Which tubed cd player for this system

I would put the Opera Consonance CD-2.2WT-R tube cd player on your short list. I've spoken with 2 dealers of this cd player and they gush over it, feeling it will play with the big boys, up to $10K. Yes, we've all heard that many times before, but I'll fortunately have a chance to hear one very shortly and be able compare it to the Jolida JD-100 and my Musical Fidelity A324, which I love.

Only because you asked....:

Problem 1, mechanical: This player uses the worst tray, motor, transport mechanism I've ever owned, raking only with a $200 DVD player I once had. It's flimsy, noisy, moves too fast for its own longevity, and there is a very audible clicking sound during quite passages from the motor, which only occurs on some tracks/disc speeds (usually the middle of a disc). This is a common problem, and although it doesn't happen with all players I know my unit wasn't unique here as others have voices a similar gripe, and from what I've read it is a common problem with the Philips mechanism. Take a look at it, ‘plasticy’, loose tolerances, no isolation; it's just crummy, despite the hype as being their current "best." I will never buy another player with this mechanism.

Sonic Problems that are obvious to me, some more so with a direct reference to “better” players (if you don't a/b compare difference may not be as obvious): Female vocals are irrevocably compressed (its only unredeemable and standout feature in my mind), the top end is greatly lacking in extension, sweetness and air, the midrange is fuzzy, lacking natural detail and vocal inflections, and the bass is loose without definition. The soundstage is closed in, lacking openness and clarity of more expensive players, and one can find greater depth of the soundstade elsewhere as well. High frequency sounds being truncated making triangles, bells and such sounds appear incoherent and synthetic amongst the rest of the sound-scape, which is more natural and believable. The midrange offers good presence by done by adding its own distortion (I’ve never been a tube lover), not through extraction of existing detail, which yields a clouding and loss of transparency. There is something in the unit that, with half of the tubes I tried, made it very hard to listen to, giving me a headache after a half hour of critical listening, but I couldn't figure out what it was exactly at fault. Sadly the fatiguing tubes where the more natural, extended and detailed ones as well, and these traits need not be mutually exclusive. FWIW, it’s probably a Stereophile class “B” component, just going by what other players I’ve heard in that category and “Class A” have sounded like as refrence, if that actually matters to anyone, which it should not. I’m sure I’ll hear comments from the peanut gallery about “magic or panacea" tubes, cables and isolation devices, but I don’t think I’ll buy into that, the problems are too many and too extensive.

Again, if I only had a grand to spend I would suggest it, it's musically satisfying and has a lot of good things to offer, but I could suggest many others over a grand that I would much rather live with myself, but if I only had $800 or so to spend it would be on the shortlist. Others have mentioned the virtues of the player which I'll not mention here. I feel the faults have not been addressed as of yet, and, at that, I don't want this to sound like I'm slamming the player as I again feel it is a nice player at its price, but having heard more expensive players in home next to the Jolida and at dealerships (Musical Fidelity A3 24 dac, Musical Fidelity NuVista, Chord 64, Bel Canto, MSB Nelson, Marantz SA-14, Rega Jupiter 2000, Classe CDP1, Pioneers’ newest flagship SACD/DVDa player and the new McIntosh 6 disc changer, just to name the ones I can think off that I've played with recently) its not a giant killer as reputed, and although this is not always the case, by no means a rule, I can say without reservation that spending more can get one an overall better source. For some reason hearing that kills many audiophools, as it seems that many really want to believe that they are in a way getting something for nothing, getting the “best” that there is or that they can afford, maybe supporting an ego or psychoses, or simply feeding a materialistic mindset, which is all well and good, I won’t judge a person for that, at least not until one tries to pass on the delusion to others, which, funny as it is to read, is not so easy to just ignore....

BTW, please just take a look inside!: Burr Brown! I spoke with the gentleman doing the upgrades on these players, he even mentioned that the review of this player, referencing the Philips chip, is misleading.....but what do I know, I'm just a lowly music lover with a stereophonic fetish. Let your own ears be the judge, but judge fairly and be open and tolerant to others opinions as well. This hobby is all about the music and happiness. If the player makes music and happiness for you I won't diminish that in the least.

Peace

Believe me, I really wanted this cheap player to sound as good as it was claimed to be. I like nothing more then cutting $$$ out of my system w/o loss of soni quality and putting the money in music or other hobbies, but just couldn’t do it with this player.

The player had just under 800 hour on it, new tubes where given a week of burn in before critique. You make far too many assumptions. I am quite capable and competent to perform proper break-in of a new component and would never assess in absolute terms before at least a month of continuous use is seen for any piece of gear. I also NEVER review a piece of gear alone, w/o a reference, nor would I ever say with certainty how it compared to other components unless I had them both at home and plugged in to compare with. I fully accept the limits of my auditory memory and even psychological biases, I’m very aware of the limits of auditioning gear in a showroom as well. Only direct a/b shootouts at home over extended stays ever have proven useful for me.

I don't appreciate your calling me "wrong, so wrong" regarding my assessment of the sonic qualities of this piece, but I suppose ignorance can be bliss, so won't address that further. I also have absolutely no need for anyone else to verify my impressions of this player, nor need permission to state any negative sonic qualities perceived. I fully feel that my impressions are both concise and accurate given my reference cpd's mentioned above used to compare it to. As I said, if it floats your canoe, so be it, enjoy the heck out of it. As Cheryl Crow once said, “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.”