I've heard the DV 50 in two systems. I think it does a fine job playing redbook. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to hear it up against another model of comparable or lower cost playing redbook. However, against a much more expensive DAC/Transport combination by the Swiss firm Ensemble, I did manage to get some impression about the nature of its sound.
The DV 50 is warmer and has a more prominent midbass than the Ensemble. Whether the leaner presentation of the Ensemble is a plus or minus would depend on taste and system balancing. The Ensemble was also much more articulate, dynamic and detailed -- the DV 50 sounding a bit muddled by comparison. The Ensemble also had a much more open and airy top end. The more incisive attack of the note on the Ensemble did give it a bit more sibilant and mechanical sound, so my personal ideal would fall somewhere between the two players.
I personally gave away the Sony SCD-1 player I had for four years in favor of a CD-only player that does a MUCH better job with redbook (Naim CDS 3). There was not enough SACD material out there to interest me and the superiority of my current machine on redbook versus the SCD-1 swamped the difference between SACD and CD on the Sony. I may some day be back into some "hi-rez" format in the future when more software is available and the technology is further refined.
The DV 50 is warmer and has a more prominent midbass than the Ensemble. Whether the leaner presentation of the Ensemble is a plus or minus would depend on taste and system balancing. The Ensemble was also much more articulate, dynamic and detailed -- the DV 50 sounding a bit muddled by comparison. The Ensemble also had a much more open and airy top end. The more incisive attack of the note on the Ensemble did give it a bit more sibilant and mechanical sound, so my personal ideal would fall somewhere between the two players.
I personally gave away the Sony SCD-1 player I had for four years in favor of a CD-only player that does a MUCH better job with redbook (Naim CDS 3). There was not enough SACD material out there to interest me and the superiority of my current machine on redbook versus the SCD-1 swamped the difference between SACD and CD on the Sony. I may some day be back into some "hi-rez" format in the future when more software is available and the technology is further refined.