Musical Fidelity A5 CDP

I've heard nothing but good things about the Ayre CX7e. I just wish we had a dealer here in sheepland (NZ)! the price of an A5 is still dead cheap so I might still give it a listen and see how old school it sounds. It might be a nice surprise. Are there any owners out there who consider them still a worthy choice when buying a new CD player? I read somewhere that the A5.5 sounds the same and it has only just been released, so the A5 still would be great value/performance. Also how does the A1008 compare because there are some very good promotions here also?

05-14-08: Brianmgrarcom
I believe I am a bit in the minority as many people really like this CDP, but I never liked it; I replaced it with a Meridian G08.

Well, you are not alone. I never really warmed to this player either. Somethings not quite right with the PRAT.

Things have moved on. The A5 is outclassed today by more recent valve stage products which have improved resolution and timing - such as Astin Trews A3500.

Look elsewhere.

The A5 is actually not in the same league as MF's older but more expensive models of Nu-vista and Tri-vista, but like Kiwi I never really warmed up to the $5,500 Tri-vista. The reliability of this player is another issue.

I recently purchased the Reference Audio Mod Oppo 980 universal player (full mod version) which at 1/3 of the price completely outcasted the MF Tri-vista.

A Cambridge Audio C840 can be had here for the same price as the MFA5. Would this be a better option as well? I heard this is one of the best NZ$2500 players on the market. How would they compare side by side?

What type of sound do you like? Laid back and relaxing or rhythmically involving? I don't remember the exact models I've auditioned, but when auditioning MF CD players, I've always found them to be very laid back players that are somewhat lean in the bottom end. While this appeals to some, I prefer a more engaging presentation.

From hearing the Cambridge 840C, it seems kind of half-way between the MF and players that I enjoy more (being Naim, Ayre and Simaudio from experience, and likely Cary from what I've read).

I guess what I'm saying here is...you need to figure out what type of sound you're after, and then determine if the MF is right for you. For me, I'd rather have an entry-level Simaudio player than a twice as expensive MF player...so price doesn't necessarily tell you if you'd like a component.