[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by applebook They will have an American head office in MA and a Canadian office in Vancouver

Really?

.. interesting, maybe I can check it out when I get back.

 

[immtbiker]

My sample glows blue, instead of red (I like blue better) and it does have a Mark Levinson look to it.
I have some Dave Holland big band playing through it tonight. That's a good stretch of the tonal extensions.

 

[drarthurwells]

I am interested in its internals, as compared to the following internal features of the Eastsound CD E5:

http://www.cattylink.com/CAT-E5eued.htm

ESOUND E5 European Edition CD PLAYER

FULL CE VERSION

3 TAILOR-MADE VOLTAGE STANDARD:

115 V version

220 V version

240 V version

TCCO / TCXO (TEMPERATURE COMPENSATED CRYSTAL OSCILLATOR) CLOCK SYSTEM: AS REFERENCE FREQUENCY COUPLED BY ADAPTATION OF CLOCK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (CDS). TCCO / TCXO IS AN EXTREMELY HIGH-END AND EXPENSIVE CLOCK SYSTEM WITH BETTER THAN 5ppm (part-per-million) ACCURACY - 200 FOLD IMPROVEMENT OVER STANDARD OSCILLATORS USED IN MOST CD PLAYERS. EXTREME HIGH-END CD PLAYERS INCORPORATED WITH TCCO / TCXO CLOCK SYSTEM INCLUDE: MARK LEVINSON 390S, WADIA 270, 270SE TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND WADIA 27iX DECODING COMPUTER.

CLOCK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (CDS): THE FIRST IN CHINA THAT EMPLOYS THIS HIGH-END TECHNIQUE - EACH COMPONENT REQUIRING THE REFERENCE FREQUENCY IS EQUIPPED WITH AN INDEPENDENT PATHWAY, WITH PRECISE IMP MATCHING. DIGITAL SIGNAL REFLECTION INTERFERENCE TO ANALOG SIGNAL CIRCUITS ARE BANNED. TCCO / TCXO + CDS HAVE TURNED E5 INTO A SUPREME ACCURATE AND HIGH PERFORMANCE DIGITAL TRANSPORT AS WELL.

HEAVY DUTY DESIGN: NET WEIGHT OVER 23 lbs; 13mm THICK ANODIZED ALUMINUM FRONT PANEL AND SIDE PANELS WITH THICK ZINC PLATED STEEL AS UNDER PLATE - ALL PROVIDE EXCELLENT STABILITY TO THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM WITH ANTI-ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE CAPABILITY.

PURE CLASS A RCA ANALOG OUTPUT STAGE: THE TOUCHING AND ELEGANT SOUND COME FROM THE INDIVIDUAL UNIQUE (EXCLUSIVE BALANCED TUNING TECHNOLOGY BY ESOUND) ANALOG OUTPUT CIRCUIT. HIGH-END CAPACITORS (e.g. WIMA BLACK BOX) & SECRET FORMULATED NON-MAGNETIC INDUCTORS EMPLOYED IN VARIOUS STAGES.

CRYSTAL CLEAR ELECTRIC SUPPLY (CCES) TECHNIQUE: 10 SETS OF ISOLATED STABLE VOLTAGE SUPPLY EMPLOYING THE UNIQUE CCES TECHNIQUE TO ALL DIGITAL AND ANALOG SIGNAL PATHWAYS - COMPLETELY TACKLE CROSS INTERFERENCE.

TOTAL SEPARATED BUFFERED CIRCUIT DESIGN: THE NEW DEVELOPED CURRENT SERVO CIRCUIT AS OPPOSITE TO THE TRADITIONAL DC SERVO CIRCUIT SYSTEM - GREAT IMPROVEMENT ON LOW FREQUENCY EXTENSION AND RESOLUTION.

CRYSTAL 4390 DAC: A FAMOUS MUSICAL DAC WITH ULTRA HIGH S/N RATIO EMPLOYED IN HIGH-END CD PLAYERS SUCH AS GAMUT CD1 MKII AND MERIDIAN 508.24. AUDIO ENGINEERS HAD CLAIMED THAT CRYSTAL 4390 IS OF A SUPERB PERFORMANCE STANDARD AND THE POTENTIAL OF THIS DAC HAS NOT BEEN FULLY EXTRACTED SO FAR.

