I paired at home, during a holiday week, a Classé CDP10 with a Plinius 8200P and Van Alstine 350Ex poweramps, Van Asltine transcendence7 preamp and Dynaudio 1.3SE speakers.
I compared it A-B-C with my Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 with 24/192 upsampler and Siemens tubes, and with a Rega Planet 2000.
The Classé has a superb bass, detail and soundstage, but highs are too laid back and mids seem to be lost. Boring for me. It seems that they look for zero digital harshness cuting the top end. I also hate digital sibilance, but for me this way is lifeless.
The Rega Planet 2000 is the most musical CDP I have heard, but loses in detail, bass and soundstage. Maybe the Jupiter solves this, I didn´t listen it.
To my taste, the best in general was the Ah! Great bass and detail, maybe loses some soundstage with the Classé, but wins by far in musicality and mid to top end resolution. I can´t explain better.
About Ikemi and Meridian 588 they are said to be too polite.
I also own a Electrocompaniet ECM1UP and all I can say is ... wow! Detail, bass, soundstage, musical ... almost a turntable.
The Wadia 861 is very good, but also more expensive.
Hope this helps.
I compared it A-B-C with my Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 with 24/192 upsampler and Siemens tubes, and with a Rega Planet 2000.
The Classé has a superb bass, detail and soundstage, but highs are too laid back and mids seem to be lost. Boring for me. It seems that they look for zero digital harshness cuting the top end. I also hate digital sibilance, but for me this way is lifeless.
The Rega Planet 2000 is the most musical CDP I have heard, but loses in detail, bass and soundstage. Maybe the Jupiter solves this, I didn´t listen it.
To my taste, the best in general was the Ah! Great bass and detail, maybe loses some soundstage with the Classé, but wins by far in musicality and mid to top end resolution. I can´t explain better.
About Ikemi and Meridian 588 they are said to be too polite.
I also own a Electrocompaniet ECM1UP and all I can say is ... wow! Detail, bass, soundstage, musical ... almost a turntable.
The Wadia 861 is very good, but also more expensive.
Hope this helps.