Toshiba HD-A1/HD-XA1 as high end CD player for $100-130
Feb 2, 2008 at 6:12 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 34
wae5

wae5

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Since yesterday I've been using my Toshiba HDXA1 as a CD player and it's one of the best I've ever heard. The NET consensus seems to be that when the Toshiba HD-A1/HD-XA1 is used as CD player it's as good as CD players costing between $2.5K (HDA1) to $6K (HDXA1).

If you look at any of several "inside the HDA1/HDXA1" you'll know why. Here's one:

Up close and personal with Toshiba's new HD DVD player (the HD-A1)

Here's a good place to start finding out why it sounds so good:

Why the Toshiba HD DVD rocks-literally - High Def Forum - Your High Definition Community & High Definition Resource

You may never find another hi end CD player for $100 -130 (HD-A1 refurb).

As soon as I hooked it up I immediately retired my Sony CD players. Why? Once slightly fuzzy percussive impacts became sharper and distinct. Pianissimo orchestral sounds never heard before arose from the black void. It's also a very good upconverting DVD player. However, there’s one worm in the apple: The Tosh’s error correction doesn't seem to exist. This may be correctable in the menus but since I don’t have it connected to a TV, I’m not sure about this but I’ll check it out and get back when I find out.

.
 
Feb 2, 2008 at 8:03 PM Post #2 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by wae5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
However, there’s one worm in the apple: The Tosh’s error correction doesn't seem to exist.


All CD players have several layers of error correction, they need them, if the Toshiba did not have error correction it would be immediately apparent. From what I understand you will typically have about 30 C1 errors per second but these are corrected so you never notice them, the correction mechanisms can cope perfectly with minor errors and almost perfectly with a small number of serious errors.

Once a disc is really gouged you have real issues but it takes a lot to render a CD useless.
 
Feb 2, 2008 at 9:27 PM Post #3 of 34
Where are you getting the $100-130 price from?
I can't see any that cheap.
 
Feb 2, 2008 at 11:48 PM Post #6 of 34
Yes, that is it. Thanks Sejarzo, I am a bit lazy about posting links
redface.gif


I just ordered one to use as a dedicated source with a Stax SR-404 and SRM-T1. I figure if it doesn't work out I could always use it as an upgrade to my DVD player. At $152 shipped it is difficult to go wrong.
 
Feb 3, 2008 at 12:40 AM Post #7 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by hciman77 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
All CD players have several layers of error correction, they need them, if the Toshiba did not have error correction it would be immediately apparent. From what I understand you will typically have about 30 C1 errors per second but these are corrected so you never notice them, the correction mechanisms can cope perfectly with minor errors and almost perfectly with a small number of serious errors.

Once a disc is really gouged you have real issues but it takes a lot to render a CD useless.


As an example the first disc of the three disc set of Cosi fan Tutte on Harmonia Mundi is stuttering and popping like it never did before on my Sony players and this disc is prestine and very well cared for like all of my dics are.
 
Feb 3, 2008 at 12:43 AM Post #8 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by wae5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Since yesterday I've been using my Toshiba HDXA1 as a CD player and it's one of the best I've ever heard. The NET consensus seems to be that when the Toshiba HD-A1/HD-XA1 is used as CD player it's as good as CD players costing between $2.5K (HDA1) to $6K (HDXA1).

If you look at any of several "inside the HDA1/HDXA1" you'll know why. Here's one:

Up close and personal with Toshiba's new HD DVD player (the HD-A1)

Here's a good place to start finding out why it sounds so good:

Why the Toshiba HD DVD rocks-literally - High Def Forum - Your High Definition Community & High Definition Resource

You may never find another hi end CD player for $100 -130 (HD-A1 refurb).

As soon as I hooked it up I immediately retired my Sony CD players. Why? Once slightly fuzzy percussive impacts became sharper and distinct. Pianissimo orchestral sounds never heard before arose from the black void. It's also a very good upconverting DVD player. However, there’s one worm in the apple: The Tosh’s error correction doesn't seem to exist. This may be correctable in the menus but since I don’t have it connected to a TV, I’m not sure about this but I’ll check it out and get back when I find out.

.


My A20 out performs my Sony 595, which upsets me.. I bought the Sony 595 'knowing' it would sound better..
 
Feb 3, 2008 at 12:59 AM Post #9 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by Vaughn /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was just looking at refurbdepot and they have some for 129.95


I and a friend bought the last 2 on eBay for $135 with shipping. I liked th eBay deal because it explicitly stated it was a Toshiba factory refurb and I had some spare change in my PP account which just covered it so I snapped it up. I'm listening to the Bernstein Sibelius box set on DG and the performances and sonics are ravishing. I apologize for being such a fanboy but I really think the Tosh represents a rare opportunity for those like me who could only dream of purchasing a super high end CD player to pick one up for $100-130. Plus it's a very good upsampling DVD player and HD player thrown in for free! But who cares about that, right?
 
Feb 3, 2008 at 1:03 AM Post #10 of 34
Feb 3, 2008 at 1:03 AM Post #11 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by wae5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
As an example the first disc of the three disc set of Cosi fan Tutte on Harmonia Mundi is stuttering and popping like it never did before on my Sony players and this disc is prestine and very well cared for like all of my dics are.


Hmmm.......does it read DVD's just fine?

To me, it sounds more like a transport issue, not an error correction issue--the error correction is being overwhelmed by tremendously bad raw data. C1 errors happen all the time and are perfectly corrected, but C2 errors that invoke further error correction shouldn't happen as often as you seem to be experiencing.
 
Feb 3, 2008 at 5:31 PM Post #14 of 34
The HD-XA1 is my first CD player that could even be considered hi-end so my knowledge of these things is almost zilch, but when I read why these Toshiba HD players are compared to hi-end CD players two things are mentioned that they have in common: One is the isolation from vibration and electrical noise (double shielded chassis in the XA1) and the the large number of high end DACS that are used in the HD-A1 and HD-XA1. But all this is really just quibbling about form rather than content and for me the content is superb. Percussion shimmers, cymbols are like cascading fireworks, big drums have staggering wallop, instruments are well separated and clearly placed in space, and most important of all, I'm hearing little things I never heard before. All this for $130!
 
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