Comments on the Meridian 588 CD Player?

The 588 is bright with an odd mid-bass bump. Head-to-head (on a $60k reference system) the 508-24 beat the 588 hands down. I'm not sure if there was something wrong with the 588 because is sounded so different, not in a good way, to the other CD players on hand (Krell KPS-28, Levinson 39, 508-24). The unit was broken in but it never lost the etched, breathy sound or the bass resonance. On the other hand the 508-24 is a quite a nice sounding player with great dynamics, detail and tonal balance.

I haven't heard the 588 but heard that it was using a DVD drive mechanism rather than a cd version and read somewhere (audioasylum?) that even the Meridian reps were recommending the 508 over their new product.

What is the grousing about. I spent considerable time on AudioAsylum, and everyone seems to love the machine (other than the normal details of one machine among several was not perfect, then was fixed to be perfect.

The alternative is to spend $5k for Theta David II: I'll take the Meridian.

Another alternative is to spend $5K [LIST] on the Cary CD-306/200. You can find them for much less than $5K, new. I was considering the Meridian 588 but went with the Cary instead.

I find the 588 to be very similar to the 508.24 except the 588 seems to be a tad more open at the top end with maybe slightly better bass detail. It's an excellent machine and you can't go wrong with the 508.24 or the 588. If you get the right deal go with the 588. Try Audio Associates of Madison, Mississippi.