[Jasonharkin]

Hi Guys

I am ready to take the plunge on a new CDP, I will only buy used as it represents the best value for money thus allowing me to get my mits on a top drawer redbook player. The budget is around £2200 UK Pounds which is equivalent to around $4,000 US Dollars. The CDP will be paired with a balanced pair of Grado PS-1's and a Headamp GS-X. A few players have caught my eye namely Resolution Audios Opus 21 and the Audio Aero Capitole, however high end CDP's is an area I am unfamilar with. For instance would it be better for me to pick up a used Chord DAC64 and pair it with a decent transport? Also the prices for used Americian gear on Audiogon is excellent value when compared to the prices for used gear here in the UK, if I imported from the States would the use of a transformer adversely effect the sound the CDP produces? Finally guys, I live in Northern Ireland and the only high-end High hifis shop near my home is in Dublin and its a Naim Dealership, I love Naim gear but the CDP has to have balanced outs. Also I think there is Linn Dealership in Belfast, but the Unidisks are notoriously hard to find used and are ridiously expensive new. So due to a lack of stores a demo of my future CDP is out of the equation. Any suggestions and personal opinions much appreciated.

 

[bifcake]

I can't tell you with 100% accuracy whether a transformer would adversely affect the performance of a component designed for 120v 60hz power. I would think that it wouldn't be great to have that, but it may not be all that bad either. I would assume that an amp would be more susceptible to power regulations than a CD player since amplifiers are high current devices.

Given your budget, you may want to look at the following on audiogon:

Mark Levinson 360 or 360S DAC
Levinson 390S CD player
Krell KPS-20i or KPS-20IL players


Not sure if the following have balanced outputs, but they're good players:

Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D
Sim Audio Moon Eclipse

I'm not a big fan of Wadia or Meridian players, although there are many here who swear by them.

Hope this helps

 

[bifcake]

Posted the same message twice

 

[jjcha]

GoRedwings19 has experience with the Chord DAC64 as you'll be using it. I've only really used the second generation matched with the Blu transport.

Personally, I haven't heard a GS-X. And I haven't heard a balanced PS-1. All I can do is guess, based upon my Dynamight + Chord Blu/DAC64 and single-ended PS-1 experiences (and I haven't used both together, as I didn't have the Dynamight when I owned the PS-1). My guess is that the DAC64 and GS-X/PS-1 might be fine, but it depends on what you want out of your GS-X/PS-1.

Heh, I'll put bowls on my HP2 (do you use bowls or flats?) and make wild and inappropriate suggestions w/ the 2nd gen DAC64 and Dynamight through its single ended (my HP2 isn't recabled). Unfortunately, at the levels you're talking about it's hard to say, as the gear is so uncommon and fairly dispersed. Also there are the power/cable/other influential impacts issue.

What more would you want from your Cyrus (which also I haven't heard, unfortunately)?

Actually Mikey's got a balanced PS-1. I wonder if I can't get it here for some comparisons...

Best,

-Jason

 

[Alwayswantmore]

I own an older Wadia 830, which was their entry level unit. Wadia does a number of things very well, and I am a big fan of their units. You may be able to get an 861 or 861se for your budget. Also, have you seen my thread on driving cans directly from the Wadia? I have not had a chance to run the Wadia side-by-side with a dedicated balanced amp, but it is something to consider. Link to the Wadia as a headphone amp can be found in my sig. Good luck.

 

[Jasonharkin]

Thanks for the responses guys. I am looking for speed, detail, forwardness and impact mainly from my new system. I believe the GSX and the PS-1 should deliever this (based on others opinions). The Chord DAC64 intrigues me, I am thinking of pairing it with a Mark Levinson 31CD Transport at the moment.

 

[GoRedwings19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha GoRedwings19 has experience with the Chord DAC64 as you'll be using it. I've only really used the second generation matched with the Blu transport. Personally, I haven't heard a GS-X. And I haven't heard a balanced PS-1. All I can do is guess, based upon my Dynamight + Chord Blu/DAC64 and single-ended PS-1 experiences (and I haven't used both together, as I didn't have the Dynamight when I owned the PS-1). My guess is that the DAC64 and GS-X/PS-1 might be fine, but it depends on what you want out of your GS-X/PS-1. Heh, I'll put bowls on my HP2 (do you use bowls or flats?) and make wild and inappropriate suggestions w/ the 2nd gen DAC64 and Dynamight through its single ended (my HP2 isn't recabled). Unfortunately, at the levels you're talking about it's hard to say, as the gear is so uncommon and fairly dispersed. Also there are the power/cable/other influential impacts issue. What more would you want from your Cyrus (which also I haven't heard, unfortunately)? Actually Mikey's got a balanced PS-1. I wonder if I can't get it here for some comparisons... Best, -Jason

Jason Harkin>I have never liked the chord dac 64 second generation out of anything besides its own transport. With other transports it just doesn;t do it for me. Also the fact that it needs a dual output transport makes it difficult to partner with transports with only single outputs.

