What is new with the Memory Player?

Mtkh1567, and all forum members,
To answer your question, I think the Memory Player's status is growing daily. At present there are 5 writers here at Stereo Times that have purchased the MP. I've received numerous emails asking questions about whether it is the "real deal" and my only steady answer has been "It's the best I've heard thus far."

I think this answers other questions that have been asked in the past on the theory the MP isn't anything more than an over-glorified computer. Well, if that was true then why hasn't anyone come up with a likely alternative as of yet?

In the past 16 months, my experiences with the MP has been far reaching and thus even more interesting since I wrote the review some six months ago. More and more staunch critics of vinyl who've heard it have been dumbfounded. For example, in addition to Saudio's above comments regarding the MP's performance in my system with the DALI Megalines and Behold electronics of a week ago, some weeks prior to his visit a HUGE German distributor had read my review with great intrigue. Obviously, he wondered if this MP was the real deal, he'd import it into Germany. This very important importer got in touch with me and asked if he could come and visit all the way from Germany. My answer of course was YES!

Much like Saudio, this gentleman stated that he's not heard anything digital that attracted him to the music like vinyl so "don't please take it personal if I don't like the sound" he forwarned. Some weeks later he arrived at my front door, we kindly exchanged some nice greetings and in short time headed up to my listening room. I am not sure, but I think it was less than 30 seconds, we downloaded a favorite classical disc onto the MP. Upon playback, I'd say in about 10 seconds, this gentleman stated he'd not heard anything like this before certainly from digital and thought overall, it probably sounded better than anything he's heard. He went on that he knew this disc intimately and that it sounded better than he'd ever heard.

The next two hours were spent confirming everything he heard in those first 10 seconds.

The next few weeks were spent with this gentleman emailing me questions as to the validity of what he heard and if it was really the MP contributing so much of the magic? My only answer was again "it's the best I have heard." This finally led to him purchasing the MP and offering me a sincere thanks for the opportunity to hear it. He's a unit in Germany and swears to it as as good as the best vinyl he's heard. Period.

I was even more grateful because I had heard of this man and knew he was a big-time importer in Europe. So, for me, it was a kind of test to see if this experienced listener had other perhaps unknown products - there are plenty abroad - that mayby none of us heard that might equal the qualities of the MP. Obviously he did not.

My story isn't the only one. Arnie Balgavis, who wrote quite an interesting review on the MP for Positive Feedback has also had the experience of taking his unit on the road to the homes of friends who too are still intrigued by this device. In each and every instance, the results were the same, the MP outshines conventional players to such a degree that in many cases it's almost embarressing. And I'm talking the serioius big boys.

Between Arnie and myself, we've accrued some serious digital players and transports over the years ranging from highly exalted Zanden (my former reference) to the latest 2-piece Esoteric stack (Arnie's former reference) and still none have taken the place of the MP. He's had his over one year as well.

The problem with the MP not selling like hot cake appears numerous. Most importantly, the software is prehistoric compared to what is possible today as Audioracle alluded to. This makes life tough for those of us who might be computer illiterate and have a tough time navigating through two or more screens doing the usual drag and paste things.

That aside, the MP still stands as the new digital reference and as of today, I'm still awaiting something which will reveal that it's nothing more than a glorified PC.

Clement Perry

I will be receiving my unit (transport only version) on Friday. Wow, I can't believe the day has almost arrived :) Let's hope it lives up to its billing - a tall order from everything that I've read.

I want LIVE music in my room - is that asking too much? We'll see... :)

As promised, I will post my impressions. I am not a reviewer or associated with the company in any way.

I have been reading the website, have to admit it's tough to plough through the huge amount of technical data, although its very interesting, it is sometimes bordering science fiction (ie the rereading of bit data and moving around the laser upto 99 times) and definitely goes way over the average audiophile head.

Seems that there are several versions, or at least an upgrade from the first. Also if you read up on Mr Perry's write up that is confirming this. That review is promising at least from the point of sonic capability. To your question, you have to have a DAC circuit no-matter what, but I could also not determine whether there is one built in. However, nothing on the website points to that.
Henry

After *navigating* under the specifications heading via the Nova Physics website,
it appears the unit can be had as a digital drive only, or a player with an on board 32-bit tubed output Dac.

Clement's review, although detailed when it comes to the cd sources and the overall sonics from each cd, is completely void of any information about what he paired this MP transport with! ? He makes no mention of the cables, amps, speakers...let alone the actual DAC he uses (very very important, everyone agree?). Furthermore, he even remarks about taking it on the road and putting it up against a Theta transport-dac combo, but no mention what he used, as if it were a "player" not a transport. "Resting side by side next to a high-end transport from Theta Digital using a very expensive digital to analogue converter, the Memory Player clearly outperformed studio house masters!". Also, later in the review he uses player and transport interchangeably, but never divulges his system, his DAC, etc. Finally, later, he says "Next up was a fully loaded Memory Player with its own 32-bit tube DAC and internal volume control going up against the $42,000 digital stack from Zanden Audio... This fully loaded Memory Player belonged to another writer who had invited me over to hear his rig. It was more coincidental than planned that at the same time, another audiophile with serious industry credentials wanted to hear this unit. In addition to having a front-end consisting of the Zanden transport and DAC, he also had the new German ASR amplifiers and the BIG NOLA reference loudspeakers.". Clearly Clement's MP was not the max'd out one with a tube DAC. So what DAC did he use earlier in the review.....and please don't say "it doesn't matter".

I like Mr. Perry's reviews, and I like Stereo Times. Hell, I THINK I like the MP....but....this review is as confusing and contains the same amount of sleight of hand as the rest of this whole Memory Player media coverage. I just don't understand why it needs to be so cloaked, and so confusing. Clement, did you fail tot ell us what the transport was connected to for a reason? Maybe that has something to do with the sound?? Or at least spell out what you used. Any reviewer worth his/her salt would level set a review, especially one that introduces a new concept and a new architecture. No one would let a reviewer write an article about the sound of a cartridge or arm without saying what table it was being used on, for God's sakes, or write up a glowing preamp review and fail to tell what the upstream and downstream signal path was taken through.

I the MP is going to be successful, even on a moderate level with a small niche of listeners, it needs to have a clear light shining on it.