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A headache of choice over CD player

For a budget of between US$5,000 and 7,000, what would you choose of these options - Wadia 381, McIntosh MCD500, Ayre C-5xeMP and Esoteric X-03? Any other suggestions?

I play CDs 99% of the time, not SACD. Just two-channel.

I currently use a Bluenote Stibbert 2007 (improved) and am looking to it step up. I like a big, bold, punchy and transparent sound (if that's not asking for too much!).

I use a McIntosh C220 pre and MC402 power amp, driving Magnepan 1.6 speakers. All cabling, balanced, is MIT CVT Terminator 2.

I'm getting the Wadia home for a demo next week, and can also arrange for the Ayre. The Esoteric will be avaible for home demo next month. But not the McIntosh, which I have to buy "blind", although Mac owners assure me it is the right choice ... :)
bassraptor
smw30yahoocom
154 posts
 
I just got back from Seattle after listening to CD players for 2 days. I listened to the Meridian 808.2, the McIntosh 301 and the MCD500, Audio Research CD8 and dac7, Ayre 5XE ad AyeQB9, Linn Klimax DS, new Naim dac, and Sim Audio 750D and Sim 300D digital to analog converter with various speakers. Surprising, I liked the Sim Audio 300D da converter best. Part of the appeal was that is is only $1600, a huge bargain when compared to the others, but I thought it also had one of the best sounds of all the players I listened to. It was hooked up to 2 different speaker systems, the Dynaudio DM 2/7 and then the Avalon Opus Ceramiques. The bass was deep without being overpowering, smooth, rich, full and detailed. I loved it in both systems. They had it connected to a Wadia 170i transport with an Ipod playing the music. I fully expected to like the McIntosh MCD500 or the Naim dac best, but this da converter completely held it's own. I didn't especially like the Naim dac, it was too thin, actually a tad bright, it just wasn't musical enough for me. This wasn't a controlled environment, I only had 2 days so I just used my ears. Sandra
shoegazer
22 posts
 
of the four I would do the Wadia 381...uou could always add digital inputs as well.
bassraptor OP
64 posts
 
Ok, I picked up the Wadia 381i a day ago, still needs to be run in, but here are initial impressions. I reset the internal switches to maximum gain, ie, 4V.

Plugged into my C220 preamp, it was a hard choice, I felt the Bluenote Stibbert was giving nothing away to the Wadia, that's how good the older player still is. Dynamics, detail, slam, it was toe-to-toe, eye-to-eye ... the Wadia did have a wider stage, though.

Then I plugged the Wadia directly into the MC402 power amp ... now that made a difference. Like it was a whole new system!

Need to do more listening in both configurations ...
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