[Czilla9000]

Good redbook suggestions....but I want to play SACDs.



Vertigo....from what I hear is that the NS500V is fantasic sounding...so that is not a dis to call the 333ES that.


How 'bout the 9000ES....how does that sound? You can find them now for cheap.

 

[DanG]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl I don't know that Oade ever sold it that cheap-- it was GoodGuys where I got mine for that price when the 555 came out, and there were only a few left in CA at that time. Remember, it's been out for a while. Look at audioreview (65 reviews) to see what people paid for this unit, it varies between $300 and $1200, averaging around $800 over the time it was avail. Jude and MacDEF didn't get there's for $400, I remeber that. Anyway the 222ES, may have the multi-channel DAC, but do a search on audioasylum, and you'll see that you really sacrifice 2-channel performance when you have 5 channels worth of parts/outputs vs. the 333ES's two. Build quality and power supplies is not nearly as good on the 222ES. According to reviews I've seen on audioasylum, the 333ES beats out the $1600 multic-channel 555ES on 2-channel material. Also, don't know if any one mods the 222ES. Mark

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Oade was selling for $400 for most of the time that they were carrying the unit. My point was simply that it seems unusual for a modification to carry its value. Probably says something about its value, but it seems likely to me that somebody would be willing to sell for lower than the combined cost of unit and modification.

Thanks for elaborating on the 222 and 555 -- I didn't really keep up on the online impressions posted of the units.

While the modders don't seem to be modding anything under the 9000ES (last I checked), maybe it is a good thing to get the NS500V and have that modified, since it's an inexpensive player to begin with and so total cost would be under $600.

 

[SumB]

Quote:

Anyway the 222ES, may have the multi-channel DAC, but do a search on audioasylum, and you'll see that you really sacrifice 2-channel performance when you have 5 channels worth of parts/outputs vs. the 333ES's two. Build quality and power supplies is not nearly as good on the 222ES. According to reviews I've seen on audioasylum, the 333ES beats out the $1600 multic-channel 555ES on 2-channel material. Also, don't know if any one mods the 222ES.

Not entirely true. The 222ES has good parts where it counts (ie the two channel circuit), and sounds much improved over the 333ES with its newer generation Burr Brown DAC's and less steely sounding resistors. The power supplies are identical across the board.

222ES mods courtesy of Mathew Anker.

 

[acidtripwow]

Quote:

The last time I heard a SCD-333ES, I wasn't very impressed with the sound. If you do get one, make it a must to mod it...whatever the mods do for it. Otherwise it sounded thin, bright, analytical, and laid back in the midrange to me. It sounded pretty similar to the NS-500V, except with better bass.

What you talking about Willis? This does not sound like my 333. Mine sounds a little warm now and not bright at all. No mods. Oh, and if you like details then get a good DAC and a VD Nite Digital Cable and you can hear a pin drop in the back row.

 

[Czilla9000]

Where can I find the 222ES?

 

[grinch]

i have a rega planet 2000 and i really like it. i haven't auditioned many sources. i've heard a few (headroom tour and head-fi meet) but i can't spend like five minutes with a different source on a different amp and know the differences.

i have a/b'd my rega and ns500v against each other though and i find the ns500v to have that brittle, cold and thin sound that vertigo-1 described. whenever i switch back to the rega, the sound feels so much more dynamic and full. "musical" is another good way of describing it.

this is, of course, only as far as redbook playback is concerned. sacd seems to really be the ns500v's strong point (dvd playback is very decent quality too). of course, i have no heard any other sacd players yet, but i can only imagine the improvements go up from here.

all in all, i am very happy with my $150 ns500v purchase. i had never heard an sacd before and now i have and boy is it enjoyable.

 

[Czilla9000]

Hmmm..,.so you like you Planet 2000....


Just curious...who sells the Planet 2000....????

 

[grinch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Czilla9000 Hmmm..,.so you like you Planet 2000.... Just curious...who sells the Planet 2000....????

i got my rega planet 2000 from audiolab.com. great service and the cheapest price i could find it from. i would call to order though (or at least call to confirm it).

again, i did not audition the player, so i felt no need to pay any local dealer $200 extra than what i could find cheap on the net. but that's a different subject.

 

[pearle]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vertigo-1 My suggestion goes to the Arcam CD72T for the under $1k price range for redbook playback...I believe it's equipped with the Ring DAC as well.

I think the CD92 has the Ring DAC and the CD72 has a 24 bit Burr Brown DAC. Unless the T models are much different...

 

[zowie]

I auditioned a Planet when it first came out and was looking to replace my Optimus 3400>Audio Alchemy DITB>X10-D front end.

Based on the early reviews, I had pretty much already decided to buy it, and went in to the store with Visa in hand.

Then I heard it and totally changed my mind. I don't recall the sound that well now, but I recall my impression: unnatural and somewhat closed in. I thought a similar price-range CAL at that store was better, a Meridian and a Adcom I heard elsewhere much better, and then decided on a Sony ES for less money while I wait to see what developed with the SASC/DVD thing.

I have an RB300 arm that is superb.

 

[Czilla9000]

Quote:

Originally posted by zowie I auditioned a Planet when it first came out and was looking to replace my Optimus 3400>Audio Alchemy DITB>X10-D front end. Based on the early reviews, I had pretty much already decided to buy it, and went in to the store with Visa in hand. Then I heard it and totally changed my mind. I don't recall the sound that well now, but I recall my impression: unnatural and somewhat closed in. I thought a similar price-range CAL at that store was better, a Meridian and a Adcom I heard elsewhere much better, and then decided on a Sony ES for less money while I wait to see what developed with the SASC/DVD thing. I have an RB300 arm that is superb.

I heard the Planet 2000 is a completely different beast than the Planet...I saw one reviewer who passionantly hated the Planet but, then at the same time, passionantly LOVED the Planet 2000 .


EDIT: Here is the review:

http://www.audiophilia.com/hardware/planet2000.htm