture quality over the Sony, but ergonomically the Sony beats the DV-05. The only way to get a better picture from the DVD format is with the new progressive scan models, and then you need the rest of the gear to use it. At the $650 or less price range it is one of the best choices at the moment. I suspect Pioneer will be coming out with a progressive scan model soon, but I bet it will sell for over $1500. Get the DV-05 or the Sony 7700 and you will probably be very happy. The DV-05 won the Platinum award in the Sterophile guide to Home Theater (or was it Home Theater?, I forget) |
