I have owned a 205 for a little over 1 year now. I can compare it to the Anthem CD-1 (tubed changer), and the Sony 333 and XA777ES. I have the 205 because I wanted a changer and it can be worked from the same remote as the rest of my MAC gear (MA6900 and MR85). It is a great sounding player - warm, articulate and very musical (I agree with JRD351's description). It is better on redbook than the 333 was and I find it pretty close to the XA777 on redbook (in fact, I would settle by calling them different not placing one over the other). It sounded much better than the Anthem as well.
I used to use my 205 as a transport connected to the MSB platinum plus DAC. Eventually I sold the MSB because I preferred the sound of the 205 by itself over the combo. The MSB did some nice things that the 205 alone did not, but the 205 was just more musical and invovling on its own.
It is a drawback that you have to stop the music to change a disk, but that is the only drawback I can think of as far as an excellent sounding multi-disc player is concerned.
There is one on sale here at audiogon right now for $1800. Good Luck,
I used to use my 205 as a transport connected to the MSB platinum plus DAC. Eventually I sold the MSB because I preferred the sound of the 205 by itself over the combo. The MSB did some nice things that the 205 alone did not, but the 205 was just more musical and invovling on its own.
It is a drawback that you have to stop the music to change a disk, but that is the only drawback I can think of as far as an excellent sounding multi-disc player is concerned.
There is one on sale here at audiogon right now for $1800. Good Luck,