The Prima DAC's don't come up used very often, but it sounds like that would be ideal. In the meantime, maybe I need to try out a few of your other excellent suggestions like the Harmonix, Audio Magic, PS Audio, etc. It's all just a matter of budget and sonics, right?
Thank you all for the input. It's very helpful.
Howard |
You are going to find that the Audio Aero Cd players get the most votes hereabouts on most comparisons of Cd players in the same league. |
You may want to try an Audio Magic Mini Digital for your front end. Worked for me, until the Audio Magic Eclipse. Now, it works even better. |
The PS Audio Powerplant with Multiwave II comes with Tubewave (this is a function inside of the Multiwave II), the Fan is optional, but you don't need it right away. My CD player and preamp only pull 90 together, but my friends Rogue tube preamp pulled 200watts, my other friends ARC VS55i and Meridian CD player pulls 150watts. The unit maxes out at ~230watts. so if you can see what the required voltage for you SET amp is and your CD player (my cd player manual listed a higher value than it actually used). Don't buy a PS Audio powerplant 300 without Multiwave II the upgrade cost is too much versus buying on already with it. The fan kit is $100 if you need it, depends on if you are able to run your integrated and cd player.
1markr: made a good suggestion about the Audio Aero Prima Dac as an option but later a good transport makes a huge difference in my experience.
fee free to email me through agon if you have questions abou t the ps audio. |
Boa I heard the Prima DAC of 1Markr, its very musical. |
Howard, I'm not having that shortcoming with my Prima as far as bass extension. I don't know what the rest of your system consists of, but if you're leaning toward the Prima, maybe you should try a pair of Harmonix Golden Performance ICs. When I upgraded to them from the Cardas Golden Ref (no slouch in the IC department) it was as if I gave my Prima a shot of steroids, opening the sound up top to bottom. And I mean: open. I started with their power cords and flipped. Had to do the ICs. Unbelievable, and less costly than the big boys. I know a few audiophools, who have traded in their Valhallas for the Harmonix.. Go figure...peace, warren |
Boa,
If you can stretch your budget by a couple hundred dollars you could get a pre-owned or demo Audio Aero Prima DAC, which is the same DAC section as in the Capitole II. I'm using one with a cheapo Denon 2200 as the transport with great results. |
Cytocycle,
Your descriptions of the various players were exactly as I have noted as well. Thank you greatly for all of the excellent advice.
With the PS Audio 300, does the Multiwave II come with the optional fan & Tubewave, or are we talking about two separate $800 units (the 300 + the fan)?
Thank you again. This is a big help.
Best regards,
Howard |
In doing my research (I preferred the 16k Burmester but that was out of the question), I listened to the DCS full stack and it was amazing but a little to analytical (maybe that was just the upsampling), Meridian 508.24 (amazing but not warm but not sterile), Wadia (loved them but found myself focusing on the details), Rega Jupiter 2000 (boring and undetailed), various Arcams (detailed but no soul), Naim (toe tapping musical but not very accurate (only listed as high as the CD5X), and a couple of others. I heard good things about the AA Capitole but at the time they were having reliabiltiy problems in a big way with the Series II and it was way out of my budget.
The Gamut was just plain musical with details but it doesn't cause you to focus on the details like the wadia or ML does. I have the CD1R version there was a later CDS (basically the same) and now the Mark II version (different method of processing so not sure how it sounds..$1500 upgrade that even the factory said wasn't worth it for mine model) The first version is the CD1 that was reviewed with a lack of bass below 40hz, but the CD1R version fixed all of that. The Gamut sounds much better out the balanced than the single ended.
I considered the Aero Prima but couldn't hear it and was really afraid to buy that unit blindly since so few of them were out at the time but I'm sure I would have liked it. I think the warmer sounds other units to look at would be the Electrocompient (can't spell them), Audio Note (3.1x), and there is another that escapes me. If you check out www.audiocircle.com you will get some other reviews of warmer sounding players as I have noticed they tend to review non-mainstream units more often. The Dodsen (or Dodson) is another unit and the Lector CD player is suppose to be another. The Opus is also compared more over on their forums. This and the Lector were not out when I started looking
But since you have a warmer 300B SET that rolls the top and bottom off, (I had a Cary Integrated for a while) a detailed but musical player might be the right compromise since your integrated will impart the warmness you prefer.
The only other thing I could say is pickup a PS Audio Powerplant 300 with Multiwave II and get the optional fan (used for under $800) and run your CD player maybe your intgrated with Tubewave, this will add some more detail to the top and slam on the bottom, a lot of people don't like the extra detail the Powerplant provides but it might be enough to keep what you have! Depending on where you are located someone might be able to loan you theirs for a couple of hours (it's that dramatic) My friend runs his Meridian 508.24 and his ARC VS55i integraded on it and the improvement is huge and he only has Multiwave I, now he wants Multiwave II so he can try Tubewave. I use a Powerplant on my front end and have used balanced conditioners also at times.
Good luck! |
Cytocycle,
That's really why I asked, to get suggestions, because I've not heard everything out there, but I know the type of sound that I like, a la the AA Capitole. Can't afford it, however.
We have an integrated 7W 300B SET amp, which is quite musical and engaging. And we have treated our room.
I've not heard the Gamut. Perhaps I'll have to give that unit a listen.
Thank you for the suggestions. |
Just because it doesn't have a tube doesn't mean it will sound thin and dry (I've found the Sony's and Marantz to be that way). I have a Gamut CD1R and find it extremely musical (I thought it was more organic than a full DCS rig)
What are the other components in your system?
A quality preamp is one of the most important components I have found in a system. Also I would address Acoutical treatments to get you that next step before spending money elsewhere. |
