Best single box cd player - any recommendations

rblnr

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May 3, 2010
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Haven't heard many of those mentioned above, but I second Jack's endorsement of the EERA Tentation. Best digital I've heard. Review forthcoming.
 

Emre Üçöz

Well-Known Member
Aug 1, 2011
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Istanbul
Thanks to everyone who contributed. I will try to make the auditions than I will get back and put my comments in here.
 

egidius

Member Sponsor
Feb 13, 2011
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And what about the new WADIA S7i ?

Emre,

I've just checked you have Soulution amplification. Maybe one of their players could outclass the competitors because of a synergy with the rest of your set-up...
I've heard wonderful things about the Burmester 069, owned by a friend of mine. Burmester is a brand I respect a lot. Honestly, I think that, at that level, the differences in digital front-ends should be really narrow...

Emre,

I get the impression, I might be late on your question, and might be in a wagon of PD-users ;-)
I personally use a Wadia S7i. This is the gear Wadia themselfs consider the top one box solution, that would be the direct answer to your question.

There is more to this: The S7i uses the Stream Unlimited transport, which is otherwise only used - correct me if I'm wrong - in the Soulution 740? I have heard Soulution amps but not their digital frontend, nevertheless I could imagin that Wadia could give some added texture to your amplification.
I myself use Berning ZOTL Pre and ZH230 with Berning, so I certainly can vouch for this effect.

Of course, only Redbook - I personally can easily discard SACD, however, the usb input is until further notice limited to 24/96! You might not hear the difference, but you hear it, when a high res FLAC file does not get read ;-)
I have complained to them, and they said its coming.
Still, in pure numbers, PD wins..

Not only would i recommend the Wadia, but more so the GNSC version. It is really good. I have no affiliation, so can easily say: Give them a call.
All the best to your search. Egidius
 

Emre Üçöz

Well-Known Member
Aug 1, 2011
161
1
925
Istanbul
Egidius,

No you're not late at all, wadia is present in Turkey I will also audition but currently S7i is not available. You are right in Soulution for redbook they are using Stream Unlimited transport this is Soulution 740 (w/o outboard power supply) and in 745 Esoteric VRDS Neo is used (with outboard power supply). I agree with you on SACD, whene I want to listen to a higher resolution I am listening to analog not SACD.
By the way I have just added Arcam rDac. It is a quite impressive liitle dac that I can highly recommend to everyone who has library in iTunes with Amarra or Pure Music.
 

zermatt

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2010
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wash dc
I would hold out on any purchases and wait for the new product now that will happen in October.

Jadis is the sound that I have found offers the best long term listening and they will be offering an update on the tubed processor and a new xport. Its called the Calliope. I have a pic of the unit, its very nice design.
 

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LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Hi Zermatt,

thanks for that...do you know what transport mechanism this uses? Philips pro perhaps? i have heard good things about older Jadis digital, and it has been some time (i think) since they have put forth a reference piece of digital. i do not have access to jadis, so i may have missed some more recent products...most of the ones i know about are 5+ years old at this stage. Any details about its DAC? thanks!
 

Emre Üçöz

Well-Known Member
Aug 1, 2011
161
1
925
Istanbul
I would hold out on any purchases and wait for the new product now that will happen in October.

Jadis is the sound that I have found offers the best long term listening and they will be offering an update on the tubed processor and a new xport. Its called the Calliope. I have a pic of the unit, its very nice design.

