Tube CD player?

Saki - as far as I can tell, you are the only person that has had transport problems with the Prima. I know several other Prima owners that haven't had any issues and mine is going on two years old, played everyday, and it hasn't ever missed a beat. You just had bad luck like anyone one else can have.

As for the Granite, I had the opposite experience. I have a local Granite dealer and wanted to like it but any way I tried it, it had poor transparency. The SS output was better but still a big step down from the Prima Mk2.

Maybe the Granite is overly sensitive to cables and my cables didn't work for it but in any case, I didn't like it. Goes to show, you have to try things for yourself and in your own system!

Arthur

hi arthur:

i have heard the granite player many times, but not in my own stereo system. i perceived high resolution and what i would call the modern tube sound. there was no lack of transparency. the other components were usually granite audio amps and preamp. it is possible that the cd player is "soft" in the treble.

at one time i was interested in auditioning the player. i called the company. i asked several questions and was told that the player was "neutral".

My very close friend, The Doctor (Mechans) and I were able to A/B my Granite 657 and his Audio Aero Prima in his system. We were able to run both players into his monoblock power amplifiers, though the solid state output of the 657 (same as the Granite 650) necessitated we use my Endler Attenuators to control the volume

The solid state output of the Granite has always sounded along the lines as what Albert has described. It's interesting to note how different we both heard the player overall, but that's often the nature of this hobby. I feel this sound is quite good - weighty, rich, full bodied. One of the better performing players out there in terms of the low frequencies, though bass is one area I feel SACD and vinyl trump CD hands down.

The AA Prima was definitively a step above this in sound; more clear, detailed, airy, open and spacious sounding. The bass took a step back. But, surely a lovely player, indeed.

We next tried the Granite 657's tube output. Again, the low frequencies were less full bodied than the solid state output. Overall, the sound was incredibly close to the AA Prima; we both felt the Granite beat the AA by a slim, though discernible margin.

I recommend both players emphatically, and a tremendous fan of both. I will say The Doctor's AA Prima transport gave up the ghost, and he bought a Granite 650 to hold him over until he finds a good deal on a used 657 or upgrades this unit to becoming a 657.

As I continue my "quest" for a new player, in the vain of a moderately priced cdp, has anyone done any comparison between the Raysonic gear and the likes of Jolida and the Njoe Tjoeb?

I have no experience with the Raysonic, but Wally of Underwood HiFi has recommended it to me as better than the Jolida CD-100 I bought from him. I have both the Jolida and the Ah Tjoeb 4000 with upsampler. They are very different machines. I have swapped them in and out of both my main systems several times. With my Modwright>Bel Canto M300s>Von Schweikert VR-4JRs the Jolida wins because it sounds less strident and more like music. With my smaller Creek 5350SE>Von Schweikert VR-1s/REL sub the Jolida wasn't detailed enough, was too soft, but the 4000 was shockingly life-like and musical! Go figure. You may have to try and experiment. I can't figure it out, but its fun!