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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
billyg1
81 posts
 
try the meridian 808 reference player. It is the best I have heard to date including the ones you mentioned above and numerous others
herman
2,215 posts
 
Be patient and get a Naim CDS3 used.

A wonderful player.
trackmango OP
6 posts
 
I will listen to the ones mentioned above.

I have just heard DV-60 in both regular and up sampling mode.
Three player had upsampling: EMM, dCS and now Esoteric; I always preferred to listen to those in upsampling mode, in which they always had more separation between the instruments thus sounding more "open", that really helps me to keep tracks of all the instrument in a section when they all play simultaneously.

Does something like that exists? A player that can delivery enough seperation for all 7,8 instruments to sound clearly at the same time.
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.
trackmango OP
6 posts
 
Yes, Boa, you are right. I do need an entire system that’s analytical/revealing. I am in market for a compatible preamp, most likely a SS, and a specific brand of XLR cables that are equally shameless.

Since I got rid of my last set up, Avalon acoustic/Jadis - which was not the type of analytical system I enjoy, I bought two pairs of Adam professional Audio speakers self powered. I am driving them with nothing good, but I am still much happier then I was before.

S3A
http://www.adam-audio.de/studio/midfield/s3a_data.htm
And S1A

These speakers were quite revealing to my ears, I am pretty happy with them. A couple of dealers suggested that I was really looking for “studio sound”…which could be true; I am a “retired” musician.

I listen to my music in a 16x20 room with 20ft ceiling, it’s untreated, and the volume I listen to my music is embarrassingly low. I placed the speaker about a 1.5 ft from the wall and 4 ft apart (between the tweeters). I usually sit about 4-5 ft away from the speakers…near field listening.

The music I am concerned/enjoy the most are concertos (mostly piano) and symphonies, most of my collection are fast and well-organized-yet-congested pieces.

My budget is 15k for the source and preamp.
I live near playa del rey so I have access to all the LA dealers.
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