Sabai--great post. Lots of info I have never seen, especially in terms of the CDSA. Thanks! I am mulling over the X-upgrade idea. So far, I just use Hydra-8 and a Telwire powercord (some more expensive cords slowed the bass or introduced some hyper-highs/nervousness). Stealth Indra XLRs also seem to bring out the best, most natural sound, especially in the frequency extremes: the controlled unmuddy low bass and upper highs that have a touch of warmth that is really nice.
My one concern is that upgrades that affect soundstaging often add some high-frequency prominence along with that.
In my experience, Wilson and Kharma speakers have done that,
where some awesome staging was accompanied by some TMI/listening-fatigue as the price.
Right now, the CDSA-se just seems to get the right combination of reach and truth w/o any cold or steeliness, even on
analytically-recorded CDs (or at least CDs that sound that way on other players).
Most who have commented on the the big EMM XDS1 or the X-upgrade mention the "3D"-ness. That's a kind of nice-to-have thing, but not a necessity IMO, where tonality is king for me.
My one concern is that upgrades that affect soundstaging often add some high-frequency prominence along with that.
In my experience, Wilson and Kharma speakers have done that,
where some awesome staging was accompanied by some TMI/listening-fatigue as the price.
Right now, the CDSA-se just seems to get the right combination of reach and truth w/o any cold or steeliness, even on
analytically-recorded CDs (or at least CDs that sound that way on other players).
Most who have commented on the the big EMM XDS1 or the X-upgrade mention the "3D"-ness. That's a kind of nice-to-have thing, but not a necessity IMO, where tonality is king for me.