Thanks Zermatt, it seems very eye catching product, hopefully will do the same for our ears to.
 

zermatt

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2010
90
9
913
wash dc
lloydelee and all: The new Jadis x port is a top loader just like the JD1. It looks like its a using a Philips Pro but I do not have any details on that. I just sold my JD1 and JS1 and I had them for 14 years. My JS was highly modified by Music Technology. The new JS1 will have a USB connection the main digital board will remain utilize the 24/96 topology. Send me an email and I forward the picture of the xport if your interested.
 

egidius

Member Sponsor
Feb 13, 2011
430
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Well, in my second system i play a Bow technologies ZZ1 with a ZZ8, which I had recently upgraded with the new internal dac.
I forgot about it for two reasons
a) they've gone bust, even though they might come back (at least in name)
b) I use it so often, that i forget about it: This is a plain wonderful player, looks as nice as it sounds (compared it once to a ML390S, and kept the Bow..)
so happy hunting..
e
 

MarinJim

New Member
Feb 2, 2011
888
2
0
Emre,

I get the impression, I might be late on your question, and might be in a wagon of PD-users ;-)
I personally use a Wadia S7i. This is the gear Wadia themselfs consider the top one box solution, that would be the direct answer to your question.

There is more to this: The S7i uses the Stream Unlimited transport, which is otherwise only used - correct me if I'm wrong - in the Soulution 740? I have heard Soulution amps but not their digital frontend, nevertheless I could imagin that Wadia could give some added texture to your amplification.
I myself use Berning ZOTL Pre and ZH230 with Berning, so I certainly can vouch for this effect.

Of course, only Redbook - I personally can easily discard SACD, however, the usb input is until further notice limited to 24/96! You might not hear the difference, but you hear it, when a high res FLAC file does not get read ;-)
I have complained to them, and they said its coming.
Still, in pure numbers, PD wins..

Not only would i recommend the Wadia, but more so the GNSC version. It is really good. I have no affiliation, so can easily say: Give them a call.
All the best to your search. Egidius

+1. I had the Burmester 089, had access to the 069 for over 1 year. I sold the 089 and bought the Great Northern Sound Company Statement Wadia S7i. It has been a digital revelation to me. The S7i is more a digital center than CDP and the sound is awsome, and the best I have heard from digital.The Burmester 069 or 089, are very liquid and musical, but the S7i removes just a little more romantic mist. And even more important, is Steve Huntley the owner of GNSC. His customer service is world class.
 

Occam

[Industry Expert]
Dec 15, 2010
117
1
0
NYC
I've been following this thread, and been tempted to suggest the E.A.R. Acute III, which I own. But I've also heard in friends systems which I know quite well, both the Playback Design and Lindemann, and frankly, although I've not heard them in the same systems, I'd say they're the better CD players / DACs.
But I've recently been tube rolling in the EAR and settled on a Siemens PCC88 in the first filter position accepting signal from the internal dac chip, and Dutch Amperex 6dj8 for the buffer, output tube. All the stereotypes IMO, are spot on regarding the Siemens 'sound', resolving, spacious, extended... and not a bit of warmth. But changing the output buffer tube from an EH6922 to that Amperex has left me gobsmacked. For me, subjectively, this is the best digital I've heard.
Tim de Paravicini has done his customers a great favor by segregating the tubes by function and not by channel, and facilitating the use of both 6922/6dj8/ecc88 tubes as well as the far less dear 7dj8/pcc88 by powering the filaments via a constant current source.

FWIW,
Paul
 

MarinJim

New Member
Feb 2, 2011
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I've been following this thread, and been tempted to suggest the E.A.R. Acute III, which I own. But I've also heard in friends systems which I know quite well, both the Playback Design and Lindemann, and frankly, although I've not heard them in the same systems, I'd say they're the better CD players / DACs.
But I've recently been tube rolling in the EAR and settled on a Siemens PCC88 in the first filter position accepting signal from the internal dac chip, and Dutch Amperex 6dj8 for the buffer, output tube. All the stereotypes IMO, are spot on regarding the Siemens 'sound', resolving, spacious, extended... and not a bit of warmth. But changing the output buffer tube from an EH6922 to that Amperex has left me gobsmacked. For me, subjectively, this is the best digital I've heard.
Tim de Paravicini has done his customers a great favor by segregating the tubes by function and not by channel, and facilitating the use of both 6922/6dj8/ecc88 tubes as well as the far less dear 7dj8/pcc88 by powering the filaments via a constant current source.

