[takeawayboy]

I just thought I have a little fun. Name your all time top 3 CD players. Whether it would be ones you like to own/have/listened to. Then post it for other members to see and compare. Later

 

[GlowWorm]

Linn Sondek CD12
Meridian G08
Audio Aero Capitole

Based on the rave reviews, although I havn't had the pleasure of auditioning any of them yet.

 

[kunwar]

Meridien G08
Linn Sondek CD12( I have seen it once!!)
Accuphase DV-65

Glowworm, just a sidenote
Rene Descartes actually said

" Cogito Ergo Sum"
"I think, therefore I am"

You might want to change it.

 

[theaudiohobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunwar Meridien G08 Linn Sondek CD12( I have seen it once!!) Accuphase DV-65 Glowworm, just a sidenote Rene Descartes actually said " Cogito Ergo Sum" "I think, therefore I am" You might want to change it.

I do not think that the Meridian GO8 is even in the top 10 players in the world, talk less top 3, it is not even Meridian's top CD Player, that honour belongs to the updated Meridian 800 series

 

[analoguekid]

You might want to rename this thread CDP's you would like to hear someday, as the ones mentioned don't even come close IMHO, has anybody heard the models mentioned and iff so to what are you comparing them, if yer just dreaming then thats fine, but LinnLP12 Puleeese definately not worth it Mine sounds way better at a third of the price, you guys ought to hear a Griffon or burmester or topline wadia before commenting on what is best.

 

[GlowWorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analoguekid You might want to rename this thread CDP's you would like to hear someday, as the ones mentioned don't even come close IMHO, has anybody heard the models mentioned and iff so to what are you comparing them, if yer just dreaming then thats fine, but LinnLP12 Puleeese definately not worth it Mine sounds way better at a third of the price, you guys ought to hear a Griffon or burmester or topline wadia before commenting on what is best.

analoguekid, I was going to mention the Bow Technologies ZZ-8 if that would make you happy.

Although I don't know much about the Wizard 2, I'm sure it's arguably among the very best CDP's, your a lucky guy!

I havn't heard any (let alone all) of the CDP's mentioned (doubt if anyone here has), so it would be impossible to do a subjective comparison to determine which of the before mentioned CDP's (and the ones yet to be mentioned) would be in the top 3. Of course I'm just speculating or dreaming if you will based on what I've read, but there's nothing wrong with that is there? I would gladly take any one of the CDP's we are talking about here given half the chance

.

 

[GlowWorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunwar Glowworm, just a sidenote Rene Descartes actually said " Cogito Ergo Sum" "I think, therefore I am"

Yes kunwar, I'm well aware of this.

It's just a little audiophile pun based on Descartes famous quote. If you like I can credit it to a much lesser known philosopher -> GlowWorm.

 

[takeawayboy]

Analoguekid has a valid point. I have seen and heard the linn cd12 connected to b and w 802 speakers wired with nordost valhalla speaker cable. I have also demo'ed a full krell system when I went on holiday to hong kong. It was krell 25c cd player and krell 700cx power amplifier connected to b and w naultilus speaker( The funny looking seashell one!!). I do not rate the meridian g08 sorry dudes. My comparison is cyrus cd 7 feeding a chord dac 64 version 2 using nordost red dawn interconnects using russ andrews reference power cord connected via russ andrews purifier blocks. Here are my top 3:-

1. marantz cd 7 (Amazing sound quality for the price)
2 wadia 861
3 my younger brothers entry level sony cd player connected to a chord dac 64 version 1(not version 2). This was amazing. It sounded like it was a £5000 cd player.

I have also tried using sony playstation 2 connected to the chord dac 64 version2 that was really interesting.

 

[tom hankins]

Have not heard the Linn, but have owned the Audio Aero capitole MKII. Nothing else I have heard or owned or auditioned has come close. If I ever own another speaker system the Capitole will be my first purchase.

 

[analoguekid]

As I said in my first post there is nothing wrong with dreaming, and for all you young guys (I'm approaching 40) you will get there one day if you want to, but players like the Linn surrounded by hype, yes it is well built and looks great, but for the money you can do a lot better, the meridian is a nice player, good at it's pricce but other stuff way beeter, haven't heard the Capitole, but does seem to be up there with the best, the bottom line is given the budget to spend on any of the top line silver spinners most of us would choose different players for different reasons.

The problem with this thread is it's like stating who the best drummer is, it's all subjective, why not change the thread to the best 3 players that you have heard, regardless of cost. Then state why you like them.

 

[bangraman]

I've done a lot of shop auditions, many with an extended home audition. I've also done shop auditions of players, and then come back with two players I thought scored highly on the shop audition. I have to say that my opinion changed quite markedly during the course of the home re-audition... I've noted this with both headphones and sources whenever I've heard them for brief periods. As such, I have to say the 'tried' or 'auditioned in a shop' or 'heard' opinions are about the least valid methods of comparison / opinion.


One I would really like to audition for an exdtended period is the dCS Elgar/Purcell/Verdi combination. The most expensive player I would think about buying within my definition for a 'sensible extravagance' which I have listened to for an extended period is the Mark Levinson 390S.

 

[Nik]

The best 3 players I had:

Linn Sondek CD 12
Bow Technologies ZZ-eight I2s
Electrocompaniet EMC1

Best!
Nicola

 

[arj]

mine is Krell MD20. heard it best partner with Sonic frontier DAC.The are already old stuff. still they are good.

The problem is that it is getting hard to compare with among the good cd players. At the end, it is just a matter whether you like the re-production sound or not. And most important of all, that re-production sound is the actual recorded sound. (only god know what it is?. For most of us,is what we think of the recorded sound.).

 

[mbratrud]

I have listened to and lived with a number of high end digital sources including (owned) the top of the line Accuphase seperates, Audiomeca Mephisto II, Mark Levinson 31 and 30.5 seperates, Wadia 860, Wadia 301, Mark Levinson 360s (w Accuphase transport), Naim CDS2 w/ XPS and Burmester 001.

(auditioned) Linn CD12, Accuphase DP85, Audio Aero, Mark Levinson 390s, Electrocompaniet EMC1-UP SE, dCs Elgar and Purcell and the Meitner Emmlabs with the Philips transport (finally and briefly)...

They were all good and some of them very good, however in my opinion only the dCs, the Burmester and the Meitner Emmlabs set ups were very special indeed. While I listened to the Meitner system only once for a couple of hours (unlike the rest that I got to listen to on more than one occasion and some of them often) I think the Emmlabs is the finest digital front end I have heard followed by the BUrmester and then the dCs....I have not heard the Weiss or the Zanden but I have heard that they are both quite good as well.

 

[cupples]

GlowWorm, the Latin translation would be 'Audio, ergo sum', just FYI

I saw the empty case of a Linn CD12 in my local dealers, it weighs a ton! Also, once there was the packing crate for a CD12 sitting there, and I asked what was happening to it. Apparently the owner was changing it for a new CD12 after owning it for a year

Andrew