I know in these responses you guys sound skeptical but I've heard this player and it is the real deal it has absolutely no digital glare and it has a lot of analogue like qualities. It has a full bodied sound. Sound like vinyl. Best CD player I have ever heard.
Parasound CD-1
I know this is a recent release but has anyone heard this yet?
It sounds like a poor mans (comparatively speaking: $14,000 vs. $4,500) Laufer Memory player. It reads until it's correct and not a pS sooner, playing from a memory buffer. It's Linux based Intel chip is devoted to music only. And its VCXO clock can go <1pS though it measures at <6pS. Femto clocks come in at 0.140pS so that's not too shabby for a CDP.
I've always wished for someone to combine the best of a CDP with a PC and maybe Parasound has pulled it off. Hopefully others will follow and prices should come down in a couple of years.
All the best,
Nonoise
It sounds like a poor mans (comparatively speaking: $14,000 vs. $4,500) Laufer Memory player. It reads until it's correct and not a pS sooner, playing from a memory buffer. It's Linux based Intel chip is devoted to music only. And its VCXO clock can go <1pS though it measures at <6pS. Femto clocks come in at 0.140pS so that's not too shabby for a CDP.
I've always wished for someone to combine the best of a CDP with a PC and maybe Parasound has pulled it off. Hopefully others will follow and prices should come down in a couple of years.
All the best,
Nonoise
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- 48 posts total
Here's an informative PDF, looks very interesting. |
I first must disclose that I have been a dealer for Parasound Products for about six years. I normally never comment on these threads because of my obvious bias as well as I'll be instantly chastised for being a shill. In this case, I'm willing to take the abuse. I have always felt that Parasound provide some of the best value products on the market. Their price vs performance is outstanding. That being said, I have never considered them to be in the league of the "elite best" products on the market. My opinion has now changed at least for the Halo CD-1. I had a customer that wanted a CD-1 very badly. I ordered one in with the intention of selling it to him and not keeping one in stock, mainly for the same reasons that were listed above. (Who would ever buy a very expensive CD player that only does redbook?). My plans changed. After hearing the CD-1, I was so impressed that I decided to keep it. It is still in my demo room and I think it will be there for a while. My customer came over for the demo about a week after I received the first CD-1. It wasnt really even broken in yet, but after 1 ½ songs on his demo CD he brought over, he said Sold. I had the same experience as Calvinj. This is one of the best CD players or best CD player that I have ever heard. Sound is smooth, yet detailed, no digital glare and analog like with layers of music and big 3-D like sound stage with height and depth. Three years ago I switched from a CD player to streaming WAV files over of a hard drive to an expensive DAC. I had switched to streaming WAV because it out performed all of my CD players and as a bonus was very convenient. Because of the CD-1, I have taken all of my ripped CDs back out of storage and the CD-1 is now my source for my personal digital listening. I still have my streaming device in the system, but if I have a CD, that's what I'm listening to now. I would not expect anyone to purchase a CD-1 without an audition first. All Im saying is that this product is much better than you would ever expect and I think it can give almost any piece of digital equipment out there a solid run no matter what the price point. Its that good, but dont take my word (Im a shill) go out and listen for yourself. |
The plot thickens. Time to check out my Powerball picks. Thanks, Calvnj and Eand2000 for your thoughts and impressions. Ever since I heard that MSB setup at the Newport Audio Show last year I knew that CDPs still had some legs. What I thought was streaming was a CD playing and it simply bettered all the streaming setups at the show (to my ears). It didn't take a song and a half to convince me, just the opening notes and the start of singing. Analog like is an understatement. All the best, Nonoise |
I enjoyed reading the discussion on the Parasound CD-1in this blog especially that by Eandj2000. This CD player sounded interesting when I read about it in the Audio Advisor catalog. I would love to listen to one but there are no Parasound dealers anywhere near where I live, Las Vegas. I will have to drive to the LA area to check one out. I will be in the LA area in July. |
- 48 posts total