Musical Fidelity X-10 Tube Buffer Stage

My system is getting closer and closer to nirvana, spoiled only by a slightly fatiguing high end which I usually suspect is the CD player.

Is anyone willing to place a bet on what this would or would not do in between my SCD-1 and ARC SP-11 Mk II preamp?

So I ordered the X-10 from amusicdirect.com and blew $50 bucks on shipping so I could have it in time for the weekend.

My first reaction is: WOW.

Frankly I was very skeptical and thought I might just check it out and shamelessly send it right back if I didnt like it.

But even using a cheap cable from the SCD-1 to the tube buffer and then routing the tube buffer outputs through the CD section of the preamp:

this quirky little device has REALLY taken the edge off my system.

For the first time in a while, I found myself listening to music, tapping my toes etc, instead of squinting my eyes and ears while puzzling over the sound and feeling pissed off that it is not quite right, too loud and fatiguing.

I would not say that the imaging has changed dramatically and what I have so far perceived to be improvements might be at the expense of some "air" at the top.

But in general, everything is warmer and smoother - midrange great, no sense of veiling over vocals. Bass is not vice grip like in its control, but I am not sure it was before? ... and it now sounds satifyingly warm and quite full.

So I was thinking this might be a fun experiment only but so far on first impressions this is a pretty nifty device.

Bob Bundus

Record out to the X-10? And then "monitor" through the tape loop?

This will still require 2 sets of cables to the buffer but I guess just one coming off the SCD-1 which is better in your opinion?

This should also make for some easy and interesting A/B comparisons?

Thank you.