[CRESCENDOPOWER]

I would like to share with all of you the experience I had at Glenn Poor's Audio yesterday.
I spent the entire day there, and I must say that their staff, and ownership is nothing but class.
I definitely picked the right day to go. The store was dead because it was homecomming weekend at the University of Illinois. Also, I got to spend at lot of time with Geoffrey Poor. The co-founder of Balanced Audio Technology. He has also done extensive research with Dunlavy Audio Labs. Boy did this guy know his stuff!
It was almost scary how similar our audiophile opinions were. Out of all the interconnects I listened to I even picked out his favorite as the one I liked the best. That would be the Cardas Golden Reference if anyone cares. I might even be able to afford it if I buy a .5 meter length. Other cables that were used were Audioquest, and Nordost (bright).
Anyway, now to the real reason I went there. To listen to some CD players.
I brought my Wheatfield HA2, Headroom Home, and the HD 600 with the Red Clou cables.
Music used was John Tesh's Avalon for instruments. For vocals I used Jennifer Warne's The Hunter. I also brought along a classical CD called Classical Music For People Who Hate Classical Music. This CD is very well recorded with short passages that makes it very easy to remember what you heard before.
All the CDs were cleaned before I left my house, and all levels were matched as closely as possible with a digital sound level meter.
The first player I listened to was the Linn Genki. I am not going to say very much about this player, because it did not mesh well with my setup. I will say that it is extremely transparent, detailed, and very non-musical. But, I am sure in the right system it could sound phenomenal.
Next was the Arcam FMJ CD23. This CD player sounded somewhat similar to California Audio Labs CL-15, and the Denon DCD-1650AR, but better. I have yet to hear a CD player that is this musical, and that fast. The soundstage was also bigger than the other two, but the thing I noticed the most was instrument seperation, and pinpoint accurate imaging. It had just as much slam as my Denon, but I felt the FMJ CD23 did the frequency extremes much better. This was the best CD player I heard all day.
The next CD player was the Rega Jupiter. I found that the Jupiter excelled in certain areas. Almost the exact opposite of the Linn Genki.
Now I can see what all the rave is about this CD player. It strenghs were a wide, deep, and airy soundstage that I thought was better than the rest of the pack. It was very musical, and easy to listen to. It weakness, in comparison to the Arcam FMJ23 were ultimate detail, slam, and the ability to excell at the frequency extremes. But, don't get me wrong. It did quit well in those areas.
The winner to me is the Arcam CD23. But, that is just my opinion of a CD player that fits my taste. Geoffrey also agreed that it was the best of the bunch.
The Arcam CD23 is $2200.00. I paid $700.00 for my Denon. Do I think it is 3 times better? No way! Better yes, but not 3 times.
I would rather spend that money on better interconnect for the Denon than bring home the Arcam CD23.
Other players that I listened to was the Marantz CD-6000 which was incredible for the money.
I also heard the Arcam Alpha 9 which I thought was a very, very good value.
The bottom line is that it all depends on what your tastes are. None of these CD players were truely better than another. Just different. To quote Vertigo_1's signiture: "Different strokes for different folks."

 

[Audio Addict]

I agree totally with your comments about Glenn Poors. My wife and I go over to Champaign every few months. I drop her off at the mall and head over to Glenn Poors to see what they have new. I always hate to leave but you don't want to leave your wife unattended at the mall too long.

 

[Vertigo-1]

Thanks a LOT for that comparison CRESCENDOPOWER! That was EXACTLY what I needed, and heck it included exactly the players I had considered as well! The Linn Genki, Arcam CD23...and the Jupiter.

Quote:

The Arcam CD23 is $2200.00. I paid $700.00 for my Denon. Do I think it is 3 times better? No way! Better yes, but not 3 times.

I agree with you SOOOO much. In my case, it's the Denon DCM-370 I paid $225 for, but do I think the $1895 Jupiter is 8 times better than it? Hell no! I'd think I'd rather throw that money at a Stax and get a definite 8 times difference out of the sound than to get marginal improvements like CDPs have at massively different pricepoints.

