[srb]

Steve-I only got the triple beam...damn!!! I knew I shoulda got the quad...

That's okay, 75% reduction (of a possible 100%) in noise floor and high frequency glare is better than none!
 
It will be interesting to hear more comparisons of this CD player with it's unassuming internal NOS DAC to computer playback + external DAC, especially with direct A/B switching between the two sources on the same songs.
 
Steve
 

[eclein]

That's okay, 75% reduction (of a possible 100%) in noise floor and high frequency glare is better than none!
 
It will be interesting to hear more comparisons of this CD player with it's unassuming internal NOS DAC to computer playback + external DAC, especially with direct A/B switching between the two sources on the same songs.
 
Steve

You got it, I'll make a point of it.

[S Clark]

With the cd tray open, it took only 8 seconds to close and begin play.  That is way ahead of my Cambridge 640.  At least for me, slowness is not only a non issue, the speed is a plus.

[OzarkTom]

I read about it in a couple of places... the following quote is from TNT...

I gave the M1 a few days to burn in, leaving it running on repeat to clock up around 80 hours before I actually listened to it seriously. The M1 does take a while between closing the CD drawer and being ready to play. At first I thought that there may be something wrong with the CD that I put in but it was the same with all of them. It took in the region of 5-15 seconds (depending on the CD) before the display came up and the music could be started. Given that you don't put CD's in for every track, this wasn't too much of a problem, although it did remind me why I love my Logitech Squeezebox so much!

My M1 never takes that long to play. My previous CD player did though.

[tabrink]

OK.. My observations only so only take them with a grain of salt!
I am back to listening to my music via the Piano.  It is the best sound I have in this house.
I really wanted to Squeezebox Touch, Imac, etc.  to work as a main. And I have some pretty serious players to push theses files through.
The Maverick Tube Magic is as good of a buy as the Piano if the truth were known. But I listen to my FLAC through a Eastern Electric DAC  or Tube Magic or through the Piano straight to my pre.
My preference is the Piano direct with no external DAC to my pre..
One quick note is that if you are looking at an office or secondary system the Maverick Tube DAC is almost without compare.
BTW the Sensation really sounds sweet with the Omega SuperHemps!
I was tempted to go Maggie 1.7 but he Virtue stuff really works with Louis's Omega stuff!

[Mariusz]

Yupp, Maverick is great and awesome  value considering all the features build into the unit. 
But it is only a DAC and you'll still need some sort of transport.  I would not recommend its USB feature.  It might be OK for desktop system but that is probably as far as I would go with its usefulness. 
Coax and optical should be adequate for budget minded audiophiles and smaller or 2nd rig systems. 

Piano M1 as a digital player might be a better solution and prove to be a better performer in symple & complete package.
I often forget about its asking price. 

[Wind Chaser]

The Maverick Tube Magic is as good of a buy as the Piano if the truth were known. But I listen to my FLAC through a Eastern Electric DAC  or Tube Magic or through the Piano straight to my pre.
My preference is the Piano direct with no external DAC to my pre..
One quick note is that if you are looking at an office or secondary system the Maverick Tube DAC is almost without compare.

Interesting, so if I am reading this right, you prefer the Maverick to the EE.  Guess the next question is are they both fully broken in?

[Nuuk]

don't know where he got 5 to 15 seconds to play a disc. as i said only on the initial startup does it take a while before the info is displayed, after that about 3 seconds. ask any m1 owner or get in on the tour and time it yourself.  i don't count the time while the tray is closing unless it just sits there and looks at me before it starts to move.  i haven't read anywhere that a piano m1 owner was complaining about the time it takes to read a disc.  read my review athttp://www.stereomojo.com/Virtue%20Audio%20PianoM1%20Cd%20Player/VirtueAudioPianoCDPlayer.htm

'He' got 5-15 seconds from a stop-watch! I must admit the longer time is as you point out, just after the Piano is powered up. I have just put a random selection of 6 CD's into the Piano, and 5 of them did bring up the TOC in around 5 seconds (again, timed with a stop-watch from when the draw is closed). One took 8 seconds.

The only other thing that I can add to my initial review of the Piano is that the sound just keeps getting better!

I also use a Squeezebox (SB3) and would rate the Piano just ahead of that as a source through my DAC (modified Scott Nixon DacKit). However, it's not far enough ahead for me to forego the convenience of the Squeezebox for everyday use. But as I am fortunate enough to run two great systems, the Piano is very much in use, particularly for reviewing other equipment.

What a pity that Seth didn't fall in love with Angelina Jolie - the recent sale could have gone on indefinitely! 

[eclein]

...and then my new Piano M1 was delivered.

[dba]

Happy Days Eclein and happy listening...the initial no-power to power initialization hence added delay is not the draw or TOC control processor IMO it is the primary initialization and is no different to any other system, noting that others have a Standby that suckle power 24/7.

I much prefer the M1 to my previous referencing unit NAIM cd5i a warm sounding unit all over the spectrum, great in the lows if undefined and soft in the highs but not as spatious as the M1...oh, and the NAIM display stopped functioning after a few weeks and NAIM have terrible after-service!

[eclein]

The whole thing about a delay is a NON-issue as far as I'm concerned, the unit itself is very solid and extremely well built. Easily the nicest piece I own and the sound is excellent. I'm listening to Jean-Luc Ponty and the dimensionality and dynamics are incredible. The subtleties and nuance in the music are more apparent and nicely presented. Spatious is a good way to put it, the DAC in this piece is wonderful...I haven't done a direct comparison yet to playback of wav files via my SB but I don't recall hearing such fullness and rich musical landscapes as I do with the Piano M1. I'll post some pics later on, they are great looking pieces!!!
 

