MHZS 66F vs 88F CD players

Here's a review of them both.
You will need to scroll through but both are compared plus they offer some mod options

http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Digital.html

I used to own a 66e. It sounded nice, but don't use it anymore due to transport reliabilty issues.

I think you can find some pictures of the "custom" DAC used in these machines....it turns out to be a $1 cheapo BB unit that they cover up with a fancy little cover....there are pics where you can see the cover being removed and the cheapo DAC exposed. Buy at own risk.

Here is what the dealer told me:

...the 66F uses 7824 chips, and the 88F uses 7842 chips.

I am not sure whether these are different chips from those criticised by Lampizator, and whether thay are good or not.

Apparently the CAPS and the transport are fake as well.....The CAPS are not real and the transport is not the Sony they say it is. Now this is all hearsay from what I have read, but someone going to this extremes to pull the wool over on you for a product should speak for itself, regardless of how it may sound you are probably paying the $800 or so for a unit that is more likely worth $100. To each is own, just trying to pass on the information I have read about. Good luck!

I bought an 88 player about a year ago and after reading some of the negative posting thought I had probably bought a lemon.
I have owned this unit for about a year and have had no
problems.I think it is a very nice sounding unit.Replacing the stock tubes helped a lot.

Actually, Lampizator, who exposed the use of the cheap DAC in the 66, described the build quality and internal layout as "fantastic" and the sound was well worth the price. "would be a 10/10 to people who don't know any better". A left-handed compliment to be sure, but still high praise coming from a person who is claiming the company is perpetrating a fraud. Additionally, later in the article, he talks about an upgraded 88 with a new DAC.

Read for yourself. Not that his opinion means anything to you, but when you hear these horror stories, you should see for yourself where they're coming from.

http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/REFERENCES/MHZS/MHZS_CD66F.html

I owned the 33 and 88 'E' models. I thought they were pretty well built, certainly stout (some of the heaviest players I've had -lots of thick metal), no mech issues ever. Of course, I did not have them for more then a few months each. The buttons on the 88 sort of stuck the first time you pushed them and I thought the sensor-by-wire was a bit hokey on the top loading cover.

Build quality is not first rate but on par with better then average Chi-Fi. Sound quality of the two were both equal to or above price range IMO. The 33 really had a gutsy sound, great for rock. At the prices they're going for on agon, they are very good deals on decent players. The 66 seems to be the player in the sweet spot with many positive price/performance raves, some saying it is a very, very good player.

Call Joe at pacific valve -- knowledgeable and fairly personable guy.

Take that Lampizator stuff and the fake part cries with a grain of salt. Sound is what matters, and IME they sounded pretty good.

Lampizator clearly seems prejudiced.

And there are people who are cured by snake oil. Come on people. The fact the company marketed the DAC as "customized" was more than enough for me. Why reward negative behavior?

Buyer beware.

And there are people who are cured by snake oil. Come on people. The fact the company marketed the DAC as "customized" was more than enough for me. Why reward negative behavior?

Buyer beware.
Aceboympk (Threads | Answers)

The difference between buying a fake Rolex to save $$ vs a real one is that you get what you pay for -- the fake one will not work as well and most likely break. The MHZS players IMO may be falsely claiming something that isn't (it would be interesting to get Joe from Pac Valve to say a few words on this) -- the difference is that their product actually sounds pretty good on its own merits, and is built rather well to boot.

For the money, their players are a good value, period. Whether you think buying one is 'rewarding bad behavior' or simply trying to get the most bang for the buck could be the subject of a healthy debate with doubtful a conclusive resolution.

WE compared the MHZS 88F and Cary 308T players for an hour yesterday and as compared to MHZS, the Cary sounded muddy and uninvolving, though it is a good player in general. That's the answer I had to pay for.

It certainly shows that the DAC chip itself plays a smaller part in the overall sound than one would think. Enjoy your new player.

Thanks!