Cyrus CD 6 SE vs. SACD player

[admin_exported]

Should I buy a Cyrus CD 6 SE or an SACD player?

 

[the record spot]

Which SACD player did you have in mind? Sony SCD-XE597, then go for the Cyrus. High end Marantz or McIntosh, forget the Cyrus.

(Actually, demo both, joking aside. What's your budget? Must be around the £1k mark I assume?)

 

[Anonymous]

My budget currently is around 2k USD, however the longer I wait the more the budget goes up, so I'm not really confined by that number. I've read such great things about the Cyrus, I'm wondering if any SACD player would provide a truly significant improvement. For instance, is the Marantz SA-7S1, Sony SCD-1 or the Ayre C-5xeMP really worth the extra money? Or would I be paying 3x the price for a relatively small level of improvement?

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Erik Smith:My budget currently is around 2k USD, however the longer I wait the more the budget goes up, so I'm not really confined by that number. I've read such great things about the Cyrus, I'm wondering if any SACD player would provide a truly significant improvement. For instance, is the Marantz SA-7S1, Sony SCD-1 or the Ayre C-5xeMP really worth the extra money? Or would I be paying 3x the price for a relatively small level of improvement?

Hi Erik Smith

Yamaha's CD-S2000 is also worth considering. It is superbly built/finished and sounds great as a CD/SACD player.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

If you can find one, I would strongly urge you to audition a limited-edition (500 units worldwide) Marantz SA-KI Pearl SACD/CD Player.

Below is a link to a thread I started last week (or maybe the week before). I used to own a Cyrus CD 8 SE CD Player and PSX-R out-board power supply. To my ears, the SA-KI Pearl was a noticeable step-up in audio performance, and hence I traded my Cyrus' in for an SA-KI Pearl.

http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/397199.aspx

 

[John Duncan]

Depends on whether the music you listen to is available on SACD. Am currently seriously considering this as my main audio source...

 

[Anonymous]

In the US it also depends on your ability to source products at reasonable prices. From personal experience (7 years living in Houston), the choice can often be limited to Bestbuy (American equivalent of Comet) or extremely "snooty" hifi dealers charging outrageous prices. Selling speakers by the "per speaker" price (and who do you know buys ONE stereo speaker?) for what we'd pay for the PAIR here in the UK, for example.

If you're tempted to buy from UK or European internet retailers in general, remember European products are set to run at 230 volt 50 Hz AC single phase and not 110 volt 60 Hz, so unless you're handy with a soldering iron or can source a step-up transofrmer (they are available) you may end up with an expensive indoor fireworks display.

 

[Anonymous]

Like you i am looking at getting the cyrus 6 se as it has such a good reveiw but will it really give as good as or better than sacd for its price ??

 

[the record spot]

Hi Mick, this is an old thread, but you'll get more mileage out of finding the discs which have the best production/mastering than the underlying format. Case in point: the Genesis "A Trick of the Tail" on Atco, made in Japan, comfortably (as in: by a country mile) outperforms the recent 2007 remix on SACD which is EQ'd a limited to death. Simply being on SACD is no guarantee of anything - if the disc is well produced and mastered, it'll sound good no matter what.

 

[6th.replicant]

...Simply being on SACD is no guarantee of anything - if the disc is well produced and mastered, it'll sound good no matter what.

True, "you can't polish a ****", but IME an SACD version of a well-mastered album always sounds extra special, for example: Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust; Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon; Coltane's A Love Supreme; all of Jordi Savill's (except Brandenburg).

 

[Anonymous]

Erik Smith:My budget currently is around 2k USD, however the longer I wait the more the budget goes up, so I'm not really confined by that number. I've read such great things about the Cyrus, I'm wondering if any SACD player would provide a truly significant improvement. For instance, is the Marantz SA-7S1, Sony SCD-1 or the Ayre C-5xeMP really worth the extra money? Or would I be paying 3x the price for a relatively small level of improvement?

Hi Erik Smith

Yamaha's CD-S2000 is also worth considering. It is superbly built/finished and sounds great as a CD/SACD player.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

I can second that. Rolls Royce build.

 

[Inter_Voice]

Nowadays I notice there are more SACDs being released when compared with a few years ago. SACDs are not at all dying. You need to have a decent SACD player to hear its best else the SQ is no better than a normal CD. Poor SQ is not the problem of the SACD rather than the player itself. I can only say not all SACD manufactuers can produce very good quality SACDs but they are definitely better than normal CDs from my personal experience. For me I have more than 200 SACDs and the SQ of a normal CD including the HDCD format (which it is hard to find nowadays) cannot compete with it.

 

[Inter_Voice]

Depends on whether the music you listen to is available on SACD. Am currently seriously considering this as my main audio source...

The performance of this CA 751 BD is very similar to OPPO 93 universal player. They use the same video chip but the DAC are different. The SQ of both are very similar but CA is a bit more expensive than OPPO.

If you want better SQ in audio you may consider OPPO 95.

 

[DandyCobalt]

I've got the CA751 - a fabulous player - for CD, SACD and Blu-ray audio too. (oh, and blu-ray videos).

I've also been considering whether a Cyrus CD Transport would be an improvement, and after much deliberation have added a Cyrus CDXTSE+ to my system. Definitely a step up, but my feeling would be that unless you go for the higher end of Cyrus (CDXT/DAC/Mono etc), then something like the Cambridge BD751 will be difficult to beat !!

 

[6th.replicant]

There's always the Arcam CD37 CD/SACD, for those who might find Cambridge or Cyrus a tad 'forward'

 

[Anonymous]

Having read the reviews on Arcam cd37 i wouldnt bother

 

[6th.replicant]

Having read the reviews on Arcam cd37 i wouldnt bother

Which reviews exactly? Perhaps you're referring to Positive Feedback's: "...The CD37 is almost perfect, or as close to perfection as digital can get within our neurotic hobby"?

Or SoundStage!: "I was able to hear details in recordings that I had not heard before or that were only hinted at and not fully realized by lesser players"?

Or the 5/5-star from HiFi Choice: "...It’s a cracker! ...There will never be such a thing as a CD player for all tastes, but this one seems likely to satisfy more than most"?

Or the 'Highly Commended' rating from HiFi News?

:roll:

 

[Mooly]

I've been very pleased with my Marantz Pearl Lite SACD which replaced a highly regarded Micromega. The Pearl is in a different class when it comes to musicallity. Having a USB socket on the front is an unexpected bonus (it wasn't something I originally even wanted) and allows easy playing of any common files types on a USB stick etc.

As an electronics tech I also look to build quality and parts used. The Marantz is exceptional and also uses what appears to be a very highly regarded pickup and mech from Pioneer.

At the original price of £1000 it would be a great buy and I got mine 6 months ago when they were widely available for around £650 ish.

 

[Anonymous]

I would only opt for the Arcam CD37 if you like your music slooooooooooow, that's the only way I can think to describe it.

 

[Anonymous]

yep as we are on the what hi fi sight there review says its more a pipe and slippers cd player the Arcam cd 37

 

[Anonymous]

:rockout: yep as we are on the what hi fi sight there review says its more a pipe and slippers cd player the Arcam cd 37