Audio Research Ref: CD8

Hi Fjn04,

I have the ARC CD7 and also the Wadia 581SE. I also owned the top Krell CD players, Marantz, Accuphase and heard the AMR CD7 next to the ARC CD7.

To my opinion the ARC is the best of all. So I guess the CD8 will be better again. But like always it will not be a world of difference.

Peter

My CD7 was to ship Wednesday (yesterday) back to me with the power supply mod.
I will let everyone know what I hear different; next week.

Wsill, what was the total cost for the upgrade then? Did you just have to pay for the shipping both ways? I am confused on the cost yet. Will it be a total CD 8 in a CD 7 body? How long did it take.I will certainly want to do the same as you did. I just got my CD 7 this last September. Thanks.

Tom

As explained to me by Leonard(ARC customer service), the CD7
receives only the PS supply upgrade, not the new DAC. I have
a CD7 and feel that it has the best midrange of any digital
piece I've heard. I preferred it to the Krell 505, AMR,
Marantz 7SA1, CD12, and others. My old Krell 20i is still an
option, and on the same level as the CD7. In most cases, the
sound is just "different" and the choice is based upon your
preferences and synergy with your equipment. I recently tried
a terrific new player from Playback Designs and found it
basically the equal of the CD7 and 20i...again, different
although very similar to the 20i. Of course, anyone interested in SACD might make different choices.

Hi Lula,
not sure you can be serious about top CD players and be discussing ancient players like the 20i and CD12 and comparing them to new players.

The CD7 has large but vague imaging with slightly constricted flow of dynamics, although like most good ARC gear very musical and special sounding. The ARC gear needs to be tweaked quite a lot to get it to give you better layering and a more solid and clear or vivid soundstage. Clean contacts, valve pins and bases, nice fuses, cabling and so on.

In the case of the tired 20i, this old krell battle ship has much less resolution and quite a lot of grain when compared to the latest players. You cant discuss these players and compare them to the latest offerings.

You should try some better players say the latest EMM lab or DCS. These kind of players will give you low noise floors with extreme resolution and pinpoint imaging, leading edge information and free natural dynamics and a complete lack of grain.

I have been told the playback Design is good but I have not heard it. Try the Bel canto player out too, its pretty cheap and sounds very good. I am sure the CD8 will be good. It is unlikely to be worse than the CD7.