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Digital Front End.. help please

Wondering if anyone can offer some opinions on an upgraded digital front end:

My priorities include: lush sound, something analogue-like, wide soundstage, deep tones, warmth over detail

--i'm mating this future front end with ML Aerius i, VTL IT85 (new, and i am totally in love with this integrated!!)

--i think DAC/transport is the way to go, both for best sound, and for future upgradability (am i wrong here?)

--i don't think upsampling, etc, is what i'm looking for; audionote dacs are currently at the top of my list

--i don't have any opinions on transports; haven't really found anything that stands out; some models i've been pondering are: audionote CDT1, CEC TL2, mark levinson 37, vecteur D-2

i could buy an audionote dac 1.1x sig/cdt1 combo, along with cables, for about 4K new. but i really am not in a hurry, and would be willing to buy used. i think i could get more for my money if i did, but i'm nervous about buying used.

your opinion on a good transport to match an audionote dac would be great. cables to match the two would be great too. guess i'm looking at the 1.1x up to the 3.1x... wondering what my money gets me as i move up. maybe the 1.1x will be great!, and i can save to upgrade till later? can i get away with a great transport used for under 1K?

thanks everyone...
dennis_the_menace
sean
6,229 posts
 
CEC is a "house brand" for a MAJOR electronics manufacturer that has been around for many, many years. They build products to spec for other companies and Parasound is one of them. You may also remember Kyocera products from the 1980's. This was another one of their direct market product lines. While this gear is 15 years old, it is still ticking like clockwork. I know a guy with a Kyocera CD player that is still running. They also built RF gear under various names and i get some of their products in on a regular basis. After 25+ years of operation, most of them are still quite reliable and solid performers. Sean
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marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
dennis,
BAT Vk-D5se is a great CD player but with no transferable warranty. You should judge the right price to give for this unit.
I would wait-on till I get another 1k and get GamuT CD1 brand-new(meaning that used BAT is ~2K+-).
dennis_the_menace's avatar
dennis_the_menace OP
467 posts
 
Well, guess i'm considering the BAT VK D5SE that's a DEMO version with warranty. i know it's alot more, but i wanted a tubed player. i haven't had a chance to hear the gamut, but have read it's little on the "digital" or ultra-defined sounding. i guess i'm looking for warm, liquid rich sound over detail. gamut sounds more like a detailed player, no?

i'm leaning more and more towards one box unit... for simplicity sakes, no extra cables, etc....
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
YEP, GamuT is not as warm as BAT but very and very close to reality...
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