What is the best redbook CD player for 6K to 8K?

Alex, thanks so much for your insights!

Seems like having a lights out CD player is a relatively safe investment over the long term. I think there are a fair number of people who hesitate over going all the way out of fear the unit will end up being a big paperweight. And, in the days where no one really knows where the market is going, trying to maximize performance via a modder (such as yourself!) makes even more sense.

I'm quite happy with my players (2 year old Samsung Universal, 4 year old Sony SACD, and 3 year old Granite CDP), and have experienced trouble free service (knock on wood), and think modding one of two of them would be a good idea for me.

Alex, only Babybear, who is currently away on vacation, has the exact list of ECs and value of his unit, which was not however a basic modified unit, but a maximized one. He only can comment on its cost further on his return. On the other hand, at the time of my audition, there was a general confidence in you and the APL tribe alike, that any APL unit would outperform any stock player of any price. A more realistic position should be that at any price point, a quality and well re-engineered unit may have a greater than average chance of outperforming a stock unit of similar market value.
I did go into the audition fully expecting the APL 1000 to outperform the X-01. It did not. The opposite was true, by a significant margin. Setting realistic customer expectation is part of Marketing/sales skill building. To tell the truth, I learned a few hard lessons in this area myself in my own work during recent times.

Concerning X-01 vs NWO-2, the issue is not so much that of NWO-2 yielding higher performance than X-01, but:

1. Does the targeted re-engineered player exceed the performance of stock players in its own market price point, where the price is the typical transaction price for such units, rather than their list price.

2. Does any performance advantage of the re-engineered player for the automatic and immediate loss of manufacturer's warranty coverage on the original unit? Please note that TEAC has stated very clearly that they will not repair any modified machines, regardless of its warranty status.

3. Will the re-engineered unit be as reliable as the original, or will it require a greater or smaller amount of maintenance?

4. Which company has the best track record for most reliable customer order/tracking/delivery management, and post sales customer service?

A certain amount of research online and offline may assist a consumer in making a decision. Ultimately, it may simply come to personal taste, preferences, or beliefs.

Redwoodgarden, is your head spinning now? It is safe to own most modded players these days and you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

Guido , I joined Apl Hi Fi for the sole purpose of reorganizing and streamlining operations to facilitate a more efficient transition to being an OEM. Part of my objective was to improve customer service. There was an immediate improvement in communication and efforts to resolve issues of delivered product. I was flooded with phone calls and e mails and worked till 4 am for 3 months on this important aspect of the company's operation. After I felt confident I had addressed these outstanding issues I did delete some forum threads that revolved around service issues . It was not done to obscure wrong doing but to refresh the site and keep it moving in a positive direction . I try and answer e mails and telephone calls within 24 hours.

The sonic character of the UX-1 and X-01 stock is very similar due to identical design topology and parts used. The X-01 has an edge because of its differential design. This said, there are number of reports online that you can find about the sound of these units and whether their overall sonics are matching the price. This has recently changed with the introduction of the Limited series and I am VERY happy to hear it. Esoteric deserves the recognition. I have not compared X-01 directly to a SACD1000, but number of people witnessed such comparison with X-01 and APL Denon at the CES Show this year. The X-01 was used for a digital source in one of the demo rooms at the show. After the comparison, the X-01 was removed from that system and the Denon was used till the end of the show. That was the personal preference of many in the room.
The SACD1000 was very good for its time. It is still used by many audiophiles and industry associates who are really happy with it. There were also number of shootouts done by independent parties and for some reason they've reported that they like as much or, in some cases, prefer the SACD1000 over some highly regarded and expensive digital components. APL SACD1000 was awarded by Stereotimes too. As you said, it is a matter of a personal preference, but besides the fact that the SACD1000 will not have as good bass and top extension compared to the X-01, it will give you this very natural and engaging presentation that many people like compared to impressive but "mechanical" sound.

For the rest of your questions I might say that the price/performance ratio of the NWO series is extremely good given the way they perform against the competetion and SOTA vinyl rigs. This is our opinion and we are entitled to it.

It is clear that a re-designed unit can not be sent to Esoteric for warranty repair, but since Esoteric is well aware of what I do and support me, parts availability is not an issue.

When it comes to reliability the VRDS-NEO transport is the best in the world and should last forever. The maintenance of the re-engineered unit is at a slightly higher but well deserved cost and involves around $50 for tubes replacement every 4-5 years.

Sure, Esoteric has a better product supply record than I do, but we are working very hard in order to fix this issue. Also, Esoteric is a very large company compared to APL, but for APL this is just the beginning. Let us hope for a bright and successful future.

What I can say is that Alex is doing a great service to the audio community as are his contemporaries. The work , effort and study required to redesign digital and push the limits of performance benefits everyone who is interested in the digital playback medium.

Brent Rainwater CSM Apl Hi Fi

For 3D sound, I'm surprised no one has mentioned either the new Cary 306 or the Lector CD7T. I haven't heard the ARC CD7 yet but based on previous players I'd say it is a must audition.

Personally, if I could spend 8K, I'd save up my sheckels and buy the next used/demo Reimyo that comes up for sale here.