[zeplin]

you're right, ishouldn't count any player out yet from just one negative statement. thanx though for all the help. as of right now though, the rega is looking pretty good.

 

[zeplin]

i member named btaki just informed me about something. as it turns out, the Rega Planet 2000 was first released as vrsion 1.0, then recently re-released version 1.1??? does anyone know about this? i've made the decision to go with the Rega Planet 2000, but would like to know what version i'm buying when i actually buy one on audiogon. so if anyone can disspute this claim, let me know, as i also think many other Rega fans out there would also like to know. thanx guys

I...must...have...a...Rega 2000...now!!!!!!

 

[zeplin]

alrighty, it has been some time since i've decided to upgrade and have been trying to get the Rega Planet 2000, but people don't seem to reply on audiogon to my emails, and i surely wont' win the auction on EBAY, considering i'll be at school when the auction(anyone want to help me win by bidding on it?) actually ends

i emailed someone on audiogon about their Sony 555es player and being able to offer 600$ for it, which i know is a good price, and they said yes. and seeing as either the Sony ES line or the Rega 2000 are my choices, i'm getting confused in the face of making a very serious decisoin seeing as how this is the most money i've spent on a cd player? i love the sony sound, but something tells me that i'll like the Rega sound even better because of its warm analog-like sound...and if it happens to be too dark sounding, i can always use my two tone controls on my arcam pre amp to EQ it just a wee bit. i think i'm going to wait until i find the Rega 2000, but the Sony 555es is such a great deal, and i know how good a player it is. SACD is not a concern, so i'm not worrying about that at all. also, on some other auction sites, i've found various, or many, Sony DVP S9000es models up for sale. i guess they were made in 2001? i also would like to stick to a player model that wasn't manufactured more than two years ago...and one that was heavily used for that matter. does anyone have any input on the DVP S9000es models? the wierd thing is, there are a lot up for sale for around 600$. they are a very nice looking ES high quality players, and i know they will compare to the Rega, but, i'm just confused???
i just would like to know what many of you would do in this situation?? i take all your opinions in such high regrard and totally respect the knowledge that exists on this website...and that is why i'm coming to you gus. that is all i'm looking for...input, opinions, and suggestions

i think the best bet would be to go for the Rega, and just sell it if it doesn't turn out to be what i wanted it to be. i think i'll like it though considering that the Rega's specific sound characteristics are my favorite types, and i just love a warm, yet slightly detailed sound. and i also believe the Rega will do so well in my case because i have my solid states to help brighten it up just perfectly and balance it out to that perfect type of sound that i've been searching for

what do ya'll think?
thanx to anyone for your help...it is greatly appreciated. i really have no idea of what to expect. like the first time i dove into headphones, head first, i am doing the same now with a cd player upgrade

 

[hedonist]

Well, I can't help you out much with your dilemma, but I can offer this:

My Music Hall CD-25 is coming tomorrow. I already have the op627bps, and my brown dog adapters should be arriving soon. I'll be using it with HD600s w/ equinox, a Meta42, and magwire ICs, which is a bit darker than your setup. I can offer you a review of the Music Hall before and after the upgrade, and if you are still interested in the Music Hall, I can tell you all you need to know about the modification process.

FYI - The Music Hall, which is in excellent condition, light use, yadda yadda yadda, cost me $370 shipped. The mod cost me $8 shipped.

 

[radrd]

CD25+W1000? Perhaps not a good choice. I blamed my amp, headphones, and interconnects for the weak bass that I was hearing for a long time. When I upgraded from the CD25 to my Cyrus CD7Q, the bass improved significantly (as well as everything else

).

I would characterize the Music Hall as bright and smooth, but not punchy and warm. With most headphones, the bass is probably fine. However, I have found that the W1000 needs a source with great bass or you constantly have that feeling that something is missing.

If you want punch, looking for a used Arcam CD72T would be a good choice. If you want warmth, I've read good things about the Rega. The Arcam is a bit on the harsh side IMO, but definitely more punchy than the Music Hall.

If you plan on having the Music Hall modded eventually, then I say go for it, as it provides adequate bass in the short run and the upgrade is supposed to make it significantly better in that department. But, for a longer term investment, I would look at something else. Though, for classical, the Music Hall is a fine match with the W1000...

 

[strohmie]

I keep seeing the word "warmth" thrown around here. When I think of warmth, I think of tubes. You may want to consider tube-modified players like the Heart or Njoe Tjoeb players. The Heart player is a tube modified Marantz CD6000OSE (it's $1k new, $600 used), while the Njoe Tjoeb is a modified Marantz CD4000 (it's about $700 new and $500 used). See if you can get some opinions/reviews of these. If the Rega 2000 is within the budget, these should be too.

Of course, if you're wary of working with tubes, I wouldn't suggest this. ^_^

I personally just bought a Music Hall after hearing someone mention that the player was not bright with CD3000 headphones, which are my main pair right now. I'd imagine that if they player isn't bright with these, it's not actually that bright at all. Hope that's true for my sake.

 

[hedonist]

I woke up to find the CD25 at my door this morning. What a pleasent surprise.

From the little time I've spent with the unmodded unit, it is on the bright side. This isn't something that I mind much in my dark setup, but it looks like zeplin does. Modded impressions are coming as soon as the brown dogs come.

