Digital Connundrum - Levinson? Audio Aero?

Check out the CES exhibitors....the Audio Aero Capitole Mk II always used by many to showcase their gear...This is a clear indication,I believe.

I have heard both the 390S and the AAC mkII in my system.
Both are very good players, but de Levinson was in our ears dull. It did all things right, but we just sat and listened and looked to each other and came both to the samen conclusion, it was not "making music". The AAC did made music!! Lot's of it!! It even seemed to be pooring to much of the same "soundjuice" (a very nice juice, but also present nevertheless). At the end we choose the Audio Meca mepihsto II.x. We think it has a the good qualities of both players

well, call me crazy, impulsive (maybe even foolish), but I did it. I traded in the ML 390S for an "Audio Aero Capitole MK II Special Edition." Time will tell, but im looking forward to this change.

Bottom line is I got a really really good price on a new one, and a very nice trade allowance, so im kind of protected in case I decide I dont want it. More to come.....

Congrats and enjoy. I'll look forward to comparing notes.

The Audio Aero Cpitole MK II, SE version is here. still breaking in, which Im told the SE version takes many many hours to do.

Already it sounds MUCH MUCH MUCH more natural than the fully broken in Levinson. Less forward with a deeper soundstage, though perhaps less wide. Less Hi-fi gimmeckry wherin notes on the ML occasionally sounded so solid because they were a bit "etched," on the AA, each note just plum sounds "right," definitely less exciting but more believable and ultimately far less fatiguing. I've been tuning my room, spending $$$ on cables, rolling tubes on my preamp and amp like a mofo to try to eliminate a residual bite from tmy system, and this CDP was what i needed all along. Should have done this a long time ago!

I will be able to say more once fully broken in, but right off the bat, I made a wise decision here. Oh what fun!