Help me choose a new SACD player - Dynamic Turtle

I think we all know the 963 is an excellent player. Very conducive to modification too, afaik.
 
I am sceptical about this having lower grade components in it, the sound and build quality are second to none. I am more inclined to believe that the UK distributors are concerned about people importing products for considerably less.
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Yep, that is probably very much the reason for the existence of "special" UK distributor versions :rolleyes:

I ran this unit and the Shanling t200 at the same time, connected using the same cables, this player astounded both me and my more musically inclined friend.
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As you said though, the shanling was just out-of-the-box.......
 
Dynamic Turtle said:
I assume a "vacuumstate" modification involves replacing the ss op amps with valve op amps?

Very expensive mod too, (£500+ afaik). Enough valves in the amp anyway :D
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Nope, vacuumstate is the name of the org. The mods to Sony players dont involved valves. See www.vacuumstate.com
 
neek said:
I have just bought a Inca Design SACD player. It seems to be a new version of http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=2799
as it is also a SACD player, and it has balanced outputs. It is only a 2 channel one though which is why I bought a Sony NS900v DVD player for multichannel disks.
I auditioned The Inca SACD player on my stereo and also the Shanling T200 of which I expected great things. The Shanling really did need more running in time as was pretty much out the box where as the Inca had been used for a very limited time. The Shanling struggled with things the Inca played flawlessly. I would like to think that the Shanling just needed some time and would have improved but I fail to see how it could improve to such a degree to warrant being double the price. Even if they were the same price the Inca won hands down! (came as a huge shock to me) I have not seen ANY information on the Inca SACD player, it was luck that I encountered it. I got it through 'Chinese hifi' chap who was great (and is also based in Sheffield) it just happened to be there when I went round to see the Shanling player as it had been returned as the remote was faulty. I can't recommend the Inca enough, the build quality is stunning and EVERYTHING I put through it sounded wonderful. Most disks I played were standard CD's as did not have access to many SACD's but have bought a few since and the player is amazing. Best of all it costs under £500
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The Shanling is massively overpriced in the UK. I've heard the Jungson SACD player but ony briefly, but it does seem very good - where did you get it from? Sounds like a bargain.

Jungson also do a very nice class A 80W amp and very striking floorstanders to match - all for ridiculous prices. I heard them all together at an official UK dealer - mini review hereThe official UK price for SACD player, the JA-88 amp and the striking speakers are all £900 each. Amazing value. And then you can get it even cheaper. Would love to know what the difference between official and grey imports are... I am a bit sceptical myself.
 
I stand corrected.

The prices are still making me wince though - esp. the XLR option - €1400 - OUCH!

I would only consider spending that kind of money, if I could be certain the player had the longevity to justify it. Even expensive players (like the Denon 2900) use plastic optics and have limited shelf-life IMO.

SCD1/777/555 - fine - they should last 20+ years with no problems, but those Denons & Pioneers..........
 
alanbeeb said:
The official UK price for SACD player, the JA-88 amp and the striking speakers are all £900 each. Amazing value. And then you can get it even cheaper. Would love to know what the difference between official and grey imports are... I am a bit sceptical myself.
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£900 isn't cheap in my book, compared to the probable HK$ cost.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people imported these for £4-500.....

There seem to be plenty of private chinese hi-fi importers around these days - certainly shouldn't be difficult getting hold of one.

DT
 
I've had a few dealings with Chevin Audio - absolutely first rate. Colin is one of the few engineers who are good with dpa equipment. My last contact was when he serviced my dpa phono stage, fast turnround and economic.

Neil
 
Hi alanbeeb, I have to say the Shanling looked amazing but was a real let down on sound. I do think it would settle down when fully ran in but can't see it being enough. I got the Inca / jungson player from http://www.chinese-hifi.co.uk the chap is based in Sheffield so very handy for me. He was a student from China studying at Sheffield Uni but has finished and stayed here. He is a top chap, I popped over to his flat and had a look at both players, then he brought them both over to my house and waited and was forced to listen to a wide selection of music through both players for a couple of hours. After which I bought the Inca and he left with the Shanling. Perfect!
He did not even want a drink!
I can highly recommend him.
 
