Best CD Player for Classical Music?

I'll second the Wadia for classical music. It does an amazing job at resolving the detail, color, and tone of acoustic instruments, from solo to full-scale orchestral. It also has the capability of throwing a realistic soundstage, just like a live performance.

Out of the box, the Wadia can sound a little etched. Brought to its full glory with the proper tweaking, it is wonderful.

Budrew ... I know for me that when I started to attend live classical performances - or POP performances for that matter - I came to the same conclusion as you - real music was soooo much sweeter than our stereos present it to us.

On top of that, we as audiophiles have become enamored of the "open and airy" sound ... which generally moves the music in the opposite direction of the real thing.

So the same thing you experienced began my quest for "the absolute sound" of what I hear when I attend a concert. Here is what I have learned so far ...

a) It is not about any one component in your system
b) The single most important factor is likely your room
c) Concert halls sound different (almost certainly it is a different hall from the one the music you are listening to was recorded in)
d) Different seats in the same concert hall sound different (not only tonal differences but perspective differences)
e) Instruments sound different from one another (piano A <> piano B etc)

So ... now that it sounds impossible ... what do we as audiophiles do? I think you started at the MOST important point - the ease and grace of live concert music. Though there is "bite" at times, there is seldom "edge."

I have found that as I tuned my room; changed components; repositioned speakers ... as I have moved towards the effortlessness you described, that instruments also sounded more real, more alive, more palpable.

If I were to start anywhere, it would not be a component first. It would be speaker location and then it would be room treatment - first you have to be able to hear what your components are really giving you.

Good Luck and Good Listening!

Jkphoto
Excellent post. I can't agree with you more. To me, the #1 thing is your room, #2 is the recording and pressing and #3 is the rest. #1 and #2 together is about 80% of what you hear and the rest 20% is your gears. So, after achieving a certain level in your gears, keep upgrading doesn't get your money's worth because #1 and 2 play such a part in your sound. I listen to 100% classical music (vinyl) and I also attend concerts frequently. I find record playback is the only thing that gets me closer to life concerts.

This is great information. The Wadia seems to crop up in other contexts
as well, but I wonder if it may be too forward for headphjone use or too
bright, though many recommend modding it to alleviate these issues.
FWIW, I tend to prefer a mid-hall over first row perspective.

While I agree 100% about the room, I'm looking for something for my
headphone system where room interaction is a null issue. Because of
circumstances I'm listening to headphones a lot these days. My main
system is great with classical, the only issue being the Audio Note DAC
is too forward for headphone listening (to my ears). I also agree that the
recording and mastering make a big difference and this is why I've not
adopted SACD since the recording can make a bigger difference than the
technology (though the Channel Classics SACDs are exceptional).

You might want to check out the review of the BAT VK-5SE cdp at stereotimes.com. It was posted today