DAC Accustics Art - Ayon CD5S - AMR DAP 777

Audiofun, thanks for posting a very enjoyable review, and as a CD-5s owner, I also agree with your comments.

Gunsur, here is a list of improvements in the CD-5s over the previous model CD-5 -

- improved Japanese analogue volume control
- new preamp design
- improved tube output stage
- 24/192 asynchronous USB input
- further refined power supplies
- 2 x Mundorf Supreme Silver/Gold/oil caps
- xlr input
- "true analogue in"
- 0/180° phase toggle
- Normal/direct to amp toggle

Cheers,
MG

Audiofun, agreed! I wonder how the CD-5s compares to the Reimyo CDP-777? Perhaps Pani can chime in as he's owned a Reimyo..

DH, Ayon recently upgraded the spec of the USB board to 24/192. All new CD-5s models sold now come out in that spec. I believe Ayon are also working on an upgrade board for earlier spec CD-5/5s owners which they hope to release in the near future.

Hi DH, that's the only *recent change to their reference player, the above mentioned improvements all came in when the CD-5s was released. I'm skipping the update as well as I don't have any desire to connect sources via USB at this point.

DH, d'oh re: the tubes. i'm keeping my CD-5s as source/dac for the next 12 months, then plan to upgrade to the (yet to be released) Vitus SCD-025.

Thanks for your feedback, I suspected the Reimyo was a killer, as it should be for the coin! It used the best transport ever made. DH, the upcoming Vitus SCD-025 will be all-solid state as with all other Vitus players & will be a highly optimized/refined version of the SCD-010. Although not tubed, Vitus players sound like tubes in the way they sound warm, liquid & very analogue sounding. I would humbly expect it to exceed the mighty CDP-777.

Essential, the CDP-777 was the complete package with a superb transport, extended K2 processing, special Kitamura Kiden power supplies and Harmonix isolation. If I didn't need a preamp when I was buying my cdp, the Reimyo would have been top of my list. The CD-5s with upgraded tubes & op amps is very nice. I feel there are benefits to the Ayon's tube output stage, but the Reimyo definitely has superior processing and a superior transport. I wouldn't touch AMR as I don't trust Chinese-made gear.