Don't know your budget, but feel the Linn Ikemi is a great player for the money. Their CD12 is among the best available, but at least 11K on the used market.
Is there anything to match a Naim CDSII?
I'm currently building a system and whilst I've settled on Dynavector amplification and Royd speakers I'm still getting grief over choosing the right CDP.
The CDSII is the best CDP I've heard in my system, but because the price is so high I'm wary of buying it only to find something better to lie unauditioned or come along a month later.
What I like about the CDSII is how truthful it sounds. Textures are extremely clean and natural, rhythmns are pin sharp, quiet acoustic music sounds delicate and soothing (although acoustic guitars lose none of their natural snap) and metal/hard rock is explosive. All the other players I've heard in a similar league seem to have a rather artificial sound that distracts from rather than enhances the music.
As competition to the CDSII I was thinking of the forthcoming Resolution Audio CD56 (i don't now anything other than the positive reviews of the CD55) and the Sony 777ES hot rodded by Audiocom. Can anyone give me some advice? It'd be much appreciated.
As a reference, here are some of the things I've crossed off the shortlist:
Accuphase DP75v - Very liquid, "pretty" sound, but the more I listened the more vague and uninvolving it sounded.
Mark Levinson 390S - A lot of impact, detail and colour, but over time it sounded OTT and a little bloated. "Larger than life," but not in a good way.
Musical Fidelity NuVista - Zzzzz. A rather weedy limp, hyperdetailed sounding player.
Wadia 301 - Appalling. Warm, smooth, detailed and narcoleptic.
Chord Dac64/Audionet tranport - Great presence and timbre, but rather synthetic sounding and a bit on the dark side. Quite grainy too.
The CDSII is the best CDP I've heard in my system, but because the price is so high I'm wary of buying it only to find something better to lie unauditioned or come along a month later.
What I like about the CDSII is how truthful it sounds. Textures are extremely clean and natural, rhythmns are pin sharp, quiet acoustic music sounds delicate and soothing (although acoustic guitars lose none of their natural snap) and metal/hard rock is explosive. All the other players I've heard in a similar league seem to have a rather artificial sound that distracts from rather than enhances the music.
As competition to the CDSII I was thinking of the forthcoming Resolution Audio CD56 (i don't now anything other than the positive reviews of the CD55) and the Sony 777ES hot rodded by Audiocom. Can anyone give me some advice? It'd be much appreciated.
As a reference, here are some of the things I've crossed off the shortlist:
Accuphase DP75v - Very liquid, "pretty" sound, but the more I listened the more vague and uninvolving it sounded.
Mark Levinson 390S - A lot of impact, detail and colour, but over time it sounded OTT and a little bloated. "Larger than life," but not in a good way.
Musical Fidelity NuVista - Zzzzz. A rather weedy limp, hyperdetailed sounding player.
Wadia 301 - Appalling. Warm, smooth, detailed and narcoleptic.
Chord Dac64/Audionet tranport - Great presence and timbre, but rather synthetic sounding and a bit on the dark side. Quite grainy too.