2. digital
  3. 1027457735

Has anyone compared the CD 3 Audio Research to...?

has anyone compared the audio research cd 3 to other players or other dacs in this price range. I have compared to krell and mark levinson and the cd 3 seemed the most musical of the 3. This is the only products the local store carrries and I would like some insight on on other brands I presently have a arcam cd player and quite frankly it is not bad for the buck. But as the hobby goes it is time to look for something else.
eralff
3 responses Add your response
soix
9,456 posts
 
Someone on audioreview.com compared the CD3 head to head with the Electrocompaniet EMC-1(24/192) and found them to be very similar except that the EMC-1 was about half the price, so that was that. Go to audioreview.com and look under EMC-1 if you want to see the actual review. For what it's worth...

Tim
rec
328 posts
 
I compared the CD 3 to the Cary 306/200 in my system and bought the Cary. I have a large collections of cds and found the upsampling and HDCD Cary more musical and detailed than the CD 3. An added plus is that the Cary can be used as a DAC for other digital products.( I use it for a dac for my DAT player) The CD 3 is an excellent player but in direct comparison in my system the Cary was the clear winner. Good luck.
budrew
467 posts
 
You might consider the Electrocompaniet EMC-1. People say it is similar to the CD3. Both top-loading, analog sounding. There was a review in a recent Stereo Times:

http://www.stereotimes.com/trans070302.shtm
Log in to respond
More to discover
80x80
Bryston BDA-3 SILVER DAC
80x80
Prism Sound Callia
80x80
Esoteric Grandioso K1XSE