CD Player advice

I think they're a French company. Their equipment has been well reviewed in the press but I haven't yet heard it myself.

 

classe - canadian.

I nearly bought a classe solid state amp once. Quite nice sound, well built.

Sugden on steroids if you like.



Chris

 

It was a complete non-starter for me as the sound was ear-reamingly harsh: violins quite unlistenable, and cellos/basses rather anaemic. Also, I could hear the (CDROM-based) transport from the other end of the room, although they may have addressed that since.

It's supposed to be good in the PR&T stakes (although that generally passes me by) - may be a problem for the flatties though as it does very good imaging and soundstaging too (Sorry TopCat - just teasing).

The main times I've heard Classe is in the Tony Faulkener hifi show demos: last Bristol their top-of-the-range demo, in surround with B&W N800s was one of the sounds of the show for me, but that was using their pro SACD tape player (the one TF seems to use in mastering/demoing the/his LSO Live label). Feel like blowing some extra cash?

 

Odd...

Very interesting and a valid comment because I have long believed Resolution Audio's biggest issue is consistency between one unit to the next - in fact, I don't mind admitting that I'm on my third transport - the original had, as you say, that whine, and the second had the vibes. All is well with the third, but saying that a loading resistor blew causing a channel imbalance which has since been fixed. Ironically my dealer's unit has been trouble free. I'm not best pleased with my (now ex-) dealer for the hassles, especially as no loan machine was offered during my player's absences, but now my machine is fine at last.

Harsh sounds aren't what I've heard out of the Opus 21, however - I'm intrigued to find out what the rest of the system was when you listened to it, and what the mains was like. Whilst the Opus isn't as laid-back or mellow as some I've heard, it's a long way short of a Naim player in terms of its 'edginess' under less than ideal conditions. If anything, I'd suggest it errs on the side of smooth rather than harsh, but that's something which seems to be dependent on the support it sits on.

I am wondering if you've heard a 'dud' - my player, for all it's initial hassles (and to be fair, I was an early adopter) never sounded any less than thrilling, beating some of the following players that I heard en route:

Naim CDX w/wo XPS
Naim CDS2 w. XPS
Simaudio Moon Eclipse w/wo HDCD (two generations, you could say)
Simaudio Nove (I think that's what it was anyway)
Wadia 301 (I think that's the number)
Rega Jupiter
Musical Fidelity NuVista CD (retrospectively)

...and a couple of others I forget. My favourite (in terms of bang-for-the-buck), outside the Opus 21, was the CDX without XPS and the second generation Moon Eclipse was the easiest to listen to (a double edged sword; it was also easy to get bored but then perhaps by the same token that was a duff sample too)

Actually, it's great at the round earth stuff - it concedes a small amount of detail to the Moon Eclipse mkII, but otherwise it's very transparent, very tight in the bass, even-handed and never sounds harsh (despite Graham's experiences). Indeed, I'm happy to let anyone interested in hearing it pop round for a visit, just to show how good a player it really is.

All that said, on a good pressing of a good recording of great music, my LP12/Armageddon/Aro/Helikon still has the edge!

jtc

 

Re: Odd...

Can't remember exactly now (it was over 18 months ago), but was probably Conrad Johnson amplification and Avalon Opus, Symbol ? or LV Avatar OBX speakers. Supports and Mains was probably fair as that dealer is moderately tweaky.

Possibly there was some running in still to do - it probably had about 70 hours on it. Our different perceptions are probably just taste though. In another demo I only found the CDX started becoming listenable only with the XPS - but was still then not what I'd be looking for for 5k. The most seductive CDP I've heard is the NuVista 3D, and would be what I'd have if my tastes ran to Mantovani, but it misses wraps things in a bit too much honey for my more naturalistic (predominantly classical) tastes.

 

Thanks for all the replies to my query. Oxford Audio have agreed to accept £1000 for their Copland 289 so I have bought it. It is a player that I have heard before and thought was good and I hope, judging by some of the replies I have had here, that it should work well in my system. It is coming in as a trade-in in the next few days so I will post again when I get it.
It might even get some attention from WM in the not too distant future!

Regards


Mike

 

Nice choice Mike and you achieved a great knockdown in price. I hope you enjoy it!

Cheers, Robbo

 

Thanks Robbo, hope it will be good. Thanks also for your advice; I was tempted by the Sim Audio Nova but to be honest looking at their website, what tempted me most was the Eclipse, which given I am supposed to have sold all my hifi to help fund a buy to let purchase is a bit beyond my reach at the moment!
This may well be a future upgrade temptation though

Best regards

Mike