French CD players' sound ?

Some of Micromega's cd players have been notorious for mechanical problems due to some problems with the Phillip's transports contained therein. I have used Micromega dac's for years for exactly the same sonic reasons you mentioned above. I have compared them to other, even more expensive and supposedly more technologically advanced dacs and I while it is easy to find dacs that present more details, it is difficult to find any reasonalby priced ones that sound more musically satisfying. If you can't find a cd player that you like, you may want to consider getting a used Microcmega dac and picking up a new cd player with a digital output to use as a transport. Used Micromega dacs can be had cheaply, and come up here or on ebay occaisionally.

I have a YBA CD1a and find it extremely musical. It has that rare quality of a highly detailed sound without any glare or harshness. Put it this way - I don't have the upgrade bug I once had. That said, the CD1a is slightly long in the tooth - like Rcprince mentioned, the Audio Aero Capitole is reputedly king of the hill now at the sub $10k level. I haven't head the Capitole, but I also haven't heard anyone who did hear it claim it to be anything less than almost perfect. Strange that the French have such a way with digital perfection...

http://www.audaud.com/audaud/JAN02/EQUIP/equip3JAN02.html

I had the Audiomeca Enkianthus which is the top-of-the-line outboard DAC which corresponds and is identical to their top-of-the-line Mephisto II CD player. I found this DAC to be, at the same time, both smooth and extremely detailed, a rare combination. The extreme highs were extremely extended. It is also exceptionally airy. Midrange was quite liquid. However, it had neither the dynamics nor the bass weight nor the bass extension that I was looking for. I have heard that the Audio Aero could be quite similar. Although everyone raves about its analog qualities, a dealer told me its bass is nearly non-existent. For my taste, no matter how analog it sounds, I am not willing to sacrifice bass weight, bass extension or outstanding dynamics. I heard the top-of-the line YBA player last may at the New York High Fi Show and that had good bass weight, extension and dynamics and, IMO, is worth an audition. My audition was too brief for me to represent it as one of the best players overall, but I didn't hear anything missing. It is not a soft, delicate sound like the Audiomeca or the reputed sound of the Audio Aero.

A friend of mine uses a Micromega T-Drive with a Forte (Model 50?) DAC in his Audible Illusions 3, Pass Aleph 4, Vandersteen 3 system. That transport/DAC combination is outstanding in every way. It has dynamics, bass extension, detail and extended treble. It is not the smooth upsampled sound which seems to have taken hold today, but it doesn't give up anything to those players, IMO.

Among the current French players, I would give special attention to the top-of-the-line YBA before jumping on the Audio Aero bandwagon.

I agree that French CD players do sound more musical as a
general rule, compared to American and Japanese CD players.
I have been using a Micromega Duo Transport and Duo BS since
1992, and they are still functioning perfectly. Over the years, I have noticed that no reviewer has tapped the potential of the Duo and Trio transports by supporting them
on a slab of granite as per manufacturer's recommendation. I believe that the granite (I use 1.5" thick slab)is supposed to act as a mechanical sink through the spike foot on the transport. In addition, I have found that the Harmonic Tech Magic Digital cable to work very well. Better than Kimber AGDL. Anyways, I digress.
The Canadian audio magazine, UHF recently tested some French
CD players and DACs that they really liked. These were the
Vecteur CD transport and CD player, and a Audiomat D/A
converter. You might try to locate these for a listen.
Maybe e-mail UHF for information.

I own the Audiomeca Keops and find it absolutely stunning both in terms of sound and looks. I compared this to Cal Audio Icon MKII, Sony DVP 9000, and Wadia 23 and found it to be more musical and analog sounding than all of them.

It is probably as detailed as any player I've heard in its price range but it has more analog qualities than any of them. If you like a warm, smooth, relaxing, and involving sound (in short, if you like the sound of turntables), look no further. This is a wonderfully musical, rich, and involving player. If you are into analytical and forward, this is not for you.

It betters the Cal Audio in all aspects and, while not as dynamic and quick as the Wadia 23, it is much more liquid and non-fatiguing. Pair it with quick cables and you may never need to buy another CD player.