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Best Tube CDP for $2000 Budget

Want to try a tube CDP in my system, have always owned solid state and currently have Rega Saturn and Meridian G08.
Looking for that smooth relaxed sound that minimizes any faults/digital hardness in average recordings while still preserving decent detail. I know this is the paradox of an audiophile, but I want to relax and feel the music and not worry about maximum detail presentation.

Am looking at Raysonic CD 128 and Cayin CD 17T, can anyone comment on these or have any other favorites?

Also please compare them to other CDPs you have heard, thanks.
megasam
elsneb
126 posts
 
Have we come to a point where most of the CDP's all sound somewhat the same, just picking a certain aspect that one likes over the other in their particular system? Or do we have to spend a small fortune to get what we want?
bartokfan
664 posts
 
have not heard the Unison. look forward to the 4 tube prima luna. I thought the cayin SACD and the Cayin 17 were built on close specs. So i figured they would sound 'similiar". I had the stock chinese 6922's rolled to Sovtek ( $150/quad)and made a nice tweak + the 4 opamps(labor + parts $200 I think) changed, which gave me another nice improvement. I'll lookmat your review of the Melody. I'm sure its a fine player, as is all their gear. As a audio reviewer you should consider the Cayin 17 in your next review. There may be better out there for same $, but I'm happy and will upgrade the caps to Mundorf's Silver in oil ($300+)
bartokfan
664 posts
 
Mrtennis, why even mention Primaluna when they do not even have a web site????????????? Just forget it. "all players sound about the same"....Not true. Also reliability is of extreme importantce in cdp's.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
05-06-07: Bartokfan
Mrtennis, why even mention Primaluna when they do not even have a web site?
PrimaLuna is pretty well known to be distributed by Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio. The brand is featured every month in a big glossy Stereophile ad. This is not a brand that's hard to miss.

The upcoming CD player is getting strong industry buzz.

Also reliability is of extreme importantce in cdp's.
Bartokfan (Threads | Answers)
This quote is from the Upscale website regarding PrimaLuna products:
Dependability. PrimaLuna sells—worldwide, not just in the United States—and we have almost zero repairs. Service issues can make a line unprofitable very quickly. In our roughly three years, we simply haven’t experienced that problem.

PrimaLuna.
bartokfan
664 posts
 
let me ask some of you guys, does a photo of the guts of a player mean anything important to you?
I realize its not possible to tell exactly how a player will sound from a photo, but you at least see some of the build quality.
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