FWIW,
Paul

As much as I fully respect Tim's E.A.R. gear, I prefer my tubes in my pre, not my source. But that is only my opinion.
 

Occam

[Industry Expert]
Dec 15, 2010
117
1
0
NYC
As much as I fully respect Tim's E.A.R. gear, I prefer my tubes in my pre, not my source. But that is only my opinion.

Fair 'nuff.
But for those with only digital sources ( the Acute has spdif, toslink, and USB inputs), the Acute incorporates a remote controlled motorized volume control and transformer coupled outputs, both single ended and balanced. Although I've not measured the output impedance, with this latest re-tubing, I much prefer the result without the intermediation of my CAT SL-1 preamp at all but the lowest of volumes. The net result, as I do listen to LPs, is a miserable exercise in re-tubing the CAT, and abandoning the belief that current production tubes are adequate for my needs...
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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As much as I fully respect Tim's E.A.R. gear, I prefer my tubes in my pre, not my source. But that is only my opinion.
I will say, i have compared my Zanden DAC to the Scarlatti full deck, Emm, Esoteric X01SE, and Wadia 7-series. The SCarlatti was the best of the lot in terms of delivering an effortless sound with seemingly everything in tact and organized. Zanden & Wadia next, then X-01 and Emm CDSA tied (imho). But i keep my Zanden because i enjoy the music more than with any of these...that said, i go thru tube pre but then into SS and ultimately into Wilsons...so i suppose one could say that once i have the signal from the Zanden/pre which i like...then from that point forward in the chain, i seek transparent-to-source equipment. In fact, contemplating Boulder 2060 amp over my Gryphon Antileon specifcally for this reason.
 

triode

Well-Known Member
Jul 20, 2010
12
0
348
Boca Raton, FL
Best single box player I've heard (and am now very happy to own) is the AMR CD-77.1. It has a very "analog" sound as most reviews have noted, along with great flexibility (6 filtering choices and isosynchronous USB input). Built like the proverbial tank, too.
 

egidius

Member Sponsor
Feb 13, 2011
430
5
923
Switzerland
search finished?

Hi Emre,

I recently wondered where your search has brought you.
On a more concrete note, I wonder how the two players with the Stream Unlimited transport compare:

Soulution 740 vs Wadia 7i?

If you care to share, thanks, Egidius
 

MarinJim

New Member
Feb 2, 2011
888
2
0
I will say, i have compared my Zanden DAC to the Scarlatti full deck, Emm, Esoteric X01SE, and Wadia 7-series. The SCarlatti was the best of the lot in terms of delivering an effortless sound with seemingly everything in tact and organized. Zanden & Wadia next, then X-01 and Emm CDSA tied (imho). But i keep my Zanden because i enjoy the music more than with any of these...that said, i go thru tube pre but then into SS and ultimately into Wilsons...so i suppose one could say that once i have the signal from the Zanden/pre which i like...then from that point forward in the chain, i seek transparent-to-source equipment. In fact, contemplating Boulder 2060 amp over my Gryphon Antileon specifcally for this reason.

You have excellent taste in gear, I must say. If you get the chance to listen, the Wadia S7i Statement from The Great Northern Sound Company, is a giant leap forward in sound quality. I also use a tube pre with SS amp (Concert Fidelity and Burmester).
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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So what happened to Emre? Is he still searching or is he now enjoying listening so much he's forgot to check in? :)
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,430
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You have excellent taste in gear, I must say. If you get the chance to listen, the Wadia S7i Statement from The Great Northern Sound Company, is a giant leap forward in sound quality. I also use a tube pre with SS amp (Concert Fidelity and Burmester).

Thanks, MarinJim. I have read a lot of very, very positive things about the GNSC mods for the Wadia high-end players. And by the way, nice equipment yourself!!! I have heard remarkable things about both those brands! I was just speaking with someone who runs Metronome Kalista Transport thru Concert Fidelity DAC. And he has heard virtually every big name i could think of...and he has settled (finally) on Concert Fidelity DAC, and now more recently i believe the pre as well.
 

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