[ian]

I'm looking into getting a small footprint source - being in a very tiny bedroom in my apartment (starting in a few weeks) and having to move it between New York and Oregon, I want something small. Clearly, I'd rather not sacrafice too much in sound quality. This is what I've found so far:
CAL Audio Delta Transport (around $400 used on Audiogon) - nice, but needs an external DAC (just more stuff to deal with)
Musical Fidelity X-Ray 24-bit CD Player - a bit bigger, but known very well for its revealing qualities. Harder to find used, originally $1300. As low as $400 used though.
What else should I be looking at?
Thanks guys!

 

[ian]

TEAC Reference Series looks very promising:
http://www.teac.com/ref/ref_int.html
Anyone tried one?

 

[eric343]

Well, the Meridian in your avatar is pretty small

 

[ian]

Actually, they're pretty big (Deep) and quite heavy...doesn't really fit the bill. Otherwise sure, I'd love to have another one

 

[katsudon1]

How about Linn Classik?

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

Originally posted by eric343 Well, the Meridian in your avatar is pretty small

LOL! I was just about to say that!

 

[setmenu]

Cyrus make some fine CD players,they are about the size of a small shoe box but low in profile.
We have one of these at home [a CD7Q dac] and it is a fine cd
player.

They also have a nice cast alloy case as well,all in all good sounding stylish players.

Check:

www.cyrus.co.uk



setmenu

 

[rtsy]

Check out the Audio Note Zero series.

 

[WJK]

The Sugden CDMaster is the same size as the Headmaster with remote unit. Click here for a large picture.

 

[mattbr]

for what it's worth, although the mix is aestetically pleasing, i was underwhelmed by the sugden cdmaster...

 

[Gergor]

mattbr,

I'm ordering the CDmaster to match with the headmaster. Would you please elaborate your comment about this CD player? May be I should cancel my order if it's not a good player.

 

[mattbr]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor mattbr, I'm ordering the CDmaster to match with the headmaster. Would you please elaborate your comment about this CD player? May be I should cancel my order if it's not a good player.

well...
i did a short audition of the full system last week, and compared the cdp to a number of sources.
the original comment is here ,and what it basically came down to is that the cdmaster is too aggressive for my taste.
it's not a bad player by any standard, but compared to others in its price range, i felt it wasn't a very musical player, not sounding "digital" per se but more in the raw-and-scratchy domain than most, that it wasn't as good a deal as the headmaster (which i ordered and should be there by early next week)
the dealer had just gotten the system, so it wasn't broken in, which might change a few things... my understanding is that the DAC isn't what it should be...
your mileage may vary on this, but i've got a feeling it's a good, and extremely transparent player if you like a colder and more analytical side of things, but that it overall didn't sound musical enough to be truly enjoyable on a pair of 'phones for my taste.
i'll be re-auditionning it with both the etys and the senheiser when the headmaster comes in, as i'm also looking for a source, but my first impression, and your mileage may vary on this, was that it wasn't worth the price, especially compared to the small linn (which i didn't get a chance to directly compare it to) or, in a larger format, to a Naim cd5 (which is more or less within the same price range here).
i'd love to compare it with the 47 labs shigaraki transport with an art dio, as the combination would be in the same price range (the transport carries the same retail price as the sugden, although i'm not sure the necessary power supply is included in the price) or the original 47 labs DAC (which would send it spiralling into a totally different price range), as i've got this feeling they'd go pretty well together, both esthetically and philosophically... add some kind of a solid cover to the shigaraki, and you've got yourself something that should be pretty travel-proof...
hope this can help... once again, i don't really have the knowledge or did i listen to the cd master long enough to be able to express a definite and scholarly opinion on it, but the first impression wasn't really an epiphany...

 

[Masz]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor mattbr, I'm ordering the CDmaster to match with the headmaster. Would you please elaborate your comment about this CD player? May be I should cancel my order if it's not a good player.

I recall reading a review of the Sugden CDMaster in a copy of the HifiWorld UK magazine. It came highly recommended so I wouldn't worry so much about it if I were you. They said it was on par with the better cd players out there, just slightly below the best of them but those cost 4-5 times more. I think burn-in will take care of the initial hard and analytical sound. If I remember correctly Sugden is famous for their Class A circuit which gives a sweet, organic sound. Maybe not the most detailed but definitely musical. I believe the Sugden Bijou series will retain this family sound.

 

[Gergor]

Thanks for the responses! I love this forum

I have a Bel Canto DAC and I love it, so basically I was looking for a transport only (and something which'd look nice in the bedroom). I had trouble finding a CD transport at $2000 price range (this's all I can afford right now

). Since I was ordering a headmaster, I figured I'd go with the matching CDmaster as well. I was going to compare the CDmaster standalone and with external DAC and decide if I'd keep the DAC in my headphone system.

This is the first time I heard about the shigaraki transport, it totally fits my budget. However, according to the price list on sakurasystems.com, the power supply is as expensive as the transport itself, I'm going to call the dealer to see if there's a less expensive supply as an alternative.

 

[Gergor]

Is there any Linn player in the same price range as the CDmaster? I did consider Naim CD5, it's very attractive being a Stereophile class A component at this price range. However, the DIN connector and its lack of digital out kind of turn me off. The search continue...