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Hegel Mohican vs. Bryston BCD-3

If anyone were looking for a single-box CD-player that qualified as a get-off-the-roundabout component, it seems to me that these two models would be high on their shortlist.  So my question is:

Has anybody been able to hear these two models side by side?

128x128twoleftears
randyhat
156 posts
 
My iPad is no more a "distraction" in my listening room than is one of my other remote controls.  I use it to select music, then I set it down.  Having access to my entire digital library and the Tidal library via my tablet has transformed my listening experience.  Having said that, I also own the Bryston BCD-3.  It is an excellent red book player.  Despite the convenience and sound quality of streaming, I am not ready to give up my CD player.  I also have a turntable and still enjoy playing records.  I enjoy the choices I have and see no need to draw a line in the sand and start proclaiming what I will and will not allow in my listening room.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears OP
5,318 posts
 

@audiotroy  This is one of the most common problems with Audiogon threads.  The OP asks a question that is framed in such a way that it has particular relevance to himself.  Along come the other posters and all too often the response is: (a) instead of components A and B, you should junk those two and really consider component C, or, worse (b) you've conceptualized the issue wrongly and should really be attacking it from this completely different perspective.

@audiotroy  I don't own a cell phone, and I use DSL for internet.  I do have 1000+ CDs.  How constructive is your post to the current discussion???

Thank you to @gpgr4blu  @milpai   @skoczylas et al.

Getting back to my original question, I don't suppose that there are many dealers in the US who carry both Hegel and Bryston, and I certainly don't suppose that I'll be lucky enough to walk through their doors, if one does exist, and find that they have the Mohican and the BCD-3 both on demo.  Hence the thread posing the question to the A'gon community.  As a more-than-contented owner of the BCD-1, I've been eyeing the '3 for a while, and as @skoczylas points out, warranty and long-term support weigh heavily in my deliberations.  Now the Mohican has come along with what would seem to be many similar design goals as the '3, and as all audiophiles would, I started wondering how different, if at all, the two would sound.





stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,407 posts
 
IMHO, if you are looking for your LAST cd player, I would look at the Esoteric.  There is an Esoteric UX-3  for sale here at around 1500.00.  That piece cost 8500.00 when new.  It uses one of the best transports in the world, the VRD NEO and also uses the Burr Brown pcm1704 R to R Ladder dac.  I own one of these machines and am actually thinking of purchasing the one here for a spare.  At 60 pounds, it is built better than a battleship.
jl35
4,016 posts
 
Dedicated Audio in Arizona lists both players on their website...no connection to them....
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,807 posts
 
Two left ears you miss my point entirely, I was not dissing either player, I was stating that you should consider a player that also has digital inputs so you can use a digital streaming service if you ever decide to do so.

As per not owning a cell phone that is your choice and DSL internet still doesn't mean that the internet is useless. 

The idea of my retort was to open your eyes to the possibility of having access to the future as well as the past. 

CD's are a dying medium it is true that there are still people making them but the reaility is that there is no future in a pure optical medium, hence the idea of a player with a digital input if you ever decide to use it at least you have it. 

As per both players we used to sell both brands. The Hegel is the better of the two brands in terms of overall performance. 

I would not touch an older Esoteric player as parts and service are sketchy.  You should look for a player with a computer rom based mechanisim as the computer industry is still using CD Rom drives as an option for some machines. 

Bryston's has a tweenty year warranty I would check on the digital I think it is three years and if possible purchase a back up mechanisim.

Hope that helps.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
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