Consonance Droplet....anyone heard it at home yet?

Yes,brought mine home last night.Don't know about break-in,It was a CES Demo and already broken in.A huge improvement over the CD-120(pretty darned good in its own right!).Much smoother w/o sacrificing detail.

Larry

Hi!

I have not heard it at home but … I have owned the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000, currently own the Consonance CD-120, and I have listened to the Droplet. I consider the Consonance CD-120 to be far superior to the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000. But the Droplet is head and shoulders above the CD-120. As Transnova said, the Droplet is smooth AND detailed! If I had the money, and a place to put the beast, I’d purchase it in an instant! (The Droplet is huge and heavy and my system setup is not such that I can accommodate a top loading player of this magnitude.)

In my opinion … Do yourself a favor … If you have the money, get the Droplet and sell the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000. And if you don’t have the money for the Droplet, get rid of the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 and get the CD-120 or Consonance Ref CD 2.2. Either way, I think you’ll be glad you did.

Background on my recent CD player history and why I feel that my opinion might count for something. :-) Much to my wife’s dismay, I went through a bunch of CD and multi-format players last year trying to find the one for me. I have listed them here in approximate order of sound quality in my system(s) from lowest to highest. I say approximate because I did not have all of these at the same time and did not and could not A/B them all. They are: Integra DPC-7.4, Denon DVD-910, Pioneer DV-563A (still have around), Denon DVD-1600 (great picture but the Cambridge 540D is better on CD playback), AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000, Denon DVD-2900 (never did much critical CD listening with this as I purchased it for the picture after I already had the Consonance CD-120 - still have for movies), Rega Planet original, Music Hall CD-25, Cambridge Audio Azur 540D (still have), Rega Planet 2000, Arcam CD73T, Cambridge Audio Azur 640C, and Consonance CD-120 (still have). The equipment chain for the auditions was either one or both of: 1) CD into B&K Reference 50 into Krell KSA-50S into was Paradigm Studio 100 v2 speakers (have since been replaced); or 2) CD into my trusty old 1990 purchased system of Adcom GTP-500II into Adcom GFA-545 into Soundwave Sonata II speakers. I also auditioned many, many other players including the Consonance Ref CD 2.2 and the Consonance Droplet at my dealers.

Have fun!

Lowfidelity, Transnova, have you heard/compared the Ref 2.2/ SACD 2.0 (in redbook) to any of these or other players? I am curious where it stands in the hierarchy of semi-high-end players. I say semi based on the price, there are many much more expensive ones. But some folks think the 2.2/2.0 (and now the Droplet) qualify as high-end. Your thoughts?

I have been using a Droplet for a couple of months now. It was the very first one into Australia.
Outstanding player. Smooth, very transparent, sublime bass, excellent staging, musicality, all the rest.
Large and heavy, yes, (the box it comes in looks like enough for half a dozen players) but for sound quality and finish at the price, surely nothing even comes close. Very happy indeed with it.
In my system it replaced a Meridian 508 and there is simply no comparison.

Pardon my ignorance/lapse on new CD players, but was wondering how the new Droplet compares to the highly regarded Audio Aero Capitole? (Also a tube based upsampling player).

I own the '2nd' version Capitole 24/192 and am looking for something to replace it with that hopefully can improve on it's great sonics.

So far my Capitole has beat all other previous all-in-one box CD players that I owned, including some pretty serious players including the Mark Levinson No. 39, BAT VK-CD5, Theta Miles, etc.

Denf, as well as comparing the Droplet, you may want to give Globe Audio (US Importer for AA) and ask about their SE upgrade for the MK II Capitole. I heard both the stock MK II and an SE version... I purchased the SE, which replaces the tubes with NOS cryo'd tubes and replaces some capacitors with vibration material as well. Upgrade retails for $700 if memory serves me correct.

If you want more info look on www.6moons.com at their Prima Dac review, which gives info on the stock versus the SE upgrade (same upgrade to both units)...

Thanks Audiofankj, I will definately look into.

I have one at home. In only 2 days it really came to life. It's the first piece of gear my wife made a comment on and it was positive. Not only is it built like a tank but it has all the audiophile qualities. It REALLY sounds great powered by a PS Audio Power Plant(P500/multiwaveII)in sine wave mode @ 120v,80Hz or on some CD's tube wave really made it special. There is no fatigue and it truley sounds more analogue than digital especially with the Power Plant. Just my 2 cents. Peace and Good Listening, Pat.