Wadia 861 vs. Gamut CD1r vs Sonic Frontiers T3/P3

cross the Gamut off your list- I demo'd it extensively- extrememly light in the bass. Highs were clean and clear, but thats' about it IMHO. What is your price point? I am loving my Spectral SDR3000 transport, and there are a couple for sale right now on the 'gon. Paired with an Audio Note dac level 3 or above and you're in for a treat...

The Wadia is overall better than the Gamut and more than twice the price. The Wadia has a very convincing sound without any digital edge whatsoever. It is the best all-in one player that I have heard. Close to analog, but lacks that last bit of life, energy and air, that only a good moving coil can produce.

The Gamut which I have in my system has the same lack of digital edge like the Wadia with a balanced sound; treble energy matches bass energy. Soundstaging is also excellent (better than most cdps), but not like the Wadia.

I have not heard the Sonic Frontiers so I cannot comment on that player.

I second "SUTTS" re the Gamut and "ULTRAKAZ" re the Wadia!!
Good luck!

Ultrakaz-Is your Gamut the newer CD1R?

I'd also be interested hearing from anyone that's compared
the 861 to the 301.

Thanks.

My Gamut is the original. I read in a post at the Digital Asylum from the designer of the Gamut, he wrote that the "revised" CD1R has an improved power supply. And that this improvement affects the midrange not bass. I had a number of audiophile friends over to listen to the CD1 and none of them thought that the bass was lacking. Again, the strengths of this player are balance (no bass or treble boost), lack of digital edge, and soundstaging. All of which the Wadia does equally well or better, but at more than twice the cost.