[Hirsch]

It was time to find out which of these players I liked better. I used the Fixup supermini, Zu Pivot mini-mini interconnect, and Grado RS-1 headphones for listening.

First off, I'm not going to declare a winner. Both are excellent PCDP's. However, their presentations are very different.

D-303 has a very forward presentation. Sound is bright, and can be in your face. Plenty of apparent detail, but some may be brightness. Does not get low level ambient detail well.

DCP-150 has a darker sound. Vocals are a bit further back. However, this player excels at fine nuance. Everything is there, just not pushed as hard as the D-303.

A key comparison point for me was The Trinity Sessions (Cowboy Junkies). With the D-303, Margo Timmins' voice was right there, and it seemed you could hear everything. However, the emotional content wasn't strong. Switch to DCP-150, and the vocals seem more recessed, except then you start hearing all of the vocal nuance she read into the songs. Ambient cues and the recording venue seem to play more of a role with the Denon.

So, the D-303 may be the way to go for an in your face sound, while the DCP-150 may be preferred for subtle nuance.

The real winner? Me. I'm keeping both

Other PCDPs that I don't think meet the standards these set may turn up for sale in the near future.

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

What do you think of the bass&treble boost of the DCP-150? (second bassboost setting). When used with an external batterypack it makes the sound a lot less recessed.

The DCP-100 doesn't have a bassboost setting and it's sound is more forward from the start, but slightly less detailed.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by LamerDeluxe (tm) What do you think of the bass&treble boost of the DCP-150? (second bassboost setting). When used with an external batterypack it makes the sound a lot less recessed. The DCP-100 doesn't have a bassboost setting and it's sound is more forward from the start, but slightly less detailed.

I only used the line out, which isn't affected by bass boost...nor would I alter what I was hearing if I could. I *like* that player.

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hirsch I only used the line out, which isn't affected by bass boost...nor would I alter what I was hearing if I could. I *like* that player.

Oh, okay

I also like the line-out of the DCP-150, it has a very detailed 'high-end' sound, which is surprisingly full with a great bass extension.

 

[Tina]

Hirsch, thanks for your notes.

i've been listening to my 303 since i got it last friday. i believe your notes were based on the lineout, right? seems like you hit the nail there when you mentioned very forward brightness. that's in a good way though since i think this will be a good pair for the cd3k. i'm using supermini v5 + er4p = er4s.

anyhoo, i find the headphone out kinda too dark for my taste. i guess i'm more used to the clarity and crispness of my dr7 and st60 md units. i even like the headphone out of the (less rooted) d101 better than my new d303.

but boy, the lineout is just magical with "the two towers" soundtrack.

 

[Hirsch]

I've never heard a pcdp amp that was as good as an external amp. I tried listening to a few of them awhile ago. The Kenwood DPC-72 is a nice player if you don't want an amp with you...no problem driving HD-600 IIRC. However, sonics just aren't up to where I'd want them to be. So, I use line outs only these days (although the idea of a portable DAC has some wheels spinning...I've got three players with coax digital outputs...)

 

[mekanoplastik]

funny....i find the 303 warm and easy...good for jazz and female voices...but i have never heard the denons

Hirch, have you eard the headphone out of the d-555...is pretty good.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by mekanoplastik Hirch, have you eard the headphone out of the d-555...is pretty good.

Nope. Never heard that one.

 

[screwdriver]

i had a sony D150 for a while - i like the sound from the line out with a porta corda 2.

i like it better than the D25s , D2,DT3 , but the one i use most id the D4.

if i will rank the ones that i own from the one i like best

1. D4
2. D150
3. D2
4. DT3
5. D25s