Handsome Groovy CD player

I've got a demo on Friday for something to replace my ageing Marantz cd63..
Looking at stuff up to £2k - the demo's for the Shanling, something from AVI and Gamut and Marantz cd17KI.
Looking for something that won't be disgraced too much by my Clearaudio Revolution, which won't be too harse for my Lumley amps (they have surprising presence!) and can play most music with oomph (i.e not Norah Jones or Westlife, but everything otherwise from Shostakovich to Motorhead via Ornette Coleman).
Any other suggestions?
BTW, it's got to be handsome or I won't be allowed to buy it... The AVI might be out without even having heard it for this reason - WAF 'n'all!

 

Rega Jupiter @ 1k or there abouts

 

there's the tube technology fusion64 - basicly a chord dac 64 with a transport, no ram buffer and a tube output stage. about a tenner under 2k.

i've seen bow wizzards for under 2k but they are like hens teeth.

the new bluenote stibbert is i think around this sort of price - if you find somewhere that stocks them let me know.

the mid range sim player should be about this prie too i think.

you might also look out for an accuphase if you like that japanese battleship style.

cheers

julian

 

As I've said before, it's got to be large, heavy, Champagne Gold (aka light Bronze), and made in Yokohama
Only joking, it doesn't have to be made in Yokohama.
Kawasaki or Musashino are perfectly acceptable, too

 

If you end up wanting the Shanling, Id send a PM to Penance. He recently put up a link to a second hand hifi place that had one in for about 800-900 quid.

Cheers
Chris

 

Don't forget the Arcam FMJ CD33. A very fine player and very good value for money.

Oh, and at Bristol I was quite impressed by a Talk Thunder 3.1.

 

If you're trying the Rega Jupiter - try the Naim CD5 as well; different presentations but both very good for what they are. I believe the CD5 can work OK in a non-Naim system as well.

Personally, I'd just say sod it, get a second hand Pioneer stable platter and a Chord DAC64 and have a REAL digital turntable

 

Hi if you do want the Shanling I have one for sale at a good price:MILD:
PM me.
Cheers

Andrew

 

Hi Leonard,

One name that doesn't roll-off the tongue that easily but which in my view is a 'sleeper' in the under GBP 2k pack is the Copland CDA-822. If you are paying with your own money, then you owe it to your wallet to audition the Copland and it's not bad looking either as can be seen from this link: http://www.divertech.com/coplandcda822.html IIRC, it retails for below GBP 1500 in the U.K. Anyway, I think it is a very good player but your experience may vary.




Enjoy the music,

Lawrie.

 

Leonard

Shostakovitch, Motorhead and Ornette Coleman !! A man after my own heart.

I can only echo what dombrown says, Leonard. I bought a Chord DAC64 a few months ago. It's really punchy, detailed, doesn't shout at you etc etc. I use it with my original Rega Planet. It cost me £1100 secondhand. It REALLY has an awful lot of oomph. Don't know if you know Queens of the Stone Age's "First it Giveth" off the last LP. When played through the DAC64 it sounds AWESOMELY powerful [at least it is thru my system, which isn't a "rock" system by any stretch].

My plan is to try a universal player like the Denon 2900 soon, and if the DVD-A/SACD sounds like it's worth bothering with [ie if DVD-A/SACD playback sounds as good as the Rega/DAC64] then I might give it a go. All bases covered re : future formats and a lovely looking player into the bargain, and if you get a new one of those plus a s/h DAC64 that comes to about £2000...

Don't live anywhere near Tunbridge Wells, do you ??

Paul

 

Nowhere near Tunbridge Wells, I'm afraid - just visiting and slotting a demo in while I'm there...
If I like the Shanling may look at the 2nd one, though I also like the idea of the DAC 64 - handsome and I could probably feed it from my Marantz, although that doesn't cover the handsome bit itself...
And I'm thinking about doing an MAX demo of the Copland too - it's likely he'll have an Auccuphase deal as well so worth visiting.

If any of them make that Queens of the Stone Age track sound even more thwacky than it does through the Marantz - or if it in any way approaches the drum sound on "Rock and Roll ain't noise pollution" from my recently bought 180g vinyl re-issue of AC/DCs "back in Black" then I'll be getting my wallet out sharpish!

 

Leonard

If you're auditioning at Sounds of Music I live about a mile away and can drop the DAC64 in there if your dem's at the weekend. As long as you organise things with SoM and you look after it I'd have no problem with you using it at your dem.

Let me know if you're interested.

Paul

 

My vote also for the DAC64...unsurprisingly

Michael.

 

i have one of the former for sale, btw

apologies for thread intrusion

 

You have PM - he he...

 

I've gone and done it...
Went for a demo at SOM... Listened to the Shanling, and some Marantz, and a 2nd hand Advantage S1.
The Shanling was harsh, with over-projected mid-band and ultimately tiring.
The Marantz was OK.
The Advantage was brilliant, so I bought it and am just warming it up for an extensive home demo. I've also discovered that the remote could easily be issued to the police to supercede their truncheons - it's a proper Gentleman's Remote!
BTW - heard the Advantage in a system comprising Boulder 1000w/8ohms amplification and Lumley Lampros 2000... Must start thinking about a 2nd mortgage

I also got a lovely black rhodium mains lead with it, which I've just swapped for the one on the kettle. Water boils quicker, and the tea tastes better

 

Len, the S1 is a nice player, I perfer it over the wadia 301, they do run best if you do go direct though, congrats mate on a nice purchase. T.

 

I'd had my eye on that for a while (not that I could afford it) because it was a good price for a very good piece of kit. I think it fits your aesthetics bill as well!
Simon

 

I've got round to having a listen...
After warming it up over night, and plugging into the passive pre (so no worries about going straight into the power amps what with it just being a slightly longer bit of wire..) I put on Steve Coleman and the 5 Elements' "The Tao Of Mad Phat".
And all of a sudden you could hear the snare drum vibrate ever so slightly whenever the bass played.. And the soundstage seems now to spill all the way into the inglenook on one side, and about 5 feet outside the 2' thick wall on t'other.
"Cochise" by Audioslave was rendered nearly as well (and very nearly at that - similar bass performance!) as by JJs reference Boulder/Lampros 2000 system, which was nice!
I'd almost go as far as to say it's getting on for (wait for it) as good as vinyl! Though I'd have to do some extensive testing to say for sure.. Suffice it to say my old Marantz is a ghetto blaster in comparison - and it was not too bad itself..

 

Reply about the Blue note Stibbert cd player

I have heard the Stibbert cd player at Hifidelityaudio.co.uk
it is the best sounding piece of Kit I have heard.I have a
Wadia 302 and the Stibbert left me with my jaw dropped .
They are a 2 valve based unit for 3495.00 .Even at 2x that there
is nothing out there that is close, Analog with a attitude.I already have buyer for my unit .I can't wait till it comes in.
Also a superb looking Italian peace of art.
These units are already on 2 weeks back order.Joe.