I would try for a Parasound CDP-2000 Ultra,,,built like a tank, great DAC section, smooth is an understatement,,,very analogue like sound, and can be used as transport also,,They are not that common on the used market, but i thought I would throw the idea at ya...
I know many people who are extremely happy with the Music Hall, as its quite upgreadable... |
I forgot all about this thread since it is 6 months old. I ended up buying a CDP1.5 for $800. It rocks!!!! Smooth and detailed, it rivals my analog rig in sound. Soundstage is deep, imaging is solid and none of that "digititis" that gives digital playback a bad name |
Let me add to this discussion because I've actually owned a Music Hall MMF CD25 since late February of 2002. It's in a McIntosh system and a great player.
Brand new and right out of the box it sounded smooth and non-fatigueing. And it's smoothness and dynamics have improved with use. For the price point new, I think it's a great value. Much better build quality than the similarly priced Cambridge players; and capable of playing back HDCD discs as well. If you buy one, I would suggest you upgrade a bit and get a decent power cord for the Music Hall. It does make a modest difference.
As for the Classe, I haven't heard the .3 model - but have heard the .5 and really liked it. Again - smooth, detailed sound with none of that digital "edge" - not to mention build quality that's hard to beat.
Both the Classe and Music Hall are very decent "buys" for their respective price points. And I doubt you will have regrets if you get either one.
As for "Bianchi27" - please be aware that there are other forums better suited for political type discussions.
It's fine to express an opinion here, but don't bash a worthwhile product based purely on it's country of origin. |
zenaissance are you for real? politics aside 98.4567% of stuff coming out of china cant touch the high end stuff coming from the states.this is coming from a canadian whos owned lots of chinese,british or whatever.the guys rigth but for the wrong reason.i can get a paper wieght made in china for $6.99{canadian that is}why would i pay $700. |
Ehart,
I agree with your comments to some degree but still- it is better to leave politics out of the equation especially when the person is asking about the merits of an audio product- not where one's political alliance may lead to. For example, given the recent tension between the US and France, does that mean I should bypass French audio products just because there may be a political problem here? Likewise should the French audio consumers avoid US products because of some anti-American propoganda?
If a product mates well with my system whether it is Krell from the US, Jadis from France, or Red Rose manufactured in China, then that is what matters most. Besides, half the products out there is already made in China. The statement that Chinese work in conditions that are horrendous is not necessarily true- it is not comparable to sweatshop labour in some parts of Central America. In fact, China is very modern- in some ways (certain industries) even more so than many Western countries- that is why so many large multi-nationals have a manufacturing base in China because of the higher quality control at a lower labour cost. Rotel products are made in China; so are Red Rose etc. Yet they do sell quite well. It is always great to support a home-grown product, but if it doesn't match, then one must make other decisions. Speaking of Classe, if someone was anti-Canadian, would it be wrong to recommend it to him? After all, it is up to the person to decide whether he chooses to buy the product, and it is not up to us to decide for him where his political or economic preferences may be. He may share our views, but we have no business to tell him which country he should avoid buying from etc.
Happy Listening!
Zenaissance
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p.s. I have heard these both (but not side-by-side) and they are both to my taste. The Music Hall is surprisingly non-digital for an inexpensive player. I'm afraid that doesn't help, but I would personally be happy with either one.
If cost were similar, I would go for the Classe to match your preamp, on the thought that since you can't audition in your home, you can trust that the Classe people have done some system matching. |
I think it's fine for Bianchi to say here that he doesn't buy from China for political reasons. For many of us, next to our houses and cars, our audio system is our largest purchase, so a reasonable place to make an politcal/economic statement.
It's not "discriminatory" to suggest, for example, that many Chinese work in conditions most of us would consider horrendous.
On the other hand, next time Bianchi will probably realize that "nuff said" doesn't quite say enough! |
Bianchi,
That is exactly the problem- you should never base ANYTHING in an audio forum on political reasons! You admit it yourself. That is why it is dangerous to make comments like that, especially with all the current events around the world today. The least we need now, is an even more divided world. Learning to put aside political, religious and discriminatory statements makes discussion much more positive and educational in an audio forum. I know you do not mean bad, but whether we agree or disagree about politics, religion etc, in the audio world there is no discrimination based on such. The criteria should be on the quality, design, and merit of the products.
I do not endorse Music Hall and actually prefer Classe between the two, but never would I ever be caught making discriminatory or political statements- there are other forums for this type of opinion. Enough said.
Happy Listening!
Zenaissance |
Guys, I found a Classe CDP 1.5 with philips transport for $100 more than I was willing to pay for .3 right here on the 'gon. It should be here next week. I will let you know how it works out. |
zenaissance,
my comment about the music hall cd-25 is really based soley on political reasons. Just becuase my country gives China favorite nation status does not mean I will by products from their, or other countries as well. I believe that there are other factors involved than purchasing any product, even a t-shirt, but that is just my opinion.
As far as the product goes, I have no idea how it sounds because unless one of my friends has one I would never go out of my way to listen to it. |
The reviews I've seen about the Classe have been lukewarm -- OK, but no outright raves.
The larger questions is interesting. For the same price range, is it better to buy a current player or a high-quality player with a few years on it? DACs and DSPs continue to evolve, but I'm not sure how quickly the state of the art changes. As another example, would a Theta Miles best, say, a modded Jolida J100 or tricked-out Njoe Tjoeb 4000 or Music Hall CD25?
I'm facing a CD upgrade, and I'm in the same boat. Please let us know how you decide.
Jeff |
Bianchi,
Comments like yours have absolutely no musical value, nor is it helpful to the person who posted the question. Please show a little class in your comments and be very careful when you make discriminatory statements like this that can get you into a lot of trouble.
The Music Hall is very good value and may be a little more updated on the DAC side. The Classe .3 is much better built but has an older DAC (20bit- I think). It all depends- the Classe may be a little more musical and warmer sounding. It is also built like a tank and get be used as a reliable transport.
Check out all the reviews under www.audioreview.com and see what you can come up with.
Good Luck!
Zenaissance |
music hall is made in china, enough said |
