A5 is Extremely good. I spent an hour or so A/B testing the A5 against the Cary 303 and the Arcam 33 and the A5 was by far the most musical.
System was MF's KW Integrated into JM Lab Micro Utopia BE.
I simply dislike Arcam's forward presentation. THAT sound is sterile to me. The Cary was nice and more musical, but again, much more forward in presentation, sitting me right on top of the performers, which isn't to my taste.
The A5 was at least as detailed as the other CD players, but not shrill or harsh at all, and with a much more laid back presentation-- the singer was against and behind the back wall, which I prefer. It wasn't until after I finished listening that I learned the A5 had tubes in it, but it made complete sense.
For comparison, I went into a "higher-end" room at the same shop and listened to the same music through MF's KW SACD player into Unison tube monoblocks into some incredibly esoteric full range floorstanders. The sound was breathtaking and was the first believable rendering of an orchestra in a hall I've ever heard, but the A5 maintained some of that magic when I went back to the prior room, and didn't have the benefit of full range speakers.
I'm getting an A5 as soon as I can afford it.
System was MF's KW Integrated into JM Lab Micro Utopia BE.
I simply dislike Arcam's forward presentation. THAT sound is sterile to me. The Cary was nice and more musical, but again, much more forward in presentation, sitting me right on top of the performers, which isn't to my taste.
The A5 was at least as detailed as the other CD players, but not shrill or harsh at all, and with a much more laid back presentation-- the singer was against and behind the back wall, which I prefer. It wasn't until after I finished listening that I learned the A5 had tubes in it, but it made complete sense.
For comparison, I went into a "higher-end" room at the same shop and listened to the same music through MF's KW SACD player into Unison tube monoblocks into some incredibly esoteric full range floorstanders. The sound was breathtaking and was the first believable rendering of an orchestra in a hall I've ever heard, but the A5 maintained some of that magic when I went back to the prior room, and didn't have the benefit of full range speakers.
I'm getting an A5 as soon as I can afford it.