[fliz]

i'm a complete upgrade fiend.
i started w/ rs-1s and an ra-1.
i powered them w/ some department store dvd player.
i sold that for an arcam alpha 8se, which quickly became an alpha 9, not to long before turning into a cd92.

now my source is clearly not good enough for my new hp-1000s.
i've got a reference gilmore on the way (i bought it for its neutrality/transparency), and my ra-1 will have to tide me over till it's built.

i like my ICs and line conditioner, so the only thing to change is my player.

i don't feel like making the baby-step to an arcam fmj, id rather move up to a new line that caters to a higher end croud.

brand im thinking of:
sim audio (their nova is RARELY seen used, about $1500-$1800
their eclispse is a little more frequent at about $3000)

this is because their noted for detail and 'slam'. i haven't heard anything bad about them yet. (people selling their eclipses do so to move WAY up, and nova owners usually capped their budget out when buying one)

brands i've heard SOMETHING bad about:
mark levinson:bland (but detailed and neutral)
audio aero:smooth and warm (i hate velvet sound, i prefer velvet sheets)
that dvd player tuberoller loves:thin (and he doesn't like hp-1000s, OR gilmore amps anyways... ha!)
carys:same as audio aeros
wadias:same as levinsons
meridian:warmest mush of the bunch
musical fidelity:???(i don't trust them, dealers usually carry their WHOLE line and push for what you can afford, with a rega for the alternative... the trivista looks stupidly overbuilt and all of them look gaudy w/ their gold trim etc.... on a side note, the one at the same price as my arcam sounded very similar)


i'm looking for something that's about $1500-$2000 used.

fliz

 

[SENOR4Q]

I'm sorry, but the cd92 is not good enough!? Stay away from arcams then, because it's probably more you not liking the arcam with the phones than the arcam being at fault somewhere. Buy a meridian used or a cary or something. You will have to identify what you don't like about the cd92 first though because spending more money on a "better" player will get you something that will sound different moreso than it will sound better.

 

[kartik]

Quote:

Originally posted by fliz i'm a complete upgrade fiend.... i'm looking for something that's about $1500-$2000 used. fliz

Nooooo!

Don't buy used.

Look at the Sharp SACD player available brand new on ebay directly from sharp. It used to retail for over $3K and I just bought one for $1199 +Shipping + Tax. It has received superb reviews and has been ranked ahead of the SCD-1 in some rankings. The only downside is that it doesn't play DVD-A or recognise CD-Rs. Asides that it is an unbelievably good deal. Buy it you won't be sorry.

 

[sacd lover]

You sound like a candidate for a sacdmods 555es. Great sound peroid.

 

[davidmiya]

I have heard great things about the Meridian 588. If I had the money, I would buy it.

 

[fliz]

Quote:

Nooooo! Don't buy used

there is absolutely NO way i'm going to buy new! Period. ...Period.
also, i owned a marantz sa8260 the same time as the arcam alpha 9, and definately prefered the arcam. I then improved my arcam.
Quote:

It has received superb reviews and has been ranked ahead of the SCD-1 in some rankings

the marantz i owned got ranked higher than the arcam fmj cd23 (in some rankings), and i prefered the alpha 9 to it. rankings don't give enough inforation.

Quote:

You sound like a candidate for a sacdmods 555es. Great sound peroid

i really don't want to buy something and put money into modding it. i wont get as much money when i resell it to upgrade (again)
...yes, i DO plan on upgrading again, when i have more money.

Quote:

I have heard great things about the Meridian 588. If I had the money, I would buy it.

thanks for the suggestion, i'm sorry i forgot to include it in the second list along w/ cary and audio aero. their the most colored player of the bunch. i REQUIRE neutrality. i need a player that's believable and realistic.

i care only of redbook playback (for now.... when the other formats become more popular, i'll want to upgrade again anyways)
and cd-r playback is REQUIRED (their all legal copies of course

)



fliz

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by fliz this is because their noted for detail and 'slam'. i'm looking for something that's about $1500-$2000 used. fliz

So more detail and more slam is basically what you want? Sonys would be worth looking into then, as their players tend to have pretty booty kicking bass, and their flagship players are known for having great detail. Look into their XA-777ES or SCD-777ES. The Arcam CD23T is details galore but it does lack on slam, so you can most likely forget about it.

 

[Rob N]

fliz,I have the Tri Vista and it's a really great machine with a smooth but not overly warm sound

BTW the Tri Vista looks better than previous MF products,no gold trim on this one.

