2014 CES News: ARC Showcases New CD-6

Mitch, I missed the Stereophile write-up. If there's a web link, could you please post it. Did Stereophile compare the CD-6 to other ARC gear? Thanks.

P.S. The CD-6's MSRP is the same as the new SP-20. I wonder if these components are carving out a new product offering niche.

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My mistake.

Bif, it was not a review. They merely mentioned it being one of the components in one of the system showrooms. They did mention the price, which was what caught my eye.
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Mitch ... the CD-6, like its bigger brother, the Ref CD-9, has quad chips in mono mode, or something like that. I believe the DAC 8 has a similar topology. Aside from the topology difference, the CD-6/9 can upsample and supposedly has a broader bandwidth. Most redbook CDP have a brick-wall 20K Hz filter.

While I appreciate the CD-6's added flexibility regarding its DAC and ability to decode different digital formats, I wonder if the quad mono chip (or whatever) topology relates to the playback sonics of the redbook CDP functionality. Stated differentlty, I wonder if the CD-6/9 sound better than the now discontinued Ref CD-8 in redbook CD mode??

If anyone has been there and done it, I would appreciate reading your reactions and comments. Thanks.

Any word on whether ARC will offer any upgrades to the CD5 ? It looks like it can't be fully upgraded to the CD6 but maybe some partial upgrades hopefully...

My two cents. I also have a CD8 and 5SE combo and for redbook there isn't anything better unless one gets into exotic separates. If it were me and I was set on getting into digital while retaining redbook CD quality playback I'd add a high quality DAC w/ all the digital features and retain the CD8 in its unmolested status into the 5SE. Doesn't have to be ARC either. I would not give up the tube front end of the CD8 for my CDs.