Musical Fidelity XRay8 w/PSU or Arcam CD192

[admin_exported]

If both of these players were the same price, which would be better value for money? I'm looking to sell my Kandy as I find it too 'glassy' and bright. I'm going to break the classic rule of listen before buying in this case due to the need to find a bargain.

Has anyone had experience of both of these players? I know the 192 gets the thumbs up but what about the MF?

My goal is to find a neutral source where warmth isn't at the cost of verve and musicality. I'm leaning towards the MF at the moment as I'm a fan of their kit but I don't know whether it will be too warm.

Many thanks!

Rob

PS. the Arcam FMJ CD36 is also an option but at a chunk more cash (as you'd expect), let's say a 1/3 more.

 

[the record spot]

If this is the V8 going for about £800 or £300 off the TSP, I'd be very interested in that....! Have you clocked any reviews online or seen any comments on the other forums out there?

EDIT: I note with interest one online dealer offering the XT100 inc triple X psu, X-Plora V8, X-Ray V8 (amp, CD player, PSU and tuner) for just under £1400.....not sure if that appeals either...?

 

[Anonymous]

This is the V8 with PSU for £500 :-D

Get WHSAV to swap email addresses and I'll let you have the place...

 

[the record spot]

Yowch!! Better not, but thanks for the offer.....Mrs. t_r_s wouldn't see the funny side alas...top deal though!

 

[crusaderlord]

This only partially helps as ive not heard the MF.

While not everyone agrees on Arcam Amps there is a lot more confidence in their CD players. I have owned the CD73 (i demo'd it against the Kandy and the NAD542 at the time and thought it a superior sound to both in terms of detail and tone) and have also this year demo'd the 192 and the CD36 directly.

I thought the 192 was a worthwhile upgrade against the 73 - and virtually all the reviews i have read have always highly recommended it. I would have bought it but i did find the FMJ36 to have just a little more body to the sound and even more detail (i even doubted it was possible before i listened). I got the CD36 new for under £700 (about 50% off what was retail price) so the investment was very acceptable and worthwhile to me but the 192 is probably the best CD i have heard in the £1k or below price (before discounts).

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks crusaderlord. I'm veering towards the 36 as any normal hifi enthusiast would!

 

[crusaderlord]

I wouldnt be surprised to see reviews annouce the new Arcam CD17 and CD37 range as even better - but given the relative price you can get the 192 and 36 for just now i think they are really hard to beat while stocks last.

 

[Anonymous]

I would personally go for the MF XRayV8 + PSU as I feel that it is a more accomplished player than the Arcam CD192 - I've not been particularly fond of the 'Arcam sound'.

The Arcam CD192 is a very good player, no doubt, but it's just not for me. I've had the MF A3 24 Bit CD Player and loved it and I think the V8 is better with the PSU.

 

[Anonymous]

How would you describe the differences in sound? Is the MF richer? Your input is appreciated!

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, the MF certainly has a much richer sound than the Arcam, which I feel is too laid back and warm. The detail resolution (which is important to me!) is also, in my opinion, crisper.

 

[matengawhat]

I replaced my Kandy with the MF XRay V8 and V8 DAC - only paid £720 for both new - steel of the century in my opinion. I have never tried the cd player without the dac but the sound is fantastic but very smooth - big difference from the Kandy - i do however also find it a little to smooth with rock music - for example linkin Park seems to have lost some of its excitment however with vocal and instruments its amazingly clear. Great buy in my opinion

 

[Anonymous]

I can get the XRay and PSU for £500 but can't find a DAC anywhere. I was in fact looking to buy just the DAC but this is a good second choice I think.

 

[matengawhat]

moorgate accoustics have the upgraded PSU x-170 for £200 which is a bargain also - might be worth seeing if you can get a deal for just the cdp on its own and picking that up instead!

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think the 170PSU will be of much benefit over the standard external PSU for just the CDP. I know that with the amp it ups the power from 70 to 100W though.

 

[matengawhat]

yeah thats what its for mainly but good price non the less - just thought would mention it - i thinks it a very good machine - good looking sounds great - negatives - disc tray is the cheapest bit of plastic i have ever seen and it ejects discs at some speed that they nearly fly off the tray but small price to pay - if you can find the DAC its