World's Best CD Player?

es347 · « **Reply #100 on:** 1 Oct 2011, 04:33 pm »

My bad...I thought it was like the DB-100 but Cor knows much more about such details

Steve · « **Reply #101 on:** 3 Oct 2011, 12:47 am »

Quote

What puzzles me is that today's consumers don't seem to appreciate the intellectual property value that goes into a component. The innovative thinking and implementation. What ever happened that suddenly it is reprehensible to make money based on one's design skills? It's okay for carpenters, plumbers, artists, doctors, lawyers but somehow when it comes to audio, it's darn evil.

+1

Cheers.

fplanner2000 · « **Reply #102 on:** 12 Oct 2011, 08:31 pm »

World's Best of ANYTHING is at best a guessing game and very subjective. Having said that, I have not heard a better front end, whether single or multi-box, at all the shows I've been to, than my current APL NWO-M by Alex Peychev. Based on the best transport Esoteric makes, it is just amazing to me. I didn't get this player until January, so it wasn't available for listening during RMAF last year. It was the natural progression from the Esoteric transport and APL Super-DAC I had last year.

Best? Who knows? I don't really care - I'm smiling!!

doug s. · « **Reply #103 on:** 15 Oct 2011, 06:52 am »

Quote from: mikeg1 on 15 Oct 2010, 03:27 pm

I'm using the new Nova Physics Memory Player which can upsample 24 bit 96K hdtrack downloads to 32 bit wave files and align the bits and bites using the on board MP IDEAS program. I bet the Nova Physics MP would smoke the Tentation.

System: VSA Uni3, VSA Sig cables, Ayon Audio Triton, and Nova Physics MP.

i have never heard any of these mondo spendy units. but from what i have read about nova physics, i'd guess the memory player 64 is the only spendy rig out there worth its price. i wish you folks w/fat wallets would check it out.

it's in rooms 1121, 1122 & 1125 at the rmaf now ongoing. http://www.thememoryplayer.net/

doug s.

JackD201 · « **Reply #104 on:** 15 Oct 2011, 10:51 am »

Alas........my wallet is no longer fat!

doug s. · « **Reply #105 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 04:40 am »

all i know is my humble modded art di/o has gone head to head with warious digital set-ups from $1500 up to $8k, and has always held its own, even w/cheap transports - as long as you use a separate isolation transformer for both dac & transport. i simply never have had any desire to upgrade. even hearing really expensive digital, to me always seemed such a waste, considering the absolutely minuscule sonic improvements. and then, you put on a record, and you're blown away by how much more musical it all sounds!

but, i wanna buy this memory player 64, and i have never even heard it.

doug s.

jab · « **Reply #106 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 05:48 am »

i've had the memory player since its introduction several yrs ago and have run thru all of the updates except the latest (the interface is way more user friendly) which I'll upgrade in a couple of wks... I did have a chance to visit with Sam Laufer today and get to all three rooms featuring the MP and was quite satisified.. The German Physics room featured the new Unlimited MK II speaker which was wonderful.. It featured the same designed DDD driver used in there top of the line $300k GP. smooth and clean,, 3d omni-directional imaging w/small footprint. The only negative,, the 8" downfiring woofer might be considered lightweight. Playback thru the MP of Tin Pan Alley by Stevie Ray Vaughn, lacked some bottom end weight,, effortlessly accomplished with my VR5's.

JackD201 · « **Reply #107 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 08:22 am »

Like Jack B., Dimfer has also got the MP and uses VR-5 Annies. Now where's he gone too? He does say it's the cats meow.

Dimfer · « **Reply #108 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 10:41 am »

yes, I have the Nova Physics Memory Player with D2D, V capped and some voodoo treatments too

(per my request)...

updated with the latest 64 bit upsampler software, and the full time IDEAS and so on...

I really like it and I'm glad that I chased this software based playback system because of the advancement upgrades that can be easily installed.

I won't call it the best of the best because I have not heard them all, but it has reached a performance level that I could live with, very happily. I think the recent updates improved the performance level a lot.

I am being extra careful in praising this product because I have had some really bad experience talking about them, and would rather hear some people talk about the product.

Freo-1 · « **Reply #109 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 12:37 pm »

Quote from: doug s. on 16 Oct 2011, 04:40 am

all i know is my humble modded art di/o has gone head to head with warious digital set-ups from $1500 up to $8k, and has always held its own, even w/cheap transports - as long as you use a separate isolation transformer for both dac & transport. i simply never have had any desire to upgrade. even hearing really expensive digital, to me always seemed such a waste, considering the absolutely minuscule sonic improvements. and then, you put on a record, and you're blown away by how much more musical it all sounds!

but, i wanna buy this memory player 64, and i have never even heard it.

doug s.