The chord dac 64 1 st generation only needs single output.

The two sound different. Which would suits you depends on you listening to them.

 

[Jasonharkin]

The choice of high-end CDP's is quite scary, I might have to pay a little visit to Shadow Audio in Bonny Scotland at the end of the month for a demo of a number of players.

 

[kuma]

Quote:

I am looking for speed, detail, forwardness and impact mainly from my new system.

Why not a Naim CDX/XPS2?
Less details but the combo delivers the speed, forwardness and impact.

A Grado cans and Krell source go very well together.
The Krell kps28c is discontinued, but it's still an excellent one box player.
You get the impact, details and authority. Slower than a Naim player,however.

 

[Jasonharkin]

I would go the Naim route, but I need balanced outs from my source.

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasonharkin I am looking for speed, detail, forwardness and impact mainly from my new system. I believe the GSX and the PS-1 should deliever this (based on others opinions).

Yeah, you just gotta listen to it in your system to really decide. I find my Chord rig is a very smooth system, that has detail, but no one would describe it as a detail-emphasized rig. But I'm getting speed, detail and forwardness from my cans and amp, so I'm actually fairly happy with it in my rig right now (Dynamight & Qualia 010). So whereever the balance is, is kind of something you just gotta research, but eventually you just have to listen/jump/decide for yourself.

Best,

-Jason

 

[milkpowder]

I auditioned the Naim CDX2 and the Meridian G08 today and thought that both were extremely good. The G08 has balanced outputs.

Because I auditioned at different shops using different setups I couldn't fully appreciate their differences. Here are the two different setups:

Naim CDX2
OR
dCS P8i
Naim NAP250
Naim NAC282
Naim HiCap
ProAc D38

and

Meridian G08
Mark Levinson No.383
OR
Mimetism 15.2
Aerial Acoustics Model 7B

I felt that the first rig was far superior with the P8i, but about the same with the CDX2. The resolving power of the P8i was just amazing, but considering the price is three times the CDX2 or G08, I wouldn't be surprised.

The CDX2 felt more musical while the G08 had a very high resolving power. The G08 has quite a muscular sound while the CDX2 is more yielding and relaxing. That said, the CDX2 is by no means boring! Personally, it would be a very difficult choice between the CDX2 and the G08 considering they are similarly priced. However, the CDX2 gives you the possibility of an upgrade via the dedicated XPS2 PS. While the G08 doesn't have an upgarde path, it has the upper hand in terms of resolution because of its faster spinning drive, multiple lasers and upsampling capability. Also, the G08 has balanced outputs while the CDX2 doesn't (RCA). You have to listen to them both to fully appreciate the differences, preferably on the same rig. They have rather different sound signatures due to their vastly different company traditions and values. I think Naim focuses on musicality more than Meridian does.

 

[GoRedwings19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha Yeah, you just gotta listen to it in your system to really decide. I find my Chord rig is a very smooth system, that has detail, but no one would describe it as a detail-emphasized rig. But I'm getting speed, detail and forwardness from my cans and amp, so I'm actually fairly happy with it in my rig right now (Dynamight & Qualia 010). So whereever the balance is, is kind of something you just gotta research, but eventually you just have to listen/jump/decide for yourself. Best, -Jason

The chord dac version 1 is slightly different sounding as it does not have the body of your chord dac second generation. It is also detailed emphasised compared to your chord dac second gen.

Compared to yours the fist gen is very much in yer face kind of dac.

But it lacks all round ability to your dac by that I mean I wouldn;t use it for classical, opera. It lacks the refinement for me.

Also because of the way it is voiced I wouldn;t use it with less than ideal recordings. So your badly recorded Jpop would sound even worse out the first gen dac.

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasonharkin I would go the Naim route, but I need balanced outs from my source.

Then make sure the DAC/CDP of your choice is dual differential. Not merely splitting signal to add XLRs at the end with op amps.

It should elimiate few CD players off the list cuz, most of them are not truly balanced design.

 

[GoRedwings19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuma Then make sure the DAC/CDP of your choice is dual differential. Not merely splitting signal to add XLRs at the end with op amps. It should elimiate few CD players off the list cuz, most of them are not truly balanced design.

Like which ones Kuma? The meridians?