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Researching the CD/HDCD Players from China

I have gotten 40 plus responses regarding CD players built in China. However, the more research I've done It appears to me that most CD players and many other audio pieces are made in China or in Japan. I recall back in the early 1960's working as an audio salesman, we not only carried hi end audio equipment, but table radios and certain consoles. I would always steer customers away from anything made in Japan. That was my mindset back then and remained so for some years.

Now it appears that this is the same mindset of many audio buffs regarding anything made in China. Much of my restarch as been trying to find high quality CD players that are built well and can render classical choral and orchestral as well as jazz small and big bands well. In particular it must be able to give me a good presentation of the human voice in song. Plus it must be able to render an wide sound field throwing music outside of the speakers. And there must be sufficient height to the sound field as well. I am also particular about being able to pick out each jazz instrument and/or voice from within the sound field.

I have heard (for short periods)an Original 2008 Mk2, a Shenda SD100S, Doge 6, and a Bada HD23. All of these players produced a very pleasent sound. However, my primary concerned is with "LONGEVITY" and being able to improve on the sound with tube changes, upgrades, etc.

Finally, the reason I've spent time researching these and other CD/HDCD players has to do with funding. I don't have a large amount of $$$ to spend, but still want hi end sound. This may be a foolish notion, but that's what I am looking for. I understand that there are some HDCD CD's now on the market. Has anyone heard any and is the sound quality superior to the redbook CD's? By the way, the rest of my system will consist of the following:
1. Elite Rock turntable with Excalibur arm (Sumiko cart)
2. Audio Research Pre-Amp
3. Threshold S/300 power amp
4. Mirage OM-9 Omni (soon to be upgraded to Mags 1.6)
5. Various Kimber Cables
I have many classical and jazz LP's i've collected over the years especially many from Germany. I may have just as many redbook CD's. I plan to purchase HDCD's if they can present better sound than my redbooks.

Again thank you for your comments because I really need them. I hope to purchase something within the next few weeks depending on what I get in the way of your responses.
rbwinterlink

Showing 9 responses by kijanki

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
"Personally prefer to send my music out of relatively cheap players into a very good outboard DAC - that way when the player goes down - I feel no qualms about pitching it."

That's exactly how I feel. Also DVD players have good tracking.

If you buy thru-hole hand made tube gear than I would be carefull with China but if it's, for instance, CD player than I would not be afraid. SMT boards inside would be made in China (or India) anyway and the SMT process is very well controlled. Rest of it is just put together and if there are any mistakes (inferior quality control) it will most likely show during warranty period. It also depends on individual brands and policies. Japanese gear is considered very reliable (just look at the Nikon, Canon etc) but Boeing had serious quality/attitude problems when they started making parts there.

"Where it gets interesting is that since the format was truly backwards compatible ( for once) -there are quit a few out there to this day."

I'm not sure about that. It uses 16 bit resolution with 15 bits carrying sound and least significant bit switching dynamic range (technique known as in band signaling). Playing it on regular CD player should bring noise on bit #16 and weird dynamics.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
Tvad - microfiber is polyester. Get cotton with bamboo towels (the best) if you don't mind bamboo coming most likely from China.

Oops - I didn't notice it was a hardware store.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
Tvad - there might be another reson for quality problems in China that has nothing to do with China. I had Cambridge amp (A3i) that failed after couple of years. I found out that four LED diodes used as voltage reference were soldered too short and got overheated. There was certain "know how" that missed "special instructions" or "test procedure" but it could happen as well in Switzerland. Surface mount process is better controlled and boards are made in China or India anyway.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
Tvad - I known it was made in China but forgot to mention it. I even talked to designer of this amp Alex Nikitin who works for Michael Creek. He expressed opinion that it would cost twice as much to build it in the UK. My point was that something in process of shifting production to China was lost but it could happen as well while moving production to Switzerland.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
Tvad - The torroid story is really interesting, but do they shield toroidal transformers? As far as I know magnetic field around torroidal transformer cancels completely as long as winding is uniform.

"Further, in the case of the Cambridge A3i, there was no shifting of production. It was always manufactured in China, although it was designed in England."

- so we cannot even compare and there is still a good chance that China has nothing to do with it and whole thing is just lack of quality control and production supervision (I had Ford - I know).
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
I think they cover torroids just in case or for the looks. My Benchmark DAC1 has uncovered (quite large) power toroid just few inches from the DAC and clock and Benchmark still gets S/N=140dB.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
"That's the only relevance to this thread."

- In order to understand relevance or lack of it one has to understand what toroidal transformer is and why non-toroidal transformers have to be shielded. I suspect that many companies (including LAMM) might be putting shields on torroids just for the looks and that's much worse.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
Tvad - Didn't you just make the same assertion about people opening Cambridge CD player?
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,446 posts
 
Tvad - I did not make assertion that people open Lamm preamps either. Every review of Lamm preamps as well as their website shows inside of the box - difficult not to notice. Lamm, according to reviews and reputation makes one of the finest sounding gear but in case of transformer cover something is wrong. Their specified S/N ratio is only 84dB (LL2) - pretty poor for line-stage while Benchmark DAC1 has 116dB specified (140dB measured) WITHOUT ANY TOROID COVER. Cover therefore is BS.
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