What is the best sounding SACD/CD player?

Until more DSD multi-channel classical downloads are available and more reasonably priced, I'm staying with SACDs. It is disheartening to see so few high-end multi-channel SACD players still in production, though.
 
NorthStar said:
That was just a humorist way of speech Emile. ...We are all servant of our beliefs.
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Never came across that saying without a little more detail. For example: a servant to the people, a (permanent, indentured) servant to his wife, etc. You had me scratching my head, amigo.
 
I love my Mcintosh MCD1100 very much.....it plays the thousands of CD's i own beautifully and will hopefully continue to do so for years to come......hell maybe i'll buy another one as a spare and store it.......Long Live CD!!:exciting::woot::heart:
 
I'm A fan of the the old school on this one.I still prefer having a disc.Having all my CDs in a rack is easier for me to pick from and more fun. I know this old school but it works for me.
Barry
 
One vote for the Esoteric K-01X. Stellar sounding. And with the addition of the G-01 Master Clock, off the charts.

Ken
 
Modified (by Jena labs) marantz SA7S1
 
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Alpinist said:
One vote for the Esoteric K-01X. Stellar sounding. And with the addition of the G-01 Master Clock, off the charts.

Ken
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Stellar sounding, but how is it's sound signature ?

Isn't it more analytical and may be less "musical" than for example the Accuphase DP720, or the Luxman C-08u, or... the tube based E.A.R. Acute 4/DAC 4 CD/SACD Player ?
 
I ripped all my CDs, and mainly purchase HD recordings at this point. The DAC built into the McIntosh being feed through USB from my Surface Pro 3 seems to work fantastic. I also picked up a little Cambridge (attached through an optical input) for the convenience of slapping a CD in or for ease for my wife. Obviously do not have as high level setup as many on here do, but it sounds fantastic to me.

I have directly compared a CD / CD rip / HD version of a few different albums. I hear no difference from the CD or the rip, however I hear a huge difference with the HD download.

I am sure that the rest of my equipment, and my room, would not allow me to hear the difference of a high end CD transport, such as the K-01....
 
bmichels said:
Stellar sounding, but how is it's sound signature ?

Isn't it more analytical and may be less "musical" than for example the Accuphase DP720, or the Luxman C-08u, or... the tube based E.A.R. Acute 4/DAC 4 CD/SACD Player ?
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The K-01/K-01X are not analytical sounding at all. They are wonderfully musical. Tremendous ease with a very relaxed and non-fatiguing sound. Terrific body with wonderful midrange musical density. Very linear with excellent bass and treble extension. A high level of resolution with speed and powerful dynamics. The K-01X gives more refinement and a bigger soundstage with more air around instruments and vocals than the K-01. I haven't listened to the other units you mentioned. Best to audition them all and decide for yourself what is your preference.

Ken
 
Thanks for your answer. Now I have the K-01x back on my short list ;-)

Has anyone tried to connect a headphone direct to the XLRs analog output of the K-01x (or any other above mentioned CD/DAC) like it is possible with the TotalDAC D1-Dual dac ? (vincent from Total DAC even sell the cable adapter for this, and his DAC can even drive ABYSS ! ) .

I tried with a HD800 on the TotalDAC D1-Qual and, and having the headphone DIRECTLY connected to the DAC Chip's output, without any headphone amplifier in between, the sound was super pure and clear !
 
Alpinist said:
The K-01/K-01X are not analytical sounding at all. They are wonderfully musical. Tremendous ease with a very relaxed and non-fatiguing sound. Terrific body with wonderful midrange musical density. Very linear with excellent bass and treble extension. A high level of resolution with speed and powerful dynamics. The K-01X gives more refinement and a bigger soundstage with more air around instruments and vocals than the K-01. I haven't listened to the other units you mentioned. Best to audition them all and decide for yourself what is your preference.

Ken
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OH, one more question: I heard that the K-01X and K-03X no longer have the adjustable volume control, so you will need a preamp ! Is it true ? Isn't this this is a step backward in usability ?
 
Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't quite understand the need for a disc spinner anymore. I haven't used one in over 5 years. Once I discovered streaming from a NAS drive to a Linn streamer, and now a Lumin, I think I get superior sound. Of course this is purely subjective. There just seems to be some kind of magic streaming from a NAS over CAT6 cable to the streamer. No USB worries about jitter or any of the other pitfalls.
 
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