 

[fliz]

i had the opportunity to listen to a tri-vista, and it did sound good, but i didn't have the opportunity to AB it w/ anything in the same price range. for it's price used, you could buy an eclipse AND and nova, and i'm not sure it's as detailed (i couldn't listen to both at the same time... different stores). it was awefully big though.

as far as sonys go, the 777 is right in my price range, but i see TONS of them on audiogon ALL of the time. kartin mentioned some 'sharp' player that is supposed to be 'better' than the scd-1, but i simply dont trust department store brands even more than flashy tube output cdps like shanling (which is another reason i veer away from tri-vista and audio aero). the only thing i've ever heard of with a good excuse to have tubes is a weebl.

 

[kartik]

Sharp may be a flashy shopping-mall brand, but serious audiophiles who have auditioned it have said that it runs with the rest quite comfortably if not exceeding them. Look up the Hi-rez-SACD threads on audioasylum if you think I'm pulling this stuff out of my a**. It seems strange that you are so easily willing to pre-judge players, dealers and other headfiers without actually trying out what theya re suggesting. The Sharp is probably available as a demo in most high end shops in your area, give it a try before you dismiss it.

 

[markl]

Save yourself some money and look into the 555ES Hot Rod as suggested by sacdlover. As for resale value, one recently went up for auction on audiogon and sold for around $100 less than the price tag of the new player plus mods, so there's not an extra penalty for getting them mod-ed, from what I've seen they hold their value longer than un-mod-ed. If you are looking for a player with resolution plus heft, slam, and dynamics, this is the one.

Here's a long review:
(http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/show...highlight=555es) It may take a little doing to hunt down a 555ES, but it can be done. this $1600 player now goes for around $700. With the mods, you are looking at around $1300-$1400 max. sacdlover and Nightfall and Bluesaint also have this player and all are very pleased. Nightfall's 555ES Hot Rod was received very well at a recent Head-Fi meet:
http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/show...highlight=555es

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by kartik Sharp may be a flashy shopping-mall brand, but serious audiophiles who have auditioned it have said that it runs with the rest quite comfortably if not exceeding them. Look up the Hi-rez-SACD threads on audioasylum if you think I'm pulling this stuff out of my a**. It seems strange that you are so easily willing to pre-judge players, dealers and other headfiers without actually trying out what theya re suggesting. The Sharp is probably available as a demo in most high end shops in your area, give it a try before you dismiss it.

Gotta agree here. I mean that original list pretty much threw out 80% of the good CDP manufacturers out there. All it's missing is Audio Note, Accuphase, Linn, 47 Labs, and dCS, which would probably all have "something bad".

You don't want an Arcam, you don't like Sonys for all the wrong reasons, and yet you still want detail, slam, and neutrality. There's literally nothing else out there to recommend. I don't know much about Sim Audio but I do know Sony's flagship players actually hit all the spots you're looking for from having owned and auditioned and reading lots about them. But since you seem bent on getting a Sim Audio Nova and dismiss other options so lightly based on brand name, why hesitate? Just get the Nova, then upgrade to the Eclipse when you feel inclined to.

 

[radrd]

You sound like me, only you have a better budget. I eventually ended up with a used Cyrus CD7Q w/ PSX-R psu (retails $2000+ IIRC). I love the Cyrus, plenty of slam and tons of detail. I won't be upgrading from it any time soon. Cyrus now has a new cdp out (CD8 IIRC), that is a bit cheaper than the CD7Q. It might be worth looking into.

The only drawback is finding one. I rarely see Cyrus gear on Audiogon, and AFAIK, there are no dealers in the US yet. I believe there is one in Vancouver though.

You might want to read some more reviews of the Sim Audio gear. I remember reading one or two reviews that said they were weak in the bass department...

 

[nebuchadnezzar]

Have you considered holding onto your current CD player and setting up an analog system?
You should be able to pick up a good table on the used market (along with cart and phono stage) and still have money left for a few albums...

Just a thought.

 

[fliz]

the fact that the sacdmods player only lost $100 interests me.
you guys seem to be pretty serious of your defense of the department store players.

as far as the other brands vertigo listed:
linn:i think they go in the same category as levinson and wadia as far as their 'style' of presentation. detailed neutral, but a touch on the dry side.
accuphase:i'm REALLY interested in auditioning one of these players. i totally forgot about them. i guess i kinda assumed that they were out of my immediate price range, but just noticed that somebody sold their dp-70 on audiogon for $550!!!!! damn!!!!
dCS:i think this is what i'm looking for, but am not sure (again price is the main issue)
audionote:tell me more
47 labs:ditto

fliz

EDIT:
the 555es is a changer?!?! ....that scares me. does it need an isolation platform more than your average player (since there are so many internals. i've always been told that changers are crappy transports, but i've never really understood what makes a good transport besides the timing clock (which is upgraded in the sacdmods version)