[Dimitri]

My Sony ns500v is the only source i've heard through a headphone rig. I got because it was cheap ($127 shipped), and reportedly offered "good sacd performance". "Good sacd and bad redbook" seems to be the general opinion on this player (I agree), and, considering that I listen to almost exclusively sacds, I am pleased with my purchase.

My Question: How good is "good" sacd, broadly speaking, when compared to popular redbook players at various price-points? Is it better than the NAD 541i at 400ish? the MusicHall cd25 at $500? the Rega Planet 2000 at $800? How much would I have to spend on a redbook player to get to the performance level of sacd on the ns500v?

Thanks,

Dimitri

 

[Ebonyks]

I'd guess that something in the 500 dollar range would provide aproxomently equal redbook playback to the NS500v's SACD playback. I haven't played with enough CDP's to say for sure, but the nad should be in the same range, albiet with less brightness.

Also, use the multi-channel outputs on the Ns500v if you aren't already, it makes a difference over the normal outputs

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ebonyks Also, use the multi-channel outputs on the Ns500v if you aren't already, it makes a difference over the normal outputs

with headphones? do you mean just plug in to the front channels. Hmm, I just did that and the sound seemed to open up a bit. Of course it is probably just in my head.

 

[bundee1]

I own the MMF CD25 and the NS500V. To me the SACD on the NS500V is good enough to hear the difference with SACD. The Music Hall's cd playback is good enough to enjoy redbook. The combo is nice. You need good cables and a power cord to get the most out of the Music Hall.

 

[Dimitri]

bundee1,

thanks for the response. which player sounds better in general--the sony with sacd or the musichall with redbook?

 

[Mr.PD]

I was under the impression that the Sony NS500V was real good at redbook playback. That's why I got one so long ago. [edit] I was lied to

As for SACD, I have just been using the stereo outs. I tried a single layer SACD CD in it and it played through the regular stereo out put jacks, so I figured it was the same whether I used those or unhooked my multichannel outs.

 

[bundee1]

SACD is a different sound and the material is still not as diverse as regular cd. It all boils down to the recording and mastering. Some SACDs have better detail but there are still imperfections. Some CDs are very well recorded and mastered. The best SACD will beat the best CD. In your budget your best bet would be a good $400- $500 you can keep for the next 5-7 years and maybe save up and get a used budget SACD to test the waters. By that time their should be enough material to make the small investment on SACD worth it. Maybe you can trick your family into getting a new DVD player that would double as an SACD player or get a cheap one as a B-day gift.

 

[rsaavedra]

2 cents here, my main source has been a Sony NS500V for a couple of years. Have compared its analog outs (playing CD's) with my Marantz receiver (SR4000) decoding the Sony's coax digital out. Haven't been able to compare it with any other CD player side by side though.

The Marantz decoding sounds warmer, but it has a slightly higher background noise (the difference in background noise levels is only detectable during pause and sending the volume to the max though). Despite the fact that the marantz sounds warmer, it sounds more "digital" to me, less smooth. Voices to me sound more natural, and the overall sound has more resolution, in the NS500v.

I've already posted these links in some other thread, but anyway:
http://www.avguide.com/newsletter/AV...2/sony_dvp.jsp
That review puts the NS500V in the same league as dedicated CD-only players like the Rega planet.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...r-10-2002.html
Section "Comparing CD playback to the Sony SACD/DVD DVP-NS500V" of that review places the Sony above the NAD 541i in standard CD playback quality.

I can't claim that I agree with those assessments, have never heard the Planet, or the 541i.

 

[raif]

Personally I have never had a problem with the redbook playback on my sony. I have listened to a Meridian (i think it was a 508.20 or 588.20 whichever is around $1000) and though it was definetly smoother and more musical than the sony, it wasn't so much better that I became unhappy with my 500v, especially considering the Meridian costs ten times as much.

I think the whole rule in audiophilia with spending mass amounts of $$$$ to get small returns is very prominent in the arena of sources.

Don't get me wrong, if you have the money, get the best. But I fail to see why the sony sounds "horrible on redbook" just becuase it fails to provide that last 5-7% of sound quality.

 

[rsaavedra]

Thought I should post this link to this other thread that I just found, where jpelg and fyrfytrhoges report they have compared the NS500V with some other redbook CD players, and have found the Sony quite below par, too bright and thin in their opinion:

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...5&pagenumber=1

 

[raif]

personally, I would purchase a really nice DAC. Benchmark DAC1 is supposed to be incredible and not very succeptible to jitter. Then you still keep all your SACD functionality, but with added redbook quality.

or get it modded at SACDMODS, that would be the cheapest option, and according to jpelg brings it at or near the rega planet level of performance.

 

[Mr.PD]

Since I have been listening to my newly acquired Arcam CD23T, I would like to retract my last statement about how good the Sony NS500V is on redbook playback.
I can't talk about SACD since I have no other SACD player.

 

[Andrew Pielet]

So, if I am listening to ONLY 2 channel SACD's, I should use the multi-channel outputs rather then the regular analog outputs? I tried last night and didn't hear a big difference. I will try tonight with my headphone rig.

 

[Wodgy]

From one of the modders threads over at DIYaudio, the conventional stereo outputs have a slightly better measured signal to noise ratio. They're fed from a dedicated 2-channel AKM DAC, whereas the multichannel outputs are fed off a 6-channel AKM DAC. However, it's possible that you might prefer the sound off the multichannel outputs for whatever reason, so trust your ears.

 

[Geek]

It sounds about as good as a $1000 CD player's CD ability. It held its own against the meridian 507 but had tinnier highs.

Cheers,
Geek