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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
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
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
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
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.
pscialli
80 posts
 
1markr, Oh sorry about that. To be honest, I'm not sure what the tubes are. I'm afraid I've disposed of the boxes. Being a blind guy, I can't easily check the actual tube, but I'll have my daughter take a look next time I can get her attention by the stereo. She mostly stays away when I'm listening because she says I play it too loud and she prefers to be in her room listening to her purple boom box. She also hates the "junk" I listen to.

Peter
flye
39 posts
 
I firmly agree with Richard Kern.

Moderators have deleted or not posted mulitple posts of mine that had nothing to do with promoting myself, but to give information or answer questions and Alex gets away with murder with his promotions in these forums.

Is he paying some special fee that we do not know about to post here?? what gives? I dunno but what you guys are doing here for him to promote his business is plain WRONG!

Sincerely,
Douglas Jesse
Reference Audio Mods
carmantom
17 posts
 
Eldon

A quick search has me puzzled when I found this post of yours in the forums:

03-24-01: Eldon
I do modifications to the Sony's. I replace the carbon resistors with vishays, the film caps with REL caps and I
insteal HEXFREDS and Black Gate caps in the power Supply.
My price for these mods is aprox. $300 parts $150 labor.
Your cost will vary depending on the resistors you wish me to put in. The improvement in sound is stunning. Clarity
and Detail are improved at least two to one and the speed
and pace of the bass is excellent. No more slow dark sony sound on cd's. Sacd's are superb. The best part is the
imaging has improved with the sound behind the speakers
and not in your face. The treble is not forward anymore
and the ambiance is clear and clean, not warm and fuzzy
as before. Contact Richard Kern at:
http://www.audiomod.com or email me at cdenhance@uswest.net
I can give you a choice of capacitors and resistors
to put in your sony and a lower price because of this.

Eldon (Answers)

Isn't this what you are saying Alex is doing?

Maybe there is an explanation you can offer to help me see what you were meaning.
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