Aqua 'La Diva' ($9k) or Gryphon 'Ethos' ($39k) versus. Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T ($3k)?
What sensible rationale is there for buying either of the two above-mentioned VERY COSTLY CD spinners (Aqua ’La Diva,’ a CD-only transport, and the Gryphon ’Ethos,’ a CD player with built-in DAC) when we can get the same pure Red-Book CD digital output from the Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T for FAR less money?
What is a potential buyer getting for their significantly increased expenditure other than fancy packaging and possibly a boost to their egos from ownership of a prestige brand-name item? The one component (and a crucially-significant one at that) which all three of these products have in common is the new Philips-based Stream Unlimited CD Pro 8 CD player mechanism. Aside than that, what one appears to get with the two far-higher-priced components is little more than pure window-dressing, not substantive gains in performance over the CD Box RS2 T.
It is little wonder that one reviewer of the RS2 T thinks of it as nothing less than a "giant killer," in that it makes it nearly impossible for any level-headed purchaser, even one with the means to spend lavishly, to rationalize spending thousands of dollars more on these two competing products (or on others like them) when one can get the same sonic results (which from most reports are splendid) from the humble little CD Box.
Any thoughts? Do we audiophiles finally have good reason to come to our buying senses? To me, Pro-Ject Audio Systems may have struck a true winning vein with their CD Box when prospecting for gold.
Yes, my assessment as well. I'm just happy to let others know that the Pro-Ject RS2T is simply excellent on sonic grounds and affordable for many. Charles |
Yes, agreed, Charles - the photo nonoise has posted on Page 2 of this thread on 01/05/’22 shows the newer AA transport. Perhaps earlier-on he’d posted an image of the older AA machine, perhaps the one acresverde saw, and then later on realized he’d made a mistake and edited/replaced it. According to AA’s website, both CD transports are shown as presumably still available, but the older version, the Drive I, has the obsolete, no-longer-manufactured CD laser transport mechanism, which is also a tray-loader. It looks like AA went for a complete redesign effort when they decided to employ the newest CD laser-reading mechanism, since it called for a major re-think of all the components serving it. The AA Drive II is one hefty chunk of machinery weighing in at > 40 lbs! What I find rather odd about the AA Drive II is that it offers only one Toslink Optical and one COAX digital output. Even the humble Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T has an AES/EBU and an i2s port. My guess is the engineers at Accustic Arts must have decided that a good, well-designed COAX digital out is all one really needs; the Toslink optical output strikes me as a concession to older technology. Does anyone today take optical digital transmission seriously? |
@nonoise My bad. I was looking into this transport (the AA) two or three months ago and I swear they had the Ref II cd drive in the livery of their previous style they've been selling for years. But the entry level Drive 1 sported the new cosmetics as you pictured. Back to the website today and now both versions sport the new cosmetics. Sorry for the misinfo. Sadly, there is no scenario where I can see myself being able to pull off owning this kit, though. Even the AQUA La Diva would be a major stretch. |
@acresverde, I hear you. All the best, |
