Accuphase Dp100/101 vs DCS elgar/verdi

I know it is not exactly what you are asking but I would go for the new models at Accuphase the DP 800 and DC801. I have owned pretty much all other pieces and I prefer these. You can also use the DG38 equalizer with them, offering good improvements for challenging rooms. I think the DP100/101 is by now quite old. The DCS sound is different and I never found it as engaging (I preferred EMM for example). But if you like it, pick up a used combo and you will not go wrong. The new super expensive scarlatti is all hype since if I am not mistaken the designers have all left DCS.

I have no ax to grind here, because although I was a satisfied dCS owner for years, I have moved on to the Esoteric P-03/D-03. But "the new super expensive Scarlatti is all hype since if I am not mistaken the designers have all left dCS"? C'mon, it's a great company, younger circuit and software designers move in all the time at any company, and until someone with a pair of good ears has sat down, listened carefully to the Scarlatti, and compared it to the top competing pieces, such comments are just totally unfair to a great company with a distinguished history and tremendous customer support.

I heard the Scarlatti compared to Analogue at HE 2007. It wasn't bad but CD was still CD. I prefered the Zanden on CD. Granted show conditions etc. etc. But for that much money I expected more. One CD player that did impress me was the Audiomeca. Not the price but the music wasn't bad. Not perfect though. Again, CD is CD. I don't care how much money you throw at it. Now SACD is a different story.

Mgottlieb I agree with you that one has to evaluate carefully. And thus I confirm that in my opinion these pieces are too hyped. When a manufacturer makes such amazing claims and has such a ticket, they attract attention and comments. That is not unfair. I also suspect that, if indeed true, the fact that the intellectual capital has left may be material to this firm. This is a company where most of the research was insourced and dependent on them. Other companies may be less closely linked to designers (I can name a few if you want in a private email) but this is not one of them. I suspect this might be the reason why one of the dealers I know internationally decided to dump them. To be clear, I never thought that DCS compared to the very best from Japan and elsewhere. I was lucky to have access to evaluate that in detail in comparisons in Tokyo in studios and at home. I was listening to the P01 2 years before it was introduced in the US and I always thought that DCS's claims about their transport being the best were silly. I guess I was right since they went with Esoteric a good 7-8 years later! This does not mean the products are not good but as I said earlier that the advertising is hyped.