2. digital
  3. 1099737755

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

Is there are anyone out there who has compared the Esoteric DV-50 to a number of dedicated red book only players (or other universal's) and found one that is SIGNIFICANTLY better?

I stress significantly because in my humble opinion the redbook playback (if comparison unit is just a cd cd player only )must be significantly better to justify losing DVD-A, SACD and DVD-Video capability.

I keep hearing there are better one box solutions and being a die hard 2 channel fan I would sell my DV-50 if I found a player in the same price range that sounds significantly better. But every time I do an AB comparision to other well respected units the DV-50 has slayed each and every one.

So far, it has eaten the lunch of the Classe CDP-10, Ayre CX-7, Linn Ikemi, Cairn Fog Vers. 2, Cary 306/300, Arcam DV 27A and CD 33T, Myryad CD 600, etc. It even betters a Sony SCD 777ES/MF Tri-Vista 21 transport/dac combo that I previously owned. I'm only comparing the DV-50 to single box cd or universal players, but I just wanted to mention the Sony/MF combo. I'm sure there are some dac/transport combo's that will handily beat the DV 50.

Some may say that the DV 50 should beat all the above because the of price point ($5,500 vs. average price of $3,000 for the above players). But I disagree since conventional wisdom says that stand alone players (especially with the pedigree of those mentioned above) should produce better redbook than a universal player trying to be a jack of all trades. Only the DV 27A does video plus audio. By the way, I was very impressed with the 27A as just a cd player. Of all the above I would say the Ayre was the best.

Next on my list is the Electrocompaniet EMC 1UP and the Resolution Audio Opus 21. However, I must tell you I am really impressed with the DV 50 and all the great reviews are absolutely true. I've noticed that many people who are using it or comparing to other players are using the RCA analog outs instead of the balanced outs. There is a significant improvement in sound if you use the balanced outs and I'm only interested in hearing comments from people who have compared it against other players using the balanced outs on the DV-50.

My system components are as follows:

B&W N803's speakers & HTM-1 center
Cary Cinema 5 (5 x 200) amp
Anthem D1 Statement pre/pro
Esoteric DV 50
Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun speaker wire
Nirvana SX balanced interconnects from DV-50 to Anthem
Acoustic Zen Matrix reference II interconnects from D1 to Cary
No after market power cords or isolation equipment

My system sounds great! Those who comment please make sure to specify what specific improvements you heard over the DV 50 and what cdp were you comparing it against.

AVGURU
avguru
diw
33 posts
 
personally, I think the quality of multichannel sound is superior, if identical speakers are used. Just listen to the new Mercury SACD's and compare the 3 channel mix.

I assume you are right that there is no room for 5 channels of tubes , but I always thought a 5 channel ss mod would make sense.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
TBG, the great value of the shootouts is not so much in a hypothetical consensuality of the results, but in the activity itself, and the miriad of observations made during it. I find it perfectly acceptable that after the current round the team seems to be split over ModWright and APL, and that the performance of X-01 still ominously looms, with hypothesized superiority, even if not compared directly. We all accept the fact that we may be looking for subtly different things, as Steve Milin and Bonn can confirm, and as I pointed out in my pointer to the other X-01 thread. Nothing wrong with that: finding differnet truths from the same experience. Only if you were a logician you would find this objectionable, as in "ex falso sequitur quodlibet". Or in other words, one can reach any conclusions from false premises. But we are not logicians around here, or at least, I am not while I am listening to music. Apologies, by the way, I am a Texan as well, as I have resided here 6 wonderful years, minus 6 awful months of August, needless to say!
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,203 posts
 
Tbg, I respectfully disagree with you,one of the room
we use is Quintessense Audio, 15k tweak room.I pointed
that to Avguru.Only four people present.In a very
revealing system,17k Thor amp, 11k amp, Kubala Sosna
cabling.Sonus Faber Cremona.You cant ask for a better
set up than this.
Yes I agree 711 system, and room is not there yet, but
believe me, Its more than enought to tell you the
diferrence.We went to Mark1 house a well thought tube
system.The sony is again way much better than the DV50,
especially in SACD.Like I said AVguru heard the SonyMod
in my system,the result is even better, because my Sony
is synergising with my system. AVguru left in disbelief.
TBG, Like 711 said he drove to 2 hours, I drove many hours
for this shootout.
I will tell you Avguru,Me , and Mark, we are all unbiased,
we understand, the result will affect someones finances,
musical journey, in choosing the right cdp.I made that
clear to AVguru.I even borrowed My Sony to Mark1 for 2
days to make sure,He has plenty of time to hear it, and
get acclimated,and for the players to settle in.Again
the result is the same.Mark is is the process of looking
for a use DVP 999, to send to it Dan.I want to make this
thing clear.I am not on Dan payroll,he wont even give me
discount.
Tbg, we might go to Brian house,for one more Shootout.
My understanding, He also have a very good system.
To me shootout is very important you learn more about
the players, before to spend your hard earned dollars.
Enjoy the music.
Thank you to everyone who appreciate our effort to find
the truth.We hope that you read this thread very carefully,
It so easy to discern who is telling the Truth.
Again lets enjoy the music.
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Diw and Avguru, there are many reasons why DVD machines are used for mods instead of Stereo ones. First of all, it is not easy to find non DVD based Universal machine. Second, just the DVD based players offer data buffering which is one of the keys for the achieved performance with CD.

It is true that I am disabling the Video and MC capabilities of the 2900, but in the 3910 the Video is preserved and the MC can be preserved or optionally upgraded. There is no space in the 3910 for identical MC mod because I will need 3 tubes and 6 output transformers. As Avguru mentioned, the power supply, clock and some other upgrades improve the MC sound dramatically.

Regards,
Alex
mikannen
4 posts
 
Thank you Alex and Tbg

Alex, there is no doubt that yours is the most complete rework – indeed you
described it as “your own machine” in an earlier response. Because you replace the DAC board, yours is unique in providing its own remote control, volume attenuator and filters. For comparison purposes, I have stripped out the cost of this proprietary DAC board.

The point I was making was not about the price difference but the fact that the machines reflected their modders’ different approach and execution, SS versus tube, use of output coupling transformer, etc.

Tbg, I agree that shootouts have their limitations and the conclusions, if any, may not be free from biases. But we listeners have our listening biases too. Notwithstanding this, as a result of this widely followed thread and the listening sessions, potential buyers of the various machines now have a greater sense of how they pan out.

The VSAC sessions you mentioned featured John Tucker's, Dan Wright's, Alex Pachec's, and Allen Wright's mods. The praise for all the units that you heard at the end of that session may not have answered the question which is best – but at least you know the various machines are playing in the same league. So, why hasn’t anyone included RAM and Underwood into the listening comparisons?

Regards
More to discover