For New Retail under $3000, the Theta Miles is an excellent product. Get HDCD and AES/EBU outputs |
As you're interested in Krell, why not go for the KPS20i as it is being offered on audiogon at the moment. They don't come along too often, but I think there are now three different units up for sale within your price range.
Don't get too uptight with all the hoopla about recent developments in digital audio, or whatever else the manufacturers of the so called upsampling devices would have you believe. This mid 90's machine will happily do a 7.056 kHz sampling frequency and 24 bit accuracy (by employing a DSP-based proprietary 16x oversampling digital filter), that will show these pretenders a clean pair of heels in the resolution department. It also has the Philips CDM9 Pro transport mechanism configured for toploading (using a very cool disc clamp, not to mention the fact that the disc is bathed in green light), fully balanced digital circuitry with two Burr Brown PCM63K converter chips per channel and a discrete balanced analogue output stage (not an IC or op-amp in sight). As for construction, there's no plastic within a mile of this machine!
But forget about all that high technology and solidity of construction. The PERFORMANCE of this player will bring you as close to the feeling of "being there" with the musician as you have any right to expect.
I've purchased mine about a month ago and I'm convinced it's the best audio decision I ever made.
cheers,
hans |
IMHO, my choice would be Cary 303 ($3000) or Cary 306 ($5000). You can find either of these new for far less than list prices shown and both are awesome and musical.
I auditioned Levinson No.39 and although its a nice player it didn't do it for me. Besides, the No.39 digital internals are a bit dated so thats why Levinson finally came out with the No.390s to replace the original No.39. You'll see more No.39 players showing up on the secondary market and prices should start to soften slightly if you're looking for one. |
I have the MUSE 9 signature and I think with a little discount you vill get it for 3500 new,It had the ´most fantastic sound i have ever heard from a`CDP and it beat Wadia 860x in my system and its in the same league as the Ayre DVD-1 at 9000$. And as bonus you can play DVDs and 24.96 DADs. |
thanks for all of the input but I want to spend $2500- 3500 on a new player . but what is the deal with the bow tech wizard vs the zz8? |
I'd say Sim Audio Eclipse. I really love mine, and you can't beat the value of the Canadian dollar! ...If I had to pick something else I'd up my budget and get an Accuphase DP75v. If used is where you're looking then that Levinson 39 certainly isn't any slouch for the $. |
i agree with jman, the bow zz8 is the best 1 box player ive found so far, plus its fun to load cd like you would a turntable |
I would concur with the Bow ZZ-Eight. I borrowed one from a friend for a week and it was hard to give it back. I have heard the Levinson, but neither the Cary nor the Goldmund. The Levinson was good as I remember. Very detailed, rather than musical. I didn't fall in love with it, probably for that reason. |
I would go with a used Bow Tech ZZ8, great build and sound,
had mine for about a month so far and no regrets. |
A pre-owned Goldmund 39 DA++ will satisfy virtually all cognoscenti of high-end audio. You'll be astonished at how vividly the mid frequencies are portrayed -- as well as delineated. Distinctly demarcated voices and instruments add yet to the overall sonic beauty of this top-loading player. |
The best player you can get for that price is a used Mark Levinson 39 It retails for 6,000 and you can pick one up for 3,000 to 3,500 and it will blow anything you can buy for new retail in your price range away. It rivals the best cd players on the planet. It is also designed with an anologe volume control so you can run directly to your amplifier to make for a simple but awesome sounding system. If you can listen to one I would. It has been in stereophiles class A since it has come out. It also won best cd player of 2001 and they started making it in 1997. Good Luck |
MY system is as follow bryston sp1 ,aragon 8008 , bryston 6bst , sony dvd 9000es, b&w nautlius 802's, htm1 and n805's with a asw 2500 . with audioquest and bryston interconnects and caldera speakers cables for the main. I would appreciate any and all help. thanks |
Absolutely. I won't ask the usual questions about your gear or music tastes. I will only state that I highly recommend you audition the Cary 303 (or 306 if you want to spend a little more). It is HDCD compatible and is fabulous on all types of music (large and small scale classical and jazz, pop, rock, etc., etc). I listened to a lot of players (unfortunately, the Krell was not one of them), and the only thing that I heard that beat the Cary was the Linn Sondek, at $20,000. Best purchase I have made in audio gear.
Good luck and have fun! |
