[Dracule1]

Anyone had a chance to compare the two players?  Which do you like better?  Which has a better transport to use with a DAC?

[8thnerve]

I used to sell the MMF-25 and I currently sell the 640C so there is my disclaimer.  I think the old Cambridge 300 kicks the snot out of the MMF-25, the old Cambridge 500SE kick the snot out of the 300, the new 540C tops the 500SE, and the new 640C tops them all by quite a bit.  In fact, the 640C is up with the Arcam CD-73t in terms of performance, which is not surprising since they use the same Wolfson DAC (the same DAC used in the CD-33t that Stereophile just said it doesn't get much better than, at any price - granted, the CD-33 uses four of them instead of one, but hey).

Also, the Cambridge uses an incredible Sony transport mechanism.

[truant]

I don't think my first reply got posted so I'll try again. If it did sorry for the redundancy...
I've owned a stock and a modified CD-25 and ultimately found both uninvolving. Perhaps it just didn't have  synergy with my other components who knows. Build quality is great and as a transport I would think it should perform very well.
I've listened to the AZUR 640C alone and in direct comparison to several other players. I like it alot. While not based on a head to head test I liked the bass of the AZUR over the CD-25. And I thought that it might be a bit slower than the CD-25 in terms of pacing. That's not necessarily a criticism just something that struck me. That said I'd buy the AZUR if I was looking for a player in that price range that I thought would make a good transport as well. It's build quality impressed me and that it has a removable powercord is always a plus.

[fly_fish_nz]

6moons.com reviewed the MMF CD25 in stock form

http://6moons.com/audioreviews/musichall/cd25.html

and with level 1 and 2 mods from partsconnexion:

http://6moons.com/audioreviews/musichall/cd25.2.html

and the reviewer felt the level 2 modded player bettered his former reference in the price category, the Cairns Fog V2.0.

I can't comment on the stock CD25, but I do own the Level 2 modded player by Partsconnexion and my impressions agree very much so with the positive conclusions of the reviewer.

[WEEZ]

Sorry to hi-jack this thread; but I'm going to...

To 8thnerve:

What are the advantages (or disadvantages) of the Azur 640C compared to the CD73T? As you point out, both use the same Wolfson DAC and both boast a Sony transport, and both come in silver or black, and both are designed in the UK but made in the far east, etc.

I guess my question is: what does the Arcam give the user for the additional cost vs. the Cambridge? Are the sonics much different?

I'm curious to know. Jitter spec difference? Also, is the only difference between the 540C and the 640C the DAC?

(lots of questions, I know)- sorry Dracule1 for butting in..

Thanks in advance for any and all responses,

WEEZ!