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Shanling T100 to the T200 shootout

I got a chance to listen to these two players today and was wondering what others think about these. First these are both really good players. I was listening to them on a really high end Krell (not sure the models .. really big monoblocks) and B&W signature 800 system. For me, I did not hear any memorable difference between the two for redbook CD. Some people have stated the T100 sounds better but I liked them both. SACD was quit interesting... I used the following disks: Chick Corea Rendezvous in NY, Moussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition (telarc), and Monty meets Sly and Robbie (telarc). The last disc showed very little difference between CD and SACD I think do to the heavy bass like that dominates the recording. The CC showed little difference in instruments like the vibraphone and vocals (which surprised me) but a significant difference in the Piano. In CD mode the Piano seemed to be almost secondary to vocals and the vibes. In SACD mode the piano really stood out. It became really obvious that he was playing really fine grand piano and not something smaller. looking back at the liner notes it turns out to have been a 9 ft Yamaha concert grand. You could really hear the hammer hit. On the Moussorgsky the whole orchestra was bigger, more dynamic, and cleaner..

The one thing that did not really change was the imaging, both imaged well. The soundstage was not much bigger or wider it was just cleaner somehow. I'm thinking about picking up the T200 but I can get the T100 at a great price.

I only spent a couple of hours and would like to hear from someone that has spent some time with these players...
Thanks
Bruce
btrvalik
ben_campbell
1,169 posts
 
Bluefin of course the problem is that I'd rather listen to Miles Davis than a symphony, even one recorded in DSD.
Although I wouldn't mind that too..
So what you saying buy a £2k SACD player to hear a single disc that is better?
I'm sure over time the true potential of SACD may be realised but in the meantime I'm buying at least 6 new current releases a month.........
If Sony had got their SACD's right and the format at this stage highlighted a clear difference on the music I LIKE then I would have invested further in the format...you are kidding yourself if you think it matters if audiophiles take the format up-it's the masses that need to buy into it.
Otherwise all we will get are symphonies recorded in DSD and a limited format for audiophiles....
asdf7e16
60 posts
 
Bluefin, you state "There is a dangerous thing, good or bad singers all sound pretty smooth, you can't tell good v.s. bad singers" You mean Diana Krall can actually competently sing jazz when she's upsampled? That I've got to hear!
polledreng
4 posts
 
To all of you hifi-nuts.
Speaking of paranoia,it is NOT only to make it difficult/
impossible to make an All digital copy,that Sony did not put
an digital-out on their SACD-players.Mutch of the better sound from SA-cd are because of NO-digital out.
After many years of solid state (Meridian pre,power ,
Sony--Cd) i changed to tubes Shanling cDt-100+ Shanling SP-80 monoamps. It took me 3 month to fine-tune (using Mullard
EL34,but so far China 6SL7,+6SN7, US NOS on way!).
The only complain are "T-100" has no phase,polarity shift
so i have to turn the power-chord (+ + +) 180 degrees to get it right. And YES it has to be 24/96 for the thrue
+ the one interconnect"
+ the one L-Speak-cable"
And yes turning the power-chord 180" i have to change,
Digital-out,and Sub-Wofer as well.
BUT a warning!!! don"t upgrade the electronic"s,it is done w love to music ,w.extremely care,and when you get it right (fine-tuning),it gives you 99,99% of everything(foot-
tapping,soundstage,3D etc.etc.)Here we have total synergism.

Greetings from Sweden.
sonicbeauty
324 posts
 
I owned BOTH in the past. I regret selling the T-100 when I think of it.

T-200: One major flaw (at least for me) was the noise made by the higher-speed Sony transport. Since this transport is up on top and not enclosed, the whirling noise drove me crazy as you could clearly hear it during softer music. Kept this one all of two weeks before getting rid of it. Sound-wise, it was very nice when not distracted by the noise.
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