Audio Aero Capitole MK II: Performance & Problems

Wow, I just read through this thread... I'm pretty blown away by the number of complications of the cap2. I mean, DAMN! It's almost 9 BIG ONES!! I have been looking for a tubed cd player now for over a month, and had the cap2 on my short list. But the price was just too high. I thought of maybe getting the prima, but decided instead to go used, with a BAT VK-D5SE. That way, if there are any problems with the unit, I don't have to ship it half way across the country and pray that I get someone who answers the phone in English!

Reliability is a big deal, as is service. Victor at BAT has been nothing short of exemplary...

This just in....last evening I had a friend stop over with his new capitole II and we did a burned in unit(mine) vs. fresh new unit(his) shoot out, very noticeable differences but what shocked me the most was the volume display. I have the new chip and have not experienced any of the concerns about tracking and such, how ever my units volume display is merely bars, and his unit has bars and numbers below it! Though his unit still has selectable phase.....hmmmm, not better not worse just different- break in is an amazing thing with this player.

FWIW I am so enamoured with the sound of this unit I have not even tried to hook my DVD player up! to hell with movies I want the stereo only!! If I didn't have 200 dvd's I would sell my projector and buy new speaker cables and be happy as can be..... one day I will want to watch a movie again, so I will keep you helpful folks posted if I run into any further issues.

TG >>how ever my units volume display is merely bars, and his unit has bars and numbers below it! <<

Can you elaboate ?.. numbers like volume db? .. I just got my replacement unit last week with new chip and did not notice numbers.. only volume bars and track and time info

What do you mean selectable Phase, the 0 and 180, I have had that on both player I had, I would be curious if on your version it no longer is there ?

I did find the old and new unit that I have were totally stable with no code issue, reads the CDRs I throw at it and selects the tracks I want..

But the break in process is a killer !

With my friends player which is allegedly the same exact unit as the one I have, his displays(I only saw it for a few quick minutes and that was a few days ago and a lot has happened since so I may be slightly inaccurate with what I recall- though not to far off) the bars and below it is read something along the lines of '-36dB' etc... in that wackey horrible looking numbers the capitole produces on its display, and I heard there is another update available offering the volume display change and no phase switchablility- I believe it is automatic- I know Badwisdom made the remarks with the update in a thread some where how ever I am unable to find it at the moment. But his player does have the volume display update but not the phase update; weird French electronics! Hope that clears the fog up! it was really appearant because we had the two units right next to one another and(the same remote worked both) when the volume would be adjusted the change was very obvious- any better or worse, I dunno just different. FWIW I listen to my unit with the display shut off about 90% of the time any way so no big deal ;)

The numbers and bars are displayed (dbr from -100 to 0) on units with the P3 chip installed. How do I know, I'm the guy that does the service for Audio Aero. The phase switch still works with the P3 software and you get 4 levels of display dimming. The P3 also fixes a few of the transport reading problems. The original chips were programmed outside Audio Aero's factory (Pre-P3) and now in house programming should take care of any problems as needed.