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Musical Fidelity A5.5 CD vs X-Ray V3, and related

I currently have a Musical Fidelity X-Ray V3 CD player + X-DAC V3 + X-10 V3 Tube Buffer + X-PSU power supply running through X-150 Amp to Focal JM Labs Chorus 714 speakers.

I'm upgrading the amp to a MF A5.5, and upgrading the speakers to JM Labs 928.

Question is - is it likely worthwhile to upgrade the X-Ray V3/X-DAC/X-V10 to the MF A5.5CD player, or is there going to be negligible difference between the A5.5 and the existing X-Ray set-up?

If anyone has experience of comparisons, I'd be grateful.

Also interested to know of any other recommendations for CD players in similar price range to MF A5.5 that may better the X-Ray/X-DAC.

Anyone have experience yet with the Naim HDX CD/Hard disk player?

Thanks.
kwnyc
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
It looks like the A5.5 has the same crappy Phillips transport. They are very bad and the break down percentage is very large. I had the kW SACD and not only did the transport break down, but when it came back from factory repair, it still was broken. I also spoke with many MF CD owners and way too many had transport problems (even if they work, they are noisy and don't read way too many CD's). MF has finally responded to their drive problems with the A1008. Not sure why they haven't scrapped the poor drives altogether.

I strongly keeping away from these poor transports.
kwnyc OP
11 posts
 
Cerrot - interesting, thanks. I have not had problems with the MF X-Ray however.

Hmmm... I wonder if another upgrade path may be to find a new transport to use with the existing X-DAC?
klaudio
113 posts
 
I have had three different MF players with the
Phillips transport and never had a load or reading problem.
All have been very reliable.
alextychkin
87 posts
 
Same here: I've had 3 different yet older MF CDP's (and still using the CD-308). Never a problem, and I play music about 8 hours a day!
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