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What to upgrade from Bluenote Koala? $3500 ish

I am thinking about upgrading from my BlueNote Koala Tube CD Player. I've done A-B comparisons to Audio Reseach CD3 MKII, BAT VK-D5 and Lector CDT.7. Each of those players resolved detail in a more musical way to my ears, and had a deeper more hologaphic soundstage. The Bluenote Koala is very dynamic, but has a rather forward solid state sound to it, albeit very musical. It is wonderful, but when I did the A-B tests, it was bested. I listen to jazz, Singer/Songwriter, blues, Rock. Artists such as: Keb'mo, Nora Jones, Diana Krall, Bruce Cokcburn, Amos Lee, James Blunt, James Taylor, Sting, Aaron Neville, Larry Carlton, Rippingtons, Russ Freeman, Brian Bromberg etc. Hence my search. I'd like to spend no more than $3500 or so. Here is my short list, new and used:

Cary 306/200 (Can't afford the 306SACD)
Cary 303/300
Audio Research CD3 MKII
BAT VK-D5 0r VK-D5SE
Resolution Opus 21
Rega Saturn
Dare I consider the new Shanling CD-T1500 or Raysonic CD128

My System:
Audio Research Vsi55 Tube Integrated
Proac Response 3.5 Floor standing Speakers
BlueNote Koala Tube CD Player (Sovtek 6922's)
Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun Speaker cables
Acoustic Zen Silver Ref II IC
Running Springs JACO Power Conditioner
Wireworld Silver Electra 5/2 PC on BlueNote Koala
Black Sand Silver Ref V/Oyaide 046 PC on ARC Integrated
Oyaide XXX AC Wall socket with Carbon fiber Mounting plate
FIM Isoltation roller blocks under components
Dedicated audio Acrylic Cable lifters
groberts3

Showing 8 responses by mrtennis

mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i auditioned the koala and owned the bat. i heard the audio research cd3, cd2 and cd1.

the bat in my opinion is not much better than the koala. i would not want to own either.

look for a tubed cd player and liste, listen, listen. the audio research cd3 in my opinion is not a warm sounding player.

i am looking for a cd player. i'll keep you posted.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i have heard the resolution audio cd player(S)--current and older versions. i have heard the bluenote stibbert several times, although not in my own stereo systems.

i would not own either. i would not take the resolution audio cd player for free. it's to analytical for my taste.

if you are considering the stibbert, why not an older audio aero capitole ?

i am considering a prima luna prologue 8, which has 6 tubes, a melody hi fi player which has 3 tubes, including 2 6sn7s and a lector 0.6.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
hi groberts3, i briefly heard the Prima Luna CD player.

i did not hear the shanling. i don't have any opinions as to its sound. however its tube complement is most attractive. it uses a pair of 12ax7, a pair of 12au7 and 2 rectifier tubes. 6 volt tubes are problematical. i have not yet found and listened to a tubed cd player using 6 volt tubes i have liked. maybe it's the tube circuit and not the tubes. the Prima Luna, with open architechture, will be shipped around may of 2007. i contacted the company which is located in the netherlands.

if you can wait, it might be worth it.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i just received the melody cd m10 player several days ago.
based upon a preliminary audition, i prefer it over the koala, especially after substituting nos ge 6sn7 in place of the chinese 6sn7.

the melody player is less irritating. still, i prefer my audionote cd2 with several of the 12 volt nos tubes in my collection.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
less irritating means less emphasis upon the upper midrange/lower treble.

most 24/96 players i have heard annoy me because of the "extra" emphsis in the upper mids and lower trebles.

i am looking for a cd player myself. i can see now that i will have a lot of difficulty finding any player, even if price were no consideration, which doesn't bother me.

it's a curse to have sensitive ears. cymbals, violin strings and acoustic guitars sound so timbrally inaccurate that it's not fun to listen to music.

maybe the prima luna prologue 8 with 6 tubes will be sufficiently warm to meet my requirements.

i have heard most of the well known brands and some of the smaller ones. i am not impressed. even the current audio aero capitole lacks some of the warmth of the earlier models.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
hi hiernote:

what you are saying is that you prefer truth over beauty.
that is your opinion and it is a fact.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i owned the bat cd player for a while. i ytried mullard and amerex tubes. this cd player is not receptive to changes in tubes. the player is very transparent, detailed and unforgiving of poorly recorded cds. it is closer to the truth than to beauty. it has a little extra energy in the brightness region (1000 to 3000 hz).

i sold mine. why not wait for the new prima luna prologue 8 or the arcana cd 1.0 and cd 2.0 .
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i agree with hiernote . i owned the bat player and tried amperex and mullard 6 volt tubes. alas, the player was as hiernote described. the koala was very similar.

i have been auditioning the melody cd m10 for about 2 and one half weeks. bartokfan wanted me to give a full report.
i can't do that because i am reviewing the player.

i can say that it is another choice and since it uses 6sn7 tubes in the buffer stage, and a rectifier tube, it may be possible to alter its sound by changing the tubes. the player costs $2500 and weighs about 75 pounds.
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