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Esoteric DV-50: Any cdp's Significantly better?

Is there are anyone out there who has compared the Esoteric DV-50 to a number of dedicated red book only players (or other universal's) and found one that is SIGNIFICANTLY better?

I stress significantly because in my humble opinion the redbook playback (if comparison unit is just a cd cd player only )must be significantly better to justify losing DVD-A, SACD and DVD-Video capability.

I keep hearing there are better one box solutions and being a die hard 2 channel fan I would sell my DV-50 if I found a player in the same price range that sounds significantly better. But every time I do an AB comparision to other well respected units the DV-50 has slayed each and every one.

So far, it has eaten the lunch of the Classe CDP-10, Ayre CX-7, Linn Ikemi, Cairn Fog Vers. 2, Cary 306/300, Arcam DV 27A and CD 33T, Myryad CD 600, etc. It even betters a Sony SCD 777ES/MF Tri-Vista 21 transport/dac combo that I previously owned. I'm only comparing the DV-50 to single box cd or universal players, but I just wanted to mention the Sony/MF combo. I'm sure there are some dac/transport combo's that will handily beat the DV 50.

Some may say that the DV 50 should beat all the above because the of price point ($5,500 vs. average price of $3,000 for the above players). But I disagree since conventional wisdom says that stand alone players (especially with the pedigree of those mentioned above) should produce better redbook than a universal player trying to be a jack of all trades. Only the DV 27A does video plus audio. By the way, I was very impressed with the 27A as just a cd player. Of all the above I would say the Ayre was the best.

Next on my list is the Electrocompaniet EMC 1UP and the Resolution Audio Opus 21. However, I must tell you I am really impressed with the DV 50 and all the great reviews are absolutely true. I've noticed that many people who are using it or comparing to other players are using the RCA analog outs instead of the balanced outs. There is a significant improvement in sound if you use the balanced outs and I'm only interested in hearing comments from people who have compared it against other players using the balanced outs on the DV-50.

My system components are as follows:

B&W N803's speakers & HTM-1 center
Cary Cinema 5 (5 x 200) amp
Anthem D1 Statement pre/pro
Esoteric DV 50
Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun speaker wire
Nirvana SX balanced interconnects from DV-50 to Anthem
Acoustic Zen Matrix reference II interconnects from D1 to Cary
No after market power cords or isolation equipment

My system sounds great! Those who comment please make sure to specify what specific improvements you heard over the DV 50 and what cdp were you comparing it against.

AVGURU
avguru
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
3,677 posts
 
Avguru, what you are hearing on the Sony Mod, is exactly
whats in the CD,I am very familiar with this player.
Its really exceptional player,the tube Dan used are
cryod,Tungsol 5687.Thanks for the review again.I will
get the unbilical upgrade today.According to Positive
Feedback its a must to have it for the Sony mod.
Will see?
mgottlieb
334 posts
 
I hate to keep harping on these little points, but personal playback taste and accuracy are NOT synonymous. Jayctoy: you said "what you are hearing on the Sony Mod, is exactly whats in the CD, I am very familiar with this PLAYER." Maybe, but how do you know that it is accurately conveying what's on the CD? You like what it does; maybe your taste is superb; but that's all you know. Maybe the CD sucks, and this player sweetens it up a bit. Is that good? What about when it does it on a CD which doesn't suck? I once had a conversation with Wilma Cozart, who produced most of the great Mercuries, during intermission at Carnegie Hall, about various tape, LP and CD transfers of recordings she had made and then remastered, and she said that if every person who commented how close to the master tape some recording sounded on some playback device had ever actually had access to the master, it would have crumbled into dust years ago.
larryi
3,718 posts
 
AVGURU,

Now that you've got the tube bug, you must audition an Audionote DAC, particularly at the 4 and 5 level. These deliver the "magic" -- solid, palpable and realistic feel that is often missing from CD/SACD players that emphasize detail and "air."

I personally went a quite different route, favoring the more dynamic sound of the Naim CDS3, but I can easily see why others favor the Audionote sound. Both are worth looking into in your quest for the ultimate.
smw30yahoocom
154 posts
 
This has been an interesting thread and I think has really helped sort out the different modded players and their individual sounds/characteristics. Keep up the good work Avguru. Sandra
avguru OP
116 posts
 
DBLD,

Continue to enjoy your DV 50S! It is a truly great player. And now with the new and improved video dac the video is on par with the high end Arcams (which I still believe are the best dvd players on the market sans the Ayre DX-7). Additonally, if you go to the earlier part of this thread you will see a list of all the superb cdp's it beat in a head to head comparision.

Keep in mind that I've only auditioned the modded players in redbood and SACD, not DVD-A or DVD-Video. I'm sure they're also good in those formats but the DV-50 is morethan likely at least as good. I personally feel the video on the DV 50S is as good as a stock 3910 (which by the way has superb video) because the 50 has better power supplies.

Member MGottlieb will agree with me that the DV 50 is superb in DVD-A. And in multi-channel SACD the Esoteric may sound better than the modded denon's. Why? Because the tube output of the Denon's only applies to the front two channels, not the surrounds. You can get the other channels modded (improved op amps/rca's upgraded, etc) but they aren't connected to the tube outputs. Again, I can't say for sure because I haven't auditioned the Modded units in mulit-channel. But I'm sure the DV 50 is at least competitive in multi-channel.

But whatever you do please don't audition the Esoteric X01 because as good as your 50 is its not even close to the X01. Yes, the price is twice the DV 50 but the X01's performance is 3 times that of the DV 50. That (as unbelievable as it sounds) makes it a good value! And as a transport the UX1 is probably a keeper for the next 10 years.

Enjoy the music!

AVGURU

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