Now on the other hand, do I think that $20,000 Linn Sondek CD12 I heard the other day was 88 times better than my Denon? Oh yeah, definitely.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Audio Addict I always hate to leave but you don't want to leave your wife unattended at the mall too long.

You can leave your wife at the mall for much longer periods if you take her credit cards first...

I was in Champaign for grad school in the late 70's, early 80's, and it's interesting to see that Glenn Poor's has upgraded what they do. At the time I was there, they seemed to be more focussed on brand names (pushed Yamaha/Polk at me), although they were starting to get into the high end. Geoff in particular has come a long way since those days (I remember him extolling the virtues of Monster Cable).

The times do change...

 

[morphsci]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hirsch You can leave your wife at the mall for much longer periods if you take her credit cards first... I was in Champaign for grad school in the late 70's, early 80's, and it's interesting to see that Glenn Poor's has upgraded what they do. At the time I was there, they seemed to be more focussed on brand names (pushed Yamaha/Polk at me), although they were starting to get into the high end. Geoff in particular has come a long way since those days (I remember him extolling the virtues of Monster Cable). The times do change...

Sure is a small world. I graduated from UIUC with my masters degree in 1981. I remember Glenn Poors as distinctly mid-fi at that time. Glad to see that they have upgraded their equipment selection. I did buy a few things from them and they were always helpful and courteous, even to a rather depauperate graduate student

. I'll have to check them out next June since I will be back in UC for some meetings.

 

[ai0tron]

Where in Champaign is this Glenn Poor audio?

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

aiOtron, let me give you a piece of advise. Never take for granted the directions you get off the internet.
I know the Peoria, Bloomington, Normal area quit well, because I went to Illinois State University, but when it comes to Champaign, Urbana area I'm lost. I have probably only been in that area 3, or 4 times in my life, and 2 of those times I was partying.
The directions I got off the internet was old information. They had moved their store. So, I called them, and got directions.
If my life depended on me getting back there I probably would be dead.

 

[ai0tron]

I know the Urbana area really well, there isnt all that much to know but Champaign is a mystery to me. Other than going to the mall there I never used to go to Champaign. Urbanians are somewhat aloof in that regard actually. Many Urbanians are put off by the hustle and bustle of our larger neighboring city.

 

[jim]

Wow there are actually headfizers somewhat in the Champaign area! I'm a student here at uiuc. Crescendo, if I had known you were coming we could have met up or something!

Anyway, Glenn Poor's, if I'm not mistaken is on Kirby and Mattis. Basically, if you were at Memorial stadium/Assembly hall, just head west on Kirby until you get to Mattis and you'll see a strip mall called Orchard Farms (?) or something like that on the left hand side. I've been there once looking for a pair of senns to listen to, but they told me they had no headphones in stock.

They did have some very cool looking avantgarde duos there though.

Hey, did you stop by Champaign Audio on Neil St? They have some cool stuff over there too, like the Sony 333es and some grados among other things.

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Jim, There was quit a bit of traffic on Friday. I didn't even wear my Etys once I got into town, because I was concentrating on the road. I probably drove right past it.
I wish I had known they had the 333ES, because I would had definitely stopped by. I really want to see what all the rave is about it.
Geoffrey had a good idea. He said, "Why don't you just stay the whole weekend?" If I had known what I know now I would have.
I am going to research this interconnect thing, and when I do I will stay the entire weekend in the Champaign, Urbana area. I'll let you know. I would love to meet any, and all Head-Fi, or Headwizers.

 

[jim]

Yeah, the area was pretty packed on Saturday. Champaign Audio had a 333es unit in their demo room about a month ago, but the salesman (I think his name was Mike) told me the system changes pretty often. I think it would be a good idea to call to make sure they have a unit on hand first. Good Vibes on Neil St. also has some stuff, but I think it's mostly a/v stuff. I saw a sony SACD player there, but I don't remember what model it was. Anyway, next time you're planning to come just drop me a line via PM or email!