Esoteric DV-50: Any cdp's Significantly better?


Is there are anyone out there who has compared the Esoteric DV-50 to a number of dedicated red book only players (or other universal's) and found one that is SIGNIFICANTLY better?

I stress significantly because in my humble opinion the redbook playback (if comparison unit is just a cd cd player only )must be significantly better to justify losing DVD-A, SACD and DVD-Video capability.

I keep hearing there are better one box solutions and being a die hard 2 channel fan I would sell my DV-50 if I found a player in the same price range that sounds significantly better. But every time I do an AB comparision to other well respected units the DV-50 has slayed each and every one.

So far, it has eaten the lunch of the Classe CDP-10, Ayre CX-7, Linn Ikemi, Cairn Fog Vers. 2, Cary 306/300, Arcam DV 27A and CD 33T, Myryad CD 600, etc. It even betters a Sony SCD 777ES/MF Tri-Vista 21 transport/dac combo that I previously owned. I'm only comparing the DV-50 to single box cd or universal players, but I just wanted to mention the Sony/MF combo. I'm sure there are some dac/transport combo's that will handily beat the DV 50.

Some may say that the DV 50 should beat all the above because the of price point ($5,500 vs. average price of $3,000 for the above players). But I disagree since conventional wisdom says that stand alone players (especially with the pedigree of those mentioned above) should produce better redbook than a universal player trying to be a jack of all trades. Only the DV 27A does video plus audio. By the way, I was very impressed with the 27A as just a cd player. Of all the above I would say the Ayre was the best.

Next on my list is the Electrocompaniet EMC 1UP and the Resolution Audio Opus 21. However, I must tell you I am really impressed with the DV 50 and all the great reviews are absolutely true. I've noticed that many people who are using it or comparing to other players are using the RCA analog outs instead of the balanced outs. There is a significant improvement in sound if you use the balanced outs and I'm only interested in hearing comments from people who have compared it against other players using the balanced outs on the DV-50.

My system components are as follows:

B&W N803's speakers & HTM-1 center
Cary Cinema 5 (5 x 200) amp
Anthem D1 Statement pre/pro
Esoteric DV 50
Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun speaker wire
Nirvana SX balanced interconnects from DV-50 to Anthem
Acoustic Zen Matrix reference II interconnects from D1 to Cary
No after market power cords or isolation equipment

My system sounds great! Those who comment please make sure to specify what specific improvements you heard over the DV 50 and what cdp were you comparing it against.

AVGURU
avguru
Guidocoroner,

I am not sure what point you are trying to make by comparing my phrase of timing and rhythm with your phrase of transient response and coherence. I would now like to be argumentative and imply from this premise that you must be either showing off/trying to intimidate me with your terminology (which I hope you understand the meaning of)as you have not confronted my original question regarding what we all mean by the word 'musicality'. I have given you two possible differring descriptions which are really quite self explanatory. As this forun is for people with all sorts of levels of knowledge, why dont you give us your opinion using simple self explanatory descriptive words.

I look forward to your no doubt volatile response.

Doc
Hey Peter, yes, I know about that tube. I meant more specifically, which 5687? Tung Sol? Other? Sorry, should have been more specific. Thanks!
This digital forum to promote APLHIFI.
As a modifier how plays by the rules and does not promote
myself, I am mad as hell. Where are the moderators?
I could never get away with this on Audio Asylum.
Audiogon should not be used to promote any modifier at the
expense of other modifiers. Dan Wright of Modwright, Ric
Schultz of EVS and Kyle Takenaga of RAM agree with me.
APLHIFI must be made to play by the rules.
Let Alex post ads if he wants to promote his business.

Richard Kern
Audiomod
Thank you Doc Luke, you are correct in inferring that musicality may mean different things to different people. I was perhaps overreacting to your just slightly barbed suggestion of elitism among the longtimers of this thread and I could not resist raising one of my favorite pet peeves in exchange. Perhaps poor 'timing pacing and Rhythm' (TPR?) may be deemed the audiophilic 'heartburn'. Like heartburn has nothing to do with the old ticker--as my family physician once painstakingly explained, while assuring me that I was truly not dying yet--so TPR has little to do with rhythm, as no audio system that I know of has the ability of altering the rhytmic signaature of any piece of music.
Hopefully not sounding too volatile, Guido
Doc, by the way, PSCIALLI does own a Musical Fidelity tube output stage, and I hope he will soon try it out on his new ModWright. I know he did applied it to his former Denon 2200, and it did improve the sound of that particular unit to some extent.