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Help on premium cd player

I've been playing around with separates (upsamplers, dacs, transports) seeking like many something that sounds right (like vinyl?). Lately been trying to find a good transport to work with my, largely used, collection of parts. Have now stepped back and realized that I'm already out $3-4,000 and still don't have what I'm looking for, and tired of the search. I want to listen to music. So switching tactics and looking for a really good player in the $3-5,000 range {used), then sell off my "inventory", rationalize cables and rack space and just enjoy (90% classical, jazz and vocals). My candidates, based on reviews and hours reading threads here and AudioAsylum, are

Accuphase dp 65x or 75
Audio Aero Capitole 24/92
Audiomecca Mephisto II
Electrocompaniet EMC-1 Mk2 24/92
Wadia 860x

As an old banker I get a warm feeling if the manufacturer isn't likely to disappear overnight. To those who suggest that I first audition and trust my ears, I agree 100% in theory, but it's not possible where I live.

Comments/recommendations from those who have owned more than one product or were otherwise able to directly compare two or more especially valued.

Oh, my equipment includes tube and transitor pres and amps so I'm flexible, not a zealot for either philosophy!

Many thanks in advance for your contribution. And apologies if this post is too long, just try to preclude questions rather than answers.
grandpad
bwhite
807 posts
 
Guess I should chime in here...

Having owned a Meridian 508.24, Krell KPS28c, Wadia 860, Marantz SA-1, Electrocompaniet EMC-1 Mk II and now the AudioMeca Mephisto II over the past year, I must say that my $100 Toshiba DVD player sounds great!! Especially in systems connected to faulty wiring and broken outlets. sorry... I'm still a little shaken from my last digital thread

But seriously folks, of the bunch - the AudioMeca Mephisto II is a tremendous - absolutely outstanding CD player. I took it to see a few friends at a local high end shop specializing in ANALOG ONLY (quite an arrogant bunch) and they were shocked at how analog it sounded - but it did need a good power cord to get them really excited!

At the shop, when I walked in with the Mephisto II CD player, they pointed to an Accuphase DP-85 sitting packed up in the box next to the door and told me they didn't even want to listen to mine - they stated that the Accuphase was the best digital player in the world, and they hated it so much they couldn't wait for FedEx to come get it!

Anyhow.. I've auditioned the Cary 306/200 with lousy gear and because of that, I have no comment.

I unfortunately have never had a chance to listen to the Capitole (which uses the exact same DAC as the Mephisto) but frankly, given the level of performance & cool looks of the Mephisto, I didn't even want to try anything else.
audionut7283
6 posts
 
I have owned Accuphase,Dcs ,Audiomeca,and many other very well received cd players.Yesterday I heard the new Aloia cd player and I must say it is so much better than anything else I'll be suprised if anyother brand can still be sold.For the first time I heard music far better than analog phono or tape and forgot about the system it was playing through.Be certain to hear this amazing player before even concidering others it is way the best.And you get a tuner.
subaruguru
1,353 posts
 
I'm still enthralled by my Eletrcompanie EMC-1 MkII.
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
WARNING!!! for those of you who might not have caught on by now, audionut is an audio retailer. i'd therefore consider his opinions with around a ton of salt. particularly since he's not seen fit to disclose his affiliations. nor has he registered as a member of the audiogon community. yet another hangeron, tryin' to get some free advertising. if you doubt me, check out this post made by audionut on a recent thread titled "dac recommendations" :

Forget a dac ,sell any digital source you own and find an Aloia cd player.It is
the new reference for playback period.I sat for 3 hours yesterday in utter
amazement.I have never been so shocked by a component in my 20 years of
audio.It surpassed all other front ends including my 20,000.00 turntable.My
reference system is about 150,000 us dollars and I never dreamed a single
component could make this much difference.Piano sounds exactly like the
instrument with the ability to hear all the harmonics with the right timber.The
day before I was listining to my sacd player and thinking this is not at all the
way a piano sounds and didn't expect cd could ever sound right.How wrong I
was.Don't miss this amazing product.

hmmmmm. smells a little like six-week-old halibut, eh? his website is: http://www.audionut.com/

-cfb
bwhite
807 posts
 
Subaruguru - you are correct. The EMC-1 Mk II is an outstanding CD player. In fact, at this level all the CD players mentioned are excellent.

--
Thread:
Regarding which player is best, I think it's relative to each of us. We've all worked very hard to assemble our systems & tweak with various interconnects - power cords etc. to acheive what we believe to be the best for the given system (our own).

Grandpad will most likely be thrilled by any of the above CD players but which fits his tastes and preferences is clearly not our decision to make. Perhaps we should all put on our "reviewers caps" and provide better explainations of the equipment we "celebrate". I think in a forum like this it would be more productive than ongoing threads about "who's is bigger", I mean better. In a way - many of our comments regarding what we feel is best, are not too far from what Audionut posted regarding the Aloia.
And for what purpose? I'm not a dealer. I'm just a guy who spends way too much time thinking about this stuff!
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