Esoteric DV-50: Any cdp's Significantly better?

Jmpwme,

I looked long and hard at the Goldmund universal 18D. Actually, I think there is a higher one called the Eidos or something like that. There are definitely two models..I don't know if you're looking at the mid-level one or the
top of the line unit. I never did listen to it and the one dealer we have in my area doesn't carry that model.

Goldmund makes excellent gear and their amps and dac's are some of the worlds finest. Unfortunately, they pissed off a lot of dealers around 6 years ago by suddenly and totally pulling out of the U.S. market without advance notice or warning. Dealers were left with no technical/repair support and were stuck with units they couldn't unload. Over the past 2 years Goildmund has been making their way back into the U.S. market (with a new distributor at the helm)but it will take some time to make delaers forget.

There's a guy on this site (Audiogon)called Satellite to the Stars. He's a Goldmund dealer and a stand up guy so he should tell you the truth about comparisions with other units. He'll also give you a hell of a deal and may let you demo at home. He's located in NY.

Irish 65-

I love Ayre products and have been keeping a close watch on the new Ayre universal (CX5). I have very fond memories of the CX 7 cd player I used to own and it gave the DV 50 a serious run for its money before ultimately falling in an AB test. I still have never heard a cd player do bass better than the Ayre. Ayre is saying this new unit will have cd playback on the level of their current flagship the DX 7. My only concerns are:

1. This is the first SACD player Ayre has ever made.

2. No video so not a true universal (minor complaint)

3. No multi-channel capability for SACD or DVD-A.

My dealer will have one by this weekend and I will be sure to audition it. Interestingly enough, Ayre has an Esoteric X01 in their engineering department which they use for comparision purposes. If they go after a sonic prowess on the level or higher than the X01 then things could get very interesting.

711 has contacted me and we're all set for face off tomorrow. The problem is we're expecting 4-6 inches of snow tomorro and that will pose serious traffic issues for me.

I'keep everyone posted!

No go, no show for the shootout, guys, my players TROUNCED the DV-50, AA Capitole, MF Tri Vista, where the heck are you
going with this search. For the money, or even 3-5 times the money, there are NO players better, only different. I know this by putting my $$$ where my mouth is. I am getting off this bandwagon. If you wanna hear the best, email me and bring with whatever you have, and we will have some fun.

Enjoy the search, but, more importantly, enjoy the MUSIC.

I AM, heh heh heh

Hey guys,

Bad weather in Chicago forced the cancellation of this much anticipated showdown. It will resume this Saturday and A'gon member Jactoy will join us. Always good to have another set of ears!!

711 is under the impression that his modded Denon's will slay any and all contenders including those 3-5 times the price of his units. While I admire his confidence and readily concede the superiority of his unit over the ones we've already demoed, I am not ready to make or accept such a broad conclusion. This contest will continue through next Monday, where we will in that time frame go head to head with the Audio Research CD MK III (also a tube unit),the Esoteric UX-1, a Sony 9000ES modded by Dan Wright, the new Marantz SA 11 and finally the mighty, mighty Esoteric X01. The showdown with the Marantz and X01 probably won't happen until Monday.

Although 711 won't believe it till he hears it, his unit will definitely fall to the X01 in SACD playback. As I reported earlier in this post, the X01 produced the most beautiful and breath taking SACD playback I have ever heard, including 711's modded Denon's which I've already heard in SACD. The only thing in question will be whether or not the X01 will be as good as (or even superior to) the Denon's in redbook.

Please note we will be conducting these tests on some of the finest equipment in the world. Saturday's test will be conducted using Sonus Faber Cremona's and Proac's while amplification will be Krell and Levinson. Monday's test will be on Legacy Whispers with top of the line Marantz separates and Mono blocks. There will be no excuses in regards to associated equipment!

By the way, I've received e-mails from some of you who assumed that since I described the 3910''s sound like a "shower" compared to the X01 as a "high pressure water hose" that I prefered the 3910. Not true! Each player has its own perspective and only a head to head showdown will reveal which player is more musical. And I stress that "musicality" will be the final benchmark. That's what we all are striving for.

Also, I need to stress again that the DV 50 is one hell of a player (I'm listening to it now)and the detail and transparency is phenomenal. However, in the end it is just not as musically satisfying and engaging as the modded Denon's. I'm fortunate because if I never heard the Denon's I would have gone on assuming that nothing in the DV 50's price range can compete. I would have been believing a lie!

If the Denon's clearly illustrate their superiority in head to head battles against all of the above then and and only then will I end this madness and concede the modded Denon's to be one of the best cdp's in the world. At that point I will also put my DV 50 up for sale.

Soon the truth will be known! Buckle up in the saddle, brethren and prepare for one hell of a ride. Final destination is Audio Nirvana! Yeehaaa!!

AVGURU

Hey Avguru,
Please be sure to post the results of the above big shoot-outs! Thanks.
Lanny

I thought I'd inject a bit of a reminder about one thing before your OK Corral shoot-out: personal preference doesn't necessarily equate to qualitative difference. Components are voiced differently by manufacturers to do different things. The X-01, UX-1 and DV-50 are voiced by the same people, so it is fairly easy to tell that the X-01 does what it is supposed to do a small but significant amount better than the UX-1, and a greater amount better than the DV-50. Add an entirely differently voiced component into the equation, and it becomes much harder to generalize. I sold the Classe Omega and retained the DV-50 because I wanted to keep DVD-A playback when I got the X-01, which I dearly love, but there are times, on certain discs, when I miss the somewhat warmer, sweeter sound of the Omega, which I also loved. I'm used to changing perspectives because I have Carnegie Hall subscriptions in the 8th row center and 26th row center, and regularly hear the same orchestra under the same conductor on back to back nights from different places in the hall, and sometimes you have a hard time believing it is the same group. Which perspective I prefer is irrelevant to the issue of how well the orchestra is playing, just as it MAY be irrelevant to which player is doing its job better. If that weren't true, we'd all make the same choices. Enjoy yourselves.