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Help on premium cd player

I've been playing around with separates (upsamplers, dacs, transports) seeking like many something that sounds right (like vinyl?). Lately been trying to find a good transport to work with my, largely used, collection of parts. Have now stepped back and realized that I'm already out $3-4,000 and still don't have what I'm looking for, and tired of the search. I want to listen to music. So switching tactics and looking for a really good player in the $3-5,000 range {used), then sell off my "inventory", rationalize cables and rack space and just enjoy (90% classical, jazz and vocals). My candidates, based on reviews and hours reading threads here and AudioAsylum, are

Accuphase dp 65x or 75
Audio Aero Capitole 24/92
Audiomecca Mephisto II
Electrocompaniet EMC-1 Mk2 24/92
Wadia 860x

As an old banker I get a warm feeling if the manufacturer isn't likely to disappear overnight. To those who suggest that I first audition and trust my ears, I agree 100% in theory, but it's not possible where I live.

Comments/recommendations from those who have owned more than one product or were otherwise able to directly compare two or more especially valued.

Oh, my equipment includes tube and transitor pres and amps so I'm flexible, not a zealot for either philosophy!

Many thanks in advance for your contribution. And apologies if this post is too long, just try to preclude questions rather than answers.
grandpad
snook2's avatar
snook2
627 posts
 
I am a big fan of the Aloia amps which to me are the biggest steal I have seen in awhile. Does the Aloia cd player also have the Inductive power supply and where did you make your purchase?
paulwp
585 posts
 
You're way off base Kelly. Audionut.com is in Glendale AZ. Sanibelsound is in Virginia. IMO, and this is not an assertion of fact, just an opinion, I find an interesting convergence of opinion with those expressed by sanibelsound, i.e., everything they sell seems to be the greatest thing audionut@webtv has ever heard. Maybe an affiliation, maybe just a "friend." Not the first time someone has said something carried by Sanibelsound is the world's greatest. They must have some real nice stuff.

Grandpa Doug, although I have never taken Kelly's (cfb)advice to reveal myself in the who are you thread, I have been listening carefully to hi-fi for a long time, and although I generally don't believe in spending a lot of money for hi-fi, I do get around some. I have a meridian 508.24, which is now discontinued. As for the cdps you listed, I like the Acccuphases and would concur with Kelly's ranking above except I wouldnt consider the Wadia at all. I have not heard the model you listed but there is the concern mentioned with the company's longetivity, and the earlier Wadia models I have spent some time with just sounded unnatural to me, to the extent that I couldnt figure out what they were trying to accomplish.

Paul (old enough to be a grandpa but we started late)
lakefrontroad
302 posts
 
Hi Audionut,

Given both your statements about the "world's greatest audio device" and your followup combined with your lack of registration here a Audiogon, I find your posts too mysterious for comfort. I gave up believing the in the tooth fairy and trusting authority blindly about fifty years ago.

If you want acceptance of your ideas in an open forum, try coming out of the closet and share where you buy from, where you're located and who you are. The rest of us do and allow others to judge our imput based on the content along with some assurance we're not scamming intellectually or economically.

In a vacuum, everything seems perfect.

Bill E.
danvetc
527 posts
 
Somethin' stinks here.
bwhite
807 posts
 
Interesting - if you look at audionuts other posts, you will find one entitled, "Hotrod your Hermes". Within that thread, you will notice that audionut is not listed as an author to any of the posts. But.. strangely enough, sanibelsound@msn.com is.

It's complicated to explain but - Audiogon's server places cookies on a computer when a user signs in. If a user signs in under two names, the server will try to issue a cookie for each user but can get confused as to which cookie should be used to "track" a user and log activity. In the case of the HotRod post, it could very easily be that the server didn't know which person sanibel or audionut was making the post - since "both" were logged in at the same time or two separate browser windows were open simultaneously.
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