Audio Aero Capitole vs. Audiomeca Mphisto II


Have you compared these two?
mrgigi

Showing 5 responses by bwhite

Stewart is absolutely correct.

The new Audio Aero Prestige CD/DVD/SACD player is silver - quite a departure from the black/gold of their other gear. It is pictured on this page - follow the link below:

http://www.osbornloudspeakers.com.au/audaero/mainpage.html
Most top CD players will play all the notes - you will hear all there is to hear. But - it is the way the notes are played which truly separates a fine CD player from just any mass produced upsampling digital device.

To some people, CD players are CD players they don't hear a difference. To other people there is character, whether it be slam, detail, "analog like" that makes a CD player stand out above the rest.

But to a few of us it is the feeling in our soul when music just sounds right. It is a feeling that comes mostly at the deepest levels of listening - where the others (those who cannot tell) fear to tread or rarely go. It's the heartbeat of our passion and the conveyance of the magic we seek. It's the synergy between each note - the way you can taste it and the way it caresses you as you close your eyes and imagine.

The Audio Aero plays all the notes and it sounds right but the Mephisto takes a listener to a whole new level of appreciation.
Gregm & Pgleekel -

The Mephisto is good in all types of music but I have found will sound better with certain power cords and interconnects. Currently I use Audio Note AN-Vz interconnects and a NBS Statement power cord. This combo produces the most realistic sound I have heard from a player thus far. The NBS gives a weight and power to the music - intense dynamics and speed - the Audio Note seems to collapse the soundstage a little - tightens up the blur of the players - and shows you a realistic life like presentation. The combo is stunning.

When used with a Shunyata King Cobra, and Stealth PGS interconnects, I found the Mephisto to make almost any kind of music sound like something you might hear in a coffee shop. In this configuration it has a way of making blood chilling heavy metal music sound like something from Barry Manalow - I am kidding of course but if you try the combo, you'll know what I mean.

Anything in-between will adjust the Mephisto to suit your tastes.

The Audio Aero has received great accolades recently. While it is a great player - I think the number one advantage is the remote volume output. I am not a huge fan of digital preamplification so I personally do not see this feature as an advantage. A good preamp is the cornerstone of a good system. To do without is fine but - there is something lost in the musicality of it all.

The AA and the Mephisto both use the same DAC and therefore have similar character however I was not able to get to deeper levels of listening with the AA as easily as I was with the Mephisto. Perhaps the Mephisto is a bit more seductive in the way it plays.

The only annoying thing about the Mephisto is its high pitch noise it makes after you shut it off and turn it back on. This noise goes away after a while but with sensitive equipment - can be noticable for a few hours. To avoid this, always leave the Mephisto turned on.

Either way you cannot go wrong with these players however my preference leans toward the Mephisto.
Hi Ernie - the EMC-1 MkII is also a fantastic player and much like the Audio Aero in the sense that it sounds right. But compared to the Mephisto doesn't seduce you to listen deeper. The EMC-1 MkII is among the top players available and I must say it too sounded better than my Marantz SA-1.

The trouble I had with the Marantz was that it just seemed so electronic.

The EMC-1 approaches an "analog like" sound quality but truly has a way to go before the "like" can be removed from that comment. I found it had more slam than the AA & AM and has a way of making rock music sound great right out of the box. Compared to other players - the EMC-1 still has a hint of an electronic voice but is capable of producing an organic sound when coupled with the right set of interconnects and a good power cord.

The EMC-1 put me in a party mood.
Hi Pgleekel - The Stealth PGS is very "dull" sounding and the antithesis of dynamic - it has an organic quality and loads of inner detail which make it sound wonderful in certain systems.

Cardas Golden Reference is a punchy - cable. While it can sound "warm" when used between rich sounding components, it is a good cable and might by an excellent match for your system. The only way to know is to try it out.

I usually like to use fine and delicate sounding interconnects between the CD player and the Preamp followed by a more robust cable between the pre and power amp. I find this preserves the low level signal from the CD player.

Why dont you email me off line and let me know what your system configuration is - then I can make a suggestion or two.

Bryan