He's got some amazing offers there too. I must resist - be strong, dynamic turtle!!

A shanling stp80 for £700? Stone the crows!
 
The Shanling T-200 would have been £1050 I think, not sure how much others sell them for. I stand by the Inca sounding much better, perhaps it is just more suited to the rest of my kit, or perhaps a full week of running in will make an emense difference. I guess I will never know!!
 
Even if the Shanling did end up sounding better, would it have £500 better?

Probably not!

DT
 
OK, time to bore you rigid with my NS900V mini-review :D

Well, I must say, I'm pretty amazed with the CD performance of this Sony deck. Its a very organic, musical player - great fluidity and rythm. Don't laugh at me, but there are times when I thought it could really pass for a turntable in this respect! Honestly! I can't really fault any aspect of the frequency spectrum either:

Bass - Daft punk was very powerful & tight (I'd heard weak bass was the achilles heel of the 900V, but I patently disagree - its superb). Excellent timing & rythm too. The Signums (with their diddy 13cm woofers) had trouble fully resolving the weight of the timpani & double-bass on the RPO/Mackeras/Sibelius CD, but that's not the 900V's fault.

Mid - voices were clear, crisp & emotive. Most impressively, they exhibited no sibilance (Something the Pioneer 565 or Denon 2900 struggle with IMO). Damien Rice's voice retained all of its breathy, tortured character. The cut-glass mezzo-sopranos on the Harmonia Mundi Nozze de Figaro cd were just that - penetrating & rousing, without sounding strident.

Treble - Cymbals on the (amazing) Thelonious Monk Criss-Cross album had excellent decay, bite and shimmer. They did not sound bright or splashy, much to my amazement. The Police Every Breath you Take SACD (a tweeter's worst nightmare) again proved the 900V to have well-controlled, texturally-rich treble capabilities. Almost as good as my (ageing) Reggatta de Blanc vinyl via the RPM9.

This player has more rythm, soul and musical integrity than the Denon 2900 + Tag DAC20 combo, at one fifth the price!

I had budgeted for modifications and an offboard dac to process redbook. Needless to say, I'll be spending the money on music instead.

Oh, and the NS900V has a captive mains lead, which makes the performance all the more incredible :eek:

Sorry for sounding like a gushy, over-excited American, but I am genuinely flabbergasted by the 900V. Yours for less than £150!

DT
 
Mr.C said:
I'm currently using the Marantz for CD/SACD playback, and I've never been anything but extremely happy with it. Considering that my main source is a far, far superior TT front end, I still do a surprisingly large amount of CD/SACD listening. The Sony's are very, very good also - a friend has one and it sounds damn good. Awesome build and very good value. As a direct musical comparison, I'd be crossing the Pioneer off your list - good all-rounder as you say, but at a cost to the music playback. No experience of the Philips. Hope this helps DT... :)
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i think sacd is a gimmick it is far to clinical, i prefer my gyro ,sme v ,to sacd any day it is too clean sounding
and you are right vinyl is far far superior to cd and sacd, they are chalk and cheese. if you want a great sound i'm affraid vinyl is the only way
i have a 868 avi into a ax10i plus an arcam cd92 which is a great cd player, very smooth ring dac
 
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Welcome to the forums Rudolph. This thread is hardware specific - we are NOT debating SACD as a format.

Why not start a thread with the title "Why is my Gyrodec/SME V so much better than a Marantz SA6400?". :rolleyes:

Cheers,
DT
 
Dynamic Turtle said:
Welcome to the forums Rudolph. This thread is hardware specific - we are NOT debating SACD as a format.

Why not start a thread with the title "Why is my Gyrodec/SME V so much better than a Marantz SA6400?". :rolleyes:

Cheers,
DT
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just stating a fact thats all you all keep persuing that ultimate sound. and you will never get there with sacd or cd i'm affraid. i would say that sacd is worse than normal cd, to cold sounding
 

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