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With a bit of spare time I took the chance to pop into the shop where I bought the Usher speakers and listened to the latest Usher CD-7 vs my Theta/Wadia combo.
I listened back to back old and new and then the Usher CD-7 with and without the Wadia.
So has hi-fi moved on over the past 15 years? Well yes. Overall in my opinion the Usher CD-7 was at least as good as the Theta/Wadia combo and in some areas of detail and separation, I would say better.
The Usher CD-7 vs the Usher CD-7/Wadia combo was less clear cut, the more detail from the Usher CD-7 improving the sound from the Wadia. At the end of the day, both were good, each having plus points. As a final test I listened to the Usher vs a high end Acoustics Arts CD player, which did prove to be a little better overall, although I could not really say why and for around 10 times the price...........hmmm!
At the end of the day I was satisfied with the sound of the Usher CD-7 on its own and saved on having to buy a coaxial digital interconnect.
So for at around the equivalent of £330 I had a player that was in the ball park of something that was more like £3500 in it's day. At home it sounded even better.
If anyone gets a chance to audition the CD-7, speak up, as to me it's hard to classify it as budget, i am no expert, but it seems a bargain, or maybe I am tone deaf.
So at the end of the day, the Exposure pre/power amp remains, (with the lower sensitivity Usher Be-718 speakers and the lower output of the CD-7, it needs a little more on the volume dial) both the speakers and CD player were changed. The speakers were the single biggest change to the sound.
Thanks for everyones suggestions and comments
With a bit of spare time I took the chance to pop into the shop where I bought the Usher speakers and listened to the latest Usher CD-7 vs my Theta/Wadia combo.
I listened back to back old and new and then the Usher CD-7 with and without the Wadia.
So has hi-fi moved on over the past 15 years? Well yes. Overall in my opinion the Usher CD-7 was at least as good as the Theta/Wadia combo and in some areas of detail and separation, I would say better.
The Usher CD-7 vs the Usher CD-7/Wadia combo was less clear cut, the more detail from the Usher CD-7 improving the sound from the Wadia. At the end of the day, both were good, each having plus points. As a final test I listened to the Usher vs a high end Acoustics Arts CD player, which did prove to be a little better overall, although I could not really say why and for around 10 times the price...........hmmm!
At the end of the day I was satisfied with the sound of the Usher CD-7 on its own and saved on having to buy a coaxial digital interconnect.
So for at around the equivalent of £330 I had a player that was in the ball park of something that was more like £3500 in it's day. At home it sounded even better.
If anyone gets a chance to audition the CD-7, speak up, as to me it's hard to classify it as budget, i am no expert, but it seems a bargain, or maybe I am tone deaf.
So at the end of the day, the Exposure pre/power amp remains, (with the lower sensitivity Usher Be-718 speakers and the lower output of the CD-7, it needs a little more on the volume dial) both the speakers and CD player were changed. The speakers were the single biggest change to the sound.
Thanks for everyones suggestions and comments
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