I own one and LOVE it! Try the 30 day in home audition from Audio Advisor like I did, you won't be sending it back. |
are u kidding?!! it's awful!!!!!!!!!! |
I have listened to the player twice in the same system and feel that it is a very good player in the price range and worth an audition. You are just out the shipping if you do not care for it. You can check out a pro review at HiFi Choice online for free, they are straight shooters IMO. |
My impression of this CD player was that the sound was detailed, clear and light but at the same time lacking in overall dynamics. It was too lean and antiseptic for my taste. Maybe it was my aging ears or my audio equipment but the A3CD did not surpass the sound quality of my old existing CD player. I sent the unit back within the 30 day trial period. Does this mean that this CD player is "awful" as someone else mentioned? Not at all! One cannot argue with the outstanding reviews that the A3CD has received and an in home audition is highly recommended. It cost me about $25.00 in shipping costs for my review and it was money well spent. Maybe your ears and your system will find it to be an outstanding unit. |
It's the same thing like the MF x-ray. |
It is a very transparant, detailed, and in my system very dynamic. As good as any player in the under $1000 new market. If you are looking for lush, warm player this is not for you. Sam Tellig, Wes Phillips, and British Audio press universally give it high marks. However the best sound now is acheived using outboard DAC and just use CDP as a transport. |
Hi MEGASAM, I have noticed that you own many Musical Fidelity products! I wonder if you are a Musical Fidelity salesman ??? Anyway thanks for your comment. I'd like to ask you which DAC do you recommend me to get that warm sound and musicality? How much it is? I listen to classical music, mostly large orchestral music (Mahler, Bruckner, Shostakovich symphonies, etc). I also own a Musical Fidelity A300 integrated amp. Thank you. |
Cal, I do have a lot of MF gear, the DAC for you if you can swing the price is the new Bel Canto DAC1 with new power supply and tweaked board, retail is $1295 but you should get some discount with your dealer. Very good for solid state system, slow roll-off filter in BC Dac1 removes much of the digital hardness from CDs, check Wes Phillips review of BC dac1 hooked up to MF A3CD at www.onhifi.com......BTW I own a A3 integrated for back-up system, and often bi-amp it with MF X-AS100 amp. |
Thanks a lot for your info Megasam. Taking advantage of your knowledge about MF gear, what speakers (at any price) do you think are good to be driven by the MF A300 for my musical tastes? Have you tried Martin Logans with this amp? Do you think this amp provides enough current to drive this kind of speakers? Any suggestion? I think I will use biamping mode in the future, maybe with the MF A3cr amp. Thanks in advance! |
Cal, I have not heard any electrostatic speakers driven by
MF so I can't comment. Personally I use PSB Silver-i and Gold-i, very good sound for the money. If you like warm sound you might look into Vandersteen speakers, many many choices, try to hear as many speakers as possible, everyone has their own taste in sound, good luck. |
It is an outstanding value for the money. Also it is not the same as the X-ray. The guts are the same but the larger frame/box results in less internal electronic interference and cleaner sound. It also does possess a good musicality. Not soft or lush but open clean and musical. I compared it with Proceed cdp, and rega planet. It was much better than both in my system. Amps icluded Conrad cj 11a, A.R. VT 100 II, Music Fidelity A3cr (which is one heck of an amp at $$$)
using A.R. LS 15 preamp, cotour 1.8 speakers and Mission 750 le speakers.
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Megasam:I'm an owner of an 'older' Bel Canto DAC1 unit. Do you know if Bel Canto will do a reasonably priced update (power supply) on it? |
Yurko, yes power supply upgrade available if you send unit to BC for install I believe cost is @$200 but don't quote me on that, some members here are having it done. I last talked to BC couple weeks ago and was informed that in a few months they will have revised board design, in the meantime they are constantly tweaking existing board design, especially the crystal chip. Newest models are now even better and more stable as unit is constantly being tweaked and improved. |