 

[darkclouds]

Just some input on the stock 555ES for ya. When compared to my modded DI/O with custom power supply, the 555ES sounds cold and sterile. The DI/O is much fuller and richer sounding with noticeably more bass. I much prefer the DI/O sound. So if your system is bright, the 555ES may not be a good match.

 

[zeplin]

well, i've been reading various reviews (about both the Sony and Rega) written by many well regarded (Hi-Fi choice) hi-fi mags on the internet and have come to a decision. i'm going to buy the Rega Planet simply because its ability to produce sound that is similar to vinyl! i love the vinyl type of sound, and yes, i know i would love to get a vinyl system, but i can't start over like that right now...i'm having enough trouble with money buying for my current setup. out of the many reviews i've read, it seemed to me that all of them said something similar regarding the Sony 9000es. they all said that it was made for audiophiles who like precision and a little too much detail with the high end sounding a wee bit too digital. and not only that, they all seemed to describe the lower end as being there, but not nearly as impactful compared to other players. and with the Rega 2000, impactful is its middle name

(i know, i'm slightly a basshead...but in a more appreciative way). i just prefer that type of sound...that warm, lush, wieghty, impactful sound...it pulls me in and makes it feels as if the music i'm hearing is more real and there with me singing into my ears because, for instance, when i'm at a concert, i feel the impact and sound waves generated by the instruments...it just reminds me of the live event feeling i get! although the impact abilities is just one of my wants in a cd player, there are obviously many other factors that i look at...like a non-digital upper end. i like a smooth high frequency presentation, which the Sony may have, but according to many reviews i've read, the rega 2000 has more. so, i'm going to try the rega, and if it doesn't work out, watch out for it in the FS forum because Head-fi will be the first to see it up for sale.

does anyone else with the same tastes in sound types have anything to say, or is able to offer any input about my decision? i have had many people PM me and post about how they don't like the Rega because it was too dark for them. i thank those people for giving me the heads up, and i will take that in to consideration when toning my sound...if need be...with my two tone controls on my Arcam. OTOH, as of today, the dark sound is the sound i'm mostly attracted to...and again, i'm glad i have at least two tone controls in case something needs to be changed slightly.

thanx again everyone for your help and input, it really makes life easier to talk about these important audio decisions that we make

everyones concerns and relections are greatly appreciated

 

[zeplin]

i still haven't bought the Rega 2000 yet because of its limited appearances on audiogon and other sites.
i actually was reading about the Jolida JD-100, and the whole idea about having a vacuum tubed cd player seems quite intriguing to me. i know i'd surely like the sound...the question is, would i like it better than the Rega 2000? based on my likes and disslike in a cdplayer, what do you guys think about me and the Jolida JD-100? thanx again everyone for the help

 

[mojoman]

Last summer I was upgrading my cd player and narrowed it down to the Planet 2000 and the Jolida JD-100. I picked the Jolida and have been very happy with it. It's a great player for the price. I guess I would call it's presentation warm but the thing I like most about it is that it makes all my cds sound good, even the poorly recorded ones. Now I'm trying to decide if I should spend the 500 bucks on the mod upgrade. I've been told that it takes the player to a whole new level. I'm very tempted. I don't think you can go wrong with either the Rega or the Jolida. I you decide on the Jolida, check the adds on Audiogon for Underwoodwally (Walter Liederman). He gave me a good price on the Jolida and is a good guy.

One thing I've enjoyed with the Jolida is that it has 2 sets of outputs so I can drive a headphone amp with one and the other is hooked into my home speaker system. Also the headphone amp on the unit is MOS-FET based and sounds pretty good on it's own. The tube output is in the loop on the headphone jack too.

 

[zeplin]

thanx mojoman,
your input is greatly appreciated! i'm really beginning to consider the Jolida because i know i would be as happy with it as i would with the Rega, and if i cannot find the Rega, i just might go with it...i'm not going to wait around forever in order to buy a Rega. so tell me, how is the bass presentation on the Jolida JD-100? would you describe it as strong, warm, detatched, distant, lacking, etc.? thanx again

 

[mojoman]

I would describe the bass presentation as warm. It's certainly not detached, distant or lacking. It's not overpowering or out of proportion, just presents pretty much what is recorded on the cd.

 

[zeplin]

YAY!!! i finally found a Rega Planet 2000!! have any of you ever heard of a site called audioweb.com. it's like audiogon.com, only smaller. and because it's smaller in scale and popularity, i was able to snatch up a Rega player that had been listed for quite some time.

anyways, i'll write a little first impression review after i listen to it for a day or two! boy oh boy, i can't wait. upgrading this source means that i've now upgraded from everything i use to own. now, if i have the need to get anything else, it'll be because of my addiction and will just be an additoin to what i already have, which will truely mean, i have a problem. yeah right, i've always known i have a problem

next up....the clean-up hitter, the sultan of swat, the king of Sony headphones (that are affordable), the Sony CD3000!!

 

[Canman]

Congrats on the planet Zep, even after trading the planet 2000 in for a few more expensive CD players, I still think it is a great value and a great performer. I've recently been missing its bass presentation compared to the Arcam!