With products such as the Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC, with the 32 bit ESS Sabre DAC as the engine, the sound from digital can exceed vinyl. One can get WAY better signal to noise, dynamics, accurate reproduction (as opposed to euphonic variance), no scraping of a diamond stylus on a record, record wear, wow, flutter, etc.

A properly set up digital front end now has the ability to remove jitter from the chain, which is the number one shortfall from digital. Yesterday's mondo expensive digital playback system gets bettered by today's updated products, such as the EE Mini Max DAC.

As always, YMMV

doug s. · « **Reply #110 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 04:55 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 16 Oct 2011, 12:37 pm

With products such as the Eastern Electric Mini Max DAC, with the 32 bit ESS Sabre DAC as the engine, the sound from digital can exceed vinyl. One can get WAY better signal to noise, dynamics, accurate reproduction (as opposed to euphonic variance), no scraping of a diamond stylus on a record, record wear, wow, flutter, etc.

A properly set up digital front end now has the ability to remove jitter from the chain, which is the number one shortfall from digital. Yesterday's mondo expensive digital playback system gets bettered by today's updated products, such as the EE Mini Max DAC.

As always, YMMV

i haven't heard the ee dac, but i have heard a coupla folks who have said their ancient modded di/o's are better; they sold their ee's. which is why i have not ever really been much interested in chasing digital upgrades. even if there's folks who prefer the ee, the point is we're talking miniscule differences, and it's not clear that one may be better - only different. re: it sounding better than winyl, i guess we will simply have to agree to disagree.

doug s.

Freo-1 · « **Reply #111 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 05:37 pm »

Quote from: doug s. on 16 Oct 2011, 04:55 pm

i haven't heard the ee dac, but i have heard a coupla folks who have said their ancient modded di/o's are better; they sold their ee's. which is why i have not ever really been much interested in chasing digital upgrades. even if there's folks who prefer the ee, the point is we're talking miniscule differences, and it's not clear that one may be better - only different. re: it sounding better than winyl, i guess we will simply have to agree to disagree.

doug s.

First, I'm talking about the current EE DAC, not the older one. Check out the review, and it's easy to see they sound quite different.

Second, we are talking significant deltas, not minor ones. Hi Res recordings through a high quality DAC can MUCH better approach a live event than any vinyl playback. Try as one might, the physics involved gets in the way when it comes back to vinyl playback. It has FAR too many limitations for me to enjoy the medium.

So yes, we can agree to disagree. We can still enjoy our music with whatever medium and playback we choose.

TerryO · « **Reply #112 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 07:27 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 16 Oct 2011, 05:37 pm

First, I'm talking about the current EE DAC, not the older one. Check out the review, and it's easy to see they sound quite different.

Second, we are talking significant deltas, not minor ones. Hi Res recordings through a high quality DAC can MUCH better approach a live event than any vinyl playback. Try as one might, the physics involved gets in the way when it comes back to vinyl playback. It has FAR too many limitations for me to enjoy the medium.

So yes, we can agree to disagree. We can still enjoy our music with whatever medium and playback we choose.

I'm afraid your conclusions don't match ours. Our Audio Club has done many comparisions using SOTA gear and good Vinyl is still ahead of Hi-Rez digital, although it's getting close. Last month, we listened to Doc Bottlehead's new 1/2 inch tapes, his 1/4 inch tapes, vinyl and hi-Rez files from HD Tracks. After the intermission, only the tapes and vinyl were requested.

Since you have heard the EE DAC, how does it stack up against a Berkeley Alpha DAC (or a Pacific Microsonics Model 1 or 2)?
I was also very impressed by a modified Weiss Dac we listened to a few months ago and thought it was quite nice.
I'm sure that the EE Dac is pretty good, I've heard the Twisted Pear Buffalo DAC which uses the same chip, if I'm not mistaken, and those certainly sound pretty good as well.

Best Regards,
TerryO

DEV · « **Reply #113 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 08:56 pm »

Quote from: JackD201 on 16 Oct 2011, 08:22 am

Like Jack B., Dimfer has also got the MP and uses VR-5 Annies. Now where's he gone too? He does say it's the cats meow.

You have put together a gorgeous looking room, is the other room with the VR-11 Fronts VR-9s Rear your brothers set-up?

I have a VAC Signature MK2a pre w phono paired up with the Statement 450 mono blocks, TW Acustic Black Knight table placed upon a custom made Minus K Platform with a Reed 12" arm and M.S.L. E. Ultra BC cart and a TW 10.5 arm and A90 cart driving a pair of MBL 101E speakers and love it.

So reading your comments in relation to the player has peaked my interest enough to contact Albert.

jab · « **Reply #114 on:** 16 Oct 2011, 09:01 pm »

Terry O,, have you heard The Memory Player (not at a show)?? If so,, when and who was the owner? Just curious..

Freo-1 · « **Reply #115 on:** 17 Oct 2011, 12:28 am »

Quote from: TerryO on 16 Oct 2011, 07:27 pm

I'm afraid your conclusions don't match ours. Our Audio Club has done many comparisions using SOTA gear and good Vinyl is still ahead of Hi-Rez digital, although it's getting close. Last month, we listened to Doc Bottlehead's new 1/2 inch tapes, his 1/4 inch tapes, vinyl and hi-Rez files from HD Tracks. After the intermission, only the tapes and vinyl were requested.

Since you have heard the EE DAC, how does it stack up against a Berekely Alpha DAC (or a Pacific Microsonics Model 1 or 2)?
I was also very impressed by a modified Weiss Dac we listened to a few months ago and thought it was quite nice.
I'm sure that the EE Dac is pretty good, I've heard the Twisted Pear Buffalo DAC which uses the same chip, if I'm not mistaken, and those certainly sound pretty good as well.

Best Regards,
TerryO

We shall agree to disagree. I do not see how anyone could possibly prefer vinyl over good digital with most classical music. The problems with vinyl are just too numerous for me to go into with sufficient detail, but let's start with background noise, compression, SNR, and the truly high dollars one needs to spend just to "get even close". It make no sense to me.

For rock, some jazz, etc, where compression and dynamic range are not as much of an issue, could understand why some folks like the euphoric effects from vinyl.

Besides, vinyl cannot even support surround. Some of the most accurate reproduction I've heard is from surround classical recordings. It's truly remarkable just how far this medium has come.

Having said all that, we are all free to enjoy our music with whatever medium and systems we choose. Perhaps people find different portions of music playback too much of an annoyance to enjoy it. That is how I feel about vinyl playing back high quality classical performances.

Horses For Courses.

BPoletti · « **Reply #116 on:** 17 Oct 2011, 12:34 am »

It's a very hard CD player to find, even harder to acquire, but Herron Audio has produced what is arguably the best CD player available without any regard to cost. I have not heard any CD player equal it, only a few Transport / DAC combinations best it. It is my opinion that it's the best. Probably less than 10 have been produced. I feel very lucky to own one.

TerryO · « **Reply #117 on:** 17 Oct 2011, 01:47 am »

Quote from: jab on 16 Oct 2011, 09:01 pm

Terry O,, have you heard The Memory Player (not at a show)?? If so,, when and who was the owner? Just curious..

No I haven't, although it sounds like a music server going by the name.

A number of our members built their own servers this last year as a Club Project and several others have their own variations. I can honestly say that the commercial offerings that I've heard haven't been nearly as good. I believe that when (not if) digital is finally able to take the lead from vinyl, that it will be through some form of server.

Just so I don't stray too far from the OT, I think that the new Oppo 95 is the best player I've heard recently. It's quite nice sounding and really delivers the goods.

(Late note: I havent heard the Herron player that Mr. Poletti has mentioned above. However, if he thinks it's outstanding, then it probably is.)

Best Regards,
TerryO

gkinberg · « **Reply #118 on:** 17 Nov 2011, 01:13 am »

Quote from: Albert Von Schweikert on 19 Aug 2010, 05:55 pm

Hello Fellow Audiophiles... One "tweak" I wish to share with you that works with any CD player and CD burner is UltraBit Platinum, an optical coating CD treatment that a friend of mine, George Louis, invented... Happy Listening,
Albert

Albert,

I have several CD’s that are scratched and are proving difficult to burn into my digital library. Do you feel that UltraBit Platinum will “fill in” the scratches in my CD’s and allow me to burn them to my hard drive?

Thanks for your help, Garth

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #119 on:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:19 am »

Haven't the faintest but one I'm fairly certain I could appreciate is the Esoteric X-05. Cheers.