[OzarkTom]

The whole thing about a delay is a NON-issue as far as I'm concerned, the unit itself is very solid and extremely well built. Easily the nicest piece I own and the sound is excellent. I'm listening to Jean-Luc Ponty and the dimensionality and dynamics are incredible. The subtleties and nuance in the music are more apparent and nicely presented. Spatious is a good way to put it, the DAC in this piece is wonderful...I haven't done a direct comparison yet to playback of wav files via my SB but I don't recall hearing such fullness and rich musical landscapes as I do with the Piano M1. I'll post some pics later on, they are great looking pieces!!!
 

Mine kept improving im sound up to about 350-400 hours of listening. Digital just takes longer to burn in.

[eclein]

I am really enjoying this unit. The gain is such that matching it for a comparison with my Squeezebox playing wav files is tough. The Piano M1 has a bit more gain so a direct A/B is a challenge, so I played some tracks via the SB and then the same ones via the Piano M1 and took some notes.

 The 1st setup is Piano M1 analog outputs into DAC/Preamp then into tube buffer and on to Virtue TWO.2, The 2nd is Squeezebox's optical outputs to DAC/Preamp then into tube buffer and on to Virtue TWO.2. So I'm essentially using two different DACs to play back the same media, Piano M1 with its internal DAC playing a CD and Squeezebox DUET going into Tube DAC-09 and playing back wav files.
The Piano M1 pretty much smokes the Squeezebox...I've been listening via the SB for the most part lately and have been enjoying the sound-it sounds great but the Piano M1 is better. CD playback is phenomenal, very dimensional and detailed with a bigger sound stage and superior imaging. The music is just out in the room more, it does not sound like speakers are involved except for channel specific passages. The SB/DAC-09 combo sounds just a bit flatter and more of a reproduction then the Piano M1. The Piano really adds depth to the playback with the dynamics of the musical performance just coming through better and effortlessly.
 
 I was absolutely content and enjoyed listening to music via the SB but the Piano does it better, cleaner....its difficult to explain but not difficult to hear. I like it-alot!!
 

[Mama Virtue]

Guys,
I've sent about 8 units out myself so far, and I have only encountered 1 Piano with a delay, that one did not go out. It plays fine just has a noticeable delay in reading and being ready to play the disc. It's possible the reviewer received a similar unit from our old warehouse who didn't know what quality control was (sorry Seth). Here's what I've noticed:

If you insert a scratched disc, it will take longer to read (duh  )
It seems to accept almost any burned disc just fine
I've played plenty of my scratched discs on Jason's Piano and other then the normal skipping and some delay in reading them the Piano handles them pretty well.

Anyway, I don't know what kind of cd players you all have had, but the Cambridge DVD player we have takes WAAAAY longer to load discs. 

Anyway, just my observations from the other side 

Back to work!
Cam

[lcrim]

eclein:
Any meaningful comparison of sources requires that volume levels be matched.  The louder source always wins.

[eclein]

.. a direct A/B is a challenge, so I played some tracks via the SB and then the same ones via the Piano M1 and took some notes.

Larry, thats why I took notes so I could be on the same page with both sources as best I could.

[lcrim]

Your method does not provide a direct comparison.  Sorry, but direct A/B w/ matched levels. 

I recently sold an Arcam DV-78, which while it is a DVD player,  is a very good CD player as well.  I needed to check it out before the buyer came.  Same amplifier, same speakers, same cables.  I compared it to my Squeezebox Touch w/ analog mods by Bolder and all the Soundcheck software improvements but just back from Wayne's.  I used either EAC or dBpoweramp to rip all music files to flac.  Touch was wired and flac conversion at the server.
The Arcam has a higher output but with matched volume from an older Ratshack analog sound meter, the Touch was easily the more realistic source.  Ease of use was obviously no contest.  The Arcam was a $5000 player when new. 
Perhaps the Virtue Piano @ $700 is a better sounding player than the Arcam.  The only way I can prove that is to run the same test with it.

[tabrink]

Well it is apparent I am pretty high on the Maverick DAC in my photography studio. We do get serious about tunes and party there. But..
in my main room for my wife and I we are using the Eastern Electric DAC straight from high rez  via the Imac and it is freakin' brilliant! But..
the Piano straight to the Eastern Electric pre to the Dodd Sensation out to  Omega SuperHemps..
reference!!!
Seriously the M1 Piano  is quantum leaps..
My redbooks  are going no where but by my chair in my main room.

[eclein]

These are pretty special, I can see why folks ask Seth about creating a DAC separately based on this chip...the combination of the extremely solid build factor and the onboard DAC create a killer piece! I honestly did not think the sound quality of my system could be elevated so much with a dedicated CD player but I was wrong, Piano M1 just kills it!!
 The way I see it Seth is pretty much a genius for being able to bring all these components together...Its gotta start with an idea about what will work together and what won't, so as some point these had to be tested and listened to and given a green light by someone.. Seth has some golden ears!!!
 

[dvenardos]

Not what I like to do. I prefer to run one component for a week or so then switch back to the other component for another week, etc. It is pretty easy to tell which I like better when I live with them for a while.

Your method does not provide a direct comparison.  Sorry, but direct A/B w/ matched levels.