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The most revealing redbook/dsd player under 10k?

I am looking for the most revealing CD/SACD player that cost up to a 10k budget. Due to the complexity of some of the music I listen to, a less revealing player would losing detail on 1 or 2 instruments during the most congested section of allegro concertos; or unable distinguish the minor, or the split second effects that were applied during a piece of electronic music.

I have heard
Emm lab CDSD/DCC2 combo
dCS Verdi/Elgar
Esoteric UX-3

In the above the dCS seemed to be the most revealing to me, but I could be wrong because they were different systems...Emm wasn’t even in the US.

I am looking to purchase a player that’s the most revealing and build my system around that principle. Please give me some recommendation for which to audition, thanks.
trackmango

Showing 3 responses by boa2

boa2's avatar
boa2
1,551 posts
 
Does something like that exists? A player that can delivery enough seperation for all 7,8 instruments to sound clearly at the same time.
If the rest of your system allows it to, yes. If it's revealing, unyieldingly analytical you're looking for, you might get better results with suggestions for an entire system, rather than just the CD player. Because even the most revealing CD player will be censored by speakers that are not so...and most aren't, IMO.

As for CD player, I think these fit your description:
Wadia
Ayre
Meridian
MBL
EMM Labs

The rest of the chain should follow in kind, if that's the sound you're wanting. If you decide you want such input, please tell us the size of the room, music preferences, full range/monitors, SS or tubes, access to dealers for auditions, etc.
boa2's avatar
boa2
1,551 posts
 
Following your last post, Trackmango, I'd ditto Tvad's recommendation of the APL NWO2. Source and preamp in one. I heard the previous iteration (NW01) play some Rachmaninov, and was overjoyed to actually hear each instrument remain distinct from the others, no matter how complex the music was. Not a hint of compression, or the blurring of one instrument into another, the player maintained a precise orchestration over the music itself in a way I've not heard in any other system.

Best of luck!
boa2's avatar
boa2
1,551 posts
 
There may be an owner in the LA area, but I'm not certain. I used to own an APL Denon 3910, but I have since sold it for financial reasons.
According to APL, there will soon be an LA-area owner willing to audition the NWO-2.5. I'm sure APL can give you more details.
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