SONIC PERFORMANCE

A TOTAL UPGRADE ON SOUND PERFORMANCE WELL ABOVE THE STRENGTHS OF ESOUND'S PREVIOUS LOWER MODEL E3 CD PLAYER. THE MODEL NUMBER DESIGN HAS AN INTENTION TO CONVEY THE LEVEL OF SONIC IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE PREVIOUS MODEL

E5 OFFERS WONDERFUL RESOLUTION OF LOW LEVEL MUSICAL DETAILS WITH SUBSTANTIAL EXTENSION OF LOW FREQUENCY AND HIGH FREQUENCY CLARITY; THE MID-RANGE HAS A SENSE OF NATURAL AND MUSICAL WARMTH COUPLED WITH A KIND OF UNIQUE TOUCHING EMOTION THAT IS HARD TO FORGET.

UNLIKE SOME TUBE CD PLAYERS, E5 HAS ALL THE SMOOTH PASSAGES YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THEM WHILE MAINTAINING SPEED AND RESOLUTION. SLOW AND SYRUPY FEELINGS ARE NOT PRESENT. E5 SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE A WONDERFUL BLEND WITH ALL THE BENEFITS WE CAN EXPECT FROM HIGH-END TUBE CD PLAYERS AND TRANSISTOR CD PLAYERS.

ALL THESE WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES ARE COUPLED WITH AN UNFORGETTABLE SOUND STAGE - A BEAUTIFUL SENSE OF DEPTH AND WIDTH. THAT IS THE REAL SOUND FOR REMEMBERANCE AND THAT IS THE REAL SOUND FROM THE EAST. . . . . . .


GOLD PLATED OEM RCA, XLR OUTPUT JACKS AND DIGITAL OUTPUT JACKS.

SPECIAL HAND-MADE TOROIDAL TRANSFORMER WITH NO WELDING POINT OUTLETS.

3mm EXTRA ZINC PLATED STEEL BOARD UNDER THE TRANSFORMER: AGAINST ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE.

POWER SUPPLY BOARD EMPLOYS 4 x WIMA BLACK BOX - REVEALS THE GREAT EMPHASIS ON POWER SUPPLY.

CIRCUIT BOARDS: MADE OF SECRET FORMULATED MATERIAL. A MAIN SECRET BEING THE ADDITION RATIO AND ADDITION SEQUENCE OF UV PROTECTION FACTORS.

SPECIAL DIGITAL INTERFACE IC PROGRAMMED BY ESOUND'S OWN SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION.

PHILIPS VAM TRANSPORT MOUNTED ON A 5mm THICK ALUMINUM PLATE: STABILITY OF TRANSPORT MECHANISM GREATLY ENHANCED.

 

[ken36]

Feel tremendous pressure to get a HDcd/cd player. This might be a possibility. I'm staying tuned.

 

[n_maher]

Dang, anyone else think the CD-2008 looks pretty hawt?

I'm very much looking forward to the review. It'd be something entirely different to purchase a product like this if they actually do have a stateside office, especially if it's just accross the border in MA (assuming that's Massachusetts).

 

[philodox]

I havent heard any of the Original CDP's, but when I bought my Eastsound from cattylink I asked Snowy Law about the CD2008 and their 'Da Vinci' player that looks more like a turntable [it doesnt look like the make this anymore... its been replaced with that special edition 'Leonardo' player]. Now, both of these Original CDP's are significantly more expensive and are sold by cattylink, but Snowy advised me to put my money on the CD-E5. He said that the Original CDP's are a bit more warm and euphonic, but they don't have the detail, bass response and soundstaging of the Eastsound. As I said I haven't heard them myself, so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[immtbiker]

Leonardo in a budget system

 

[PsychoZX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker Leonardo in a budget system

I wonder how that player sounds.

 

[BlindTiger]

I like the looks of the cd player.
looks like the Advantage CD S1 my brother in law has, that also has a solid RC unit, feels like it's made from a billet of aluminum.

 

[tkam]

Heres a bit more info I found on the A8T (this is all from the manufacturer):

Modified Philips VAM12 laser pick up and Philips CD-7 servo system for accurate laser pick up and fast track access.

.Original unique GOS digital processing technology.

.The precise clock circuit reduces timing errors.

.HDCD decoder, digital filter and multi-level Delta Sigma DAC.

.Well designed low frequency filter makes sound signal more clean.

.Separate tube and slid-state sound channels and dual analog output circuits.

.Warm, beautiful and brave sound from both tube (Russia 12AU7) and solid-state outputs.

.Six voltage regulators and filtering circuits provides very stable and clean power supplier through different circuit blocks.

.Heavy duty toriod transformer with sealed metal enclosure.

.Metal exterior and remote control.

.One set of tube RCA output
.One set of solid-state RCA output
.One digital coax output
.One optical S/PDIF output
.One power socket

.Output level: <2V
.Frequency response: 20Hz~20kHz
.Distortion and noise: 0.002%(-60dB)
.S/N ratio: 95dB
.Dynamic range: 97dB 102dB(HDCD)
.Digital output characteristics: S/PDIF standard
.Power supplier: 220/120VAC±5%, 50/60Hz
.Dimensions (W,H,D):

430 X 115 X 335(MM), 16.9X4.5X13.2(IN)
.Weight: 9.5kg, 20.9lb

 

[immtbiker]

Listening right out of the box, last night, cold as barefeet on an ice skating rink, the A8T sounded very bright, the midrange was very thin, and the bass was rolled off at what I would guess at around 80 htz.
After 20 hours, the brightness has subsided slightly, the thin mid-range has bloomed more than a little, and the bass has filled in down to the 50 htz range (guesstimating of course), but sounds a little wobbly down in the new lower extension.
All 20 hours does, is let the player warm up in the on deck circle, but doesn't allow it to have any batting practice yet. There are serious noticible improvements in a short amount of time, so I have some high hopes as it matures. Some players grow up quick, and then peak early, and yield very slight improvements, after that, especially in this price range. Looking at the specs and build quality, I have high aspirations for this unit. For people who want a non-Circuit City league player, for less than a grand, there is hope.

In a world where everything is going up in price, and down in value, I'd say that audiophile grade electronics are giving us better value, for the money, in the last couple of years, which is great for us.
I find the same value/dollar correlation with mountain bikes.

After it hits the 150 hour mark, I'd like to do a comparison with anyone or ones who have an Eastsound E-5, to comment on the differences. I know that Raisin has one, so I will PM him, and direct him to this thread. Maybe we can do a 4 day loaner program, but I'd have to limit it to people in driving distance to my house in the Tri-State NYC area, so it wouldn't have to be shipped, and members could hear impressions other than my own.

BTW- I am using 3 different headphones to make comparisons so it isn't headphone dependent. I am using HF-1's, R-10's and 010's...3 of the most different sounding cans you can imagine.

 

[stevieo]

immtbiker,

bring the Original on down next weekend & we can compare the two with different sources with amps, cans & cables. i am interested in how the Original compares to the E.sound CD-E5. the CD-E5 it is the best cdp i have yet heard at the price & twice the price. the CD-E5 dac section is the same as the one used on meridian 508.24. i have also been using a bel canto dac2 which is an even better dac than the built-in dac, imo. it warms things up & opens the sound stage. but the stock dac is still very good. the E5 is a steal at twice the price. plus it has balanced outputs.

How about a MINI MEET at my place next weekend? we might be able to get a few locals to join us.

the E.sound CD-E5 ships for USD$750 & it looks like the Original CD-AT8 costs CNY 3,300 at headphoneworld.com which converts to about USD$408. that is a pretty decent savings but i don't know about their frt costs.

 

[Northern Oak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoZX BTW, does Original have a website?

Yes, they do and they have it in English as well.

http://www.original-cd.com/

 

[PsychoZX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevieo moderator, ther are edit problems & general site problems.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=148124

 

[chesebert]

I was fortuante enough that the last time I was on business trip to China I had the chance to demo Eastsound E3, E5, Origional 2008, A8, A8T, Davinchi, Shanlin T200, S300.

Overall I find Eastsound sounds more lifelike, as in less digital. I find 2008 and A8, A8T way too bright and edgy, and A8T wasn't that good of a upgrade from A8. I also found the sound stage of Original CDP in general was little closed in and the instrument does not seperate as well as the E5. And I was equally unimpressed with the bass of Origional. All the units seem to be sitting at the demo room for a while now as they seem a little beat up, so I can only assume fair amount of usage. Da Vinci sounded good. With the limited amount of time I had, it was hard for me to judge it apart from E5. Both had their good moments with different tracks. But the lower Original lines certainly does not stand with any offering from Eastsound. I was fairly disappointed in Shanlin as well (S300). They lack the detail Eastsound had and was overly warm and mellow. Since I was the only one in the store, I spent a good 2 hours listening to different CDs I brought. And of course which headfi member would go demo without his own Pimeta amp (the only amp I have that's portable) and HD600..

So from those I like, I would rank them as follows:
Eastsound E5 (demo unit only..no more stock

Eastsound E3 (I got the last one

)
Original Da Vinci
Original 2008

The rest I don't like so no place for them....(I do like T200..but way out their on price tag..so I don't like that...LOL)

I guess if I would buy blind, Origional 2008 would be the lowest model I would choose if I have to have the Original (no pun intended).

Oh..btw, the owner quoted me around 4000 RMB for the A8T, which is about $500