As a dealer for Audio Aero, I will convey one customer's findings. He is a user here and if anyone would care to contact him directly, I will be happy to email you his information.
I had been telling Steve of my experiences with the Capitole vs. my dCS gear. He kept blowing me off when I told him I had a player that would be significantly better than his Levinson 30.6 & 31.5 reference digital system. Finally, I peaked his interest enough where he decided he would do a comparison between the products.
Within a 1/2 hour he was on the phone asking me how it was possible that the $6900 cd player could be that much better than his $27,000 reference digital setup. He was blown away and immediately put his Levinson gear up for sale. The differences he found were:
1. The Capitole had much better depth of stage
2. The Capitole was even quieter than his Levinson gear
3. The Capitole had greater detail while retaining much more musicality
4. The Capitole placed instruments and vocalists in a clearer, cleaner space.
This has happened countless times with all types of digital gear. I have a customer list which is incredibly long with people that dumped much more expensive equipment for the Capitole. I even have a friend and customer that sold his analog setup and his record collection after hearing the Capitole. He feels the Capitole, while not being as good as analog, was close enough where he no longer found himself playing records. He had a top notch analog setup and has never looked back.
The Audiomeca Mephisto is also in this league of players. I carry both players so my opinion as a dealer should be taken into consideration.
The Linn CD-12 is another top notch player and although I do not sell it, I recommend it as well. Another DAC that I have heard many raves about is the Chord DAC 64.
Good Luck with your decision.
I had been telling Steve of my experiences with the Capitole vs. my dCS gear. He kept blowing me off when I told him I had a player that would be significantly better than his Levinson 30.6 & 31.5 reference digital system. Finally, I peaked his interest enough where he decided he would do a comparison between the products.
Within a 1/2 hour he was on the phone asking me how it was possible that the $6900 cd player could be that much better than his $27,000 reference digital setup. He was blown away and immediately put his Levinson gear up for sale. The differences he found were:
1. The Capitole had much better depth of stage
2. The Capitole was even quieter than his Levinson gear
3. The Capitole had greater detail while retaining much more musicality
4. The Capitole placed instruments and vocalists in a clearer, cleaner space.
This has happened countless times with all types of digital gear. I have a customer list which is incredibly long with people that dumped much more expensive equipment for the Capitole. I even have a friend and customer that sold his analog setup and his record collection after hearing the Capitole. He feels the Capitole, while not being as good as analog, was close enough where he no longer found himself playing records. He had a top notch analog setup and has never looked back.
The Audiomeca Mephisto is also in this league of players. I carry both players so my opinion as a dealer should be taken into consideration.
The Linn CD-12 is another top notch player and although I do not sell it, I recommend it as well. Another DAC that I have heard many raves about is the Chord DAC 64.
Good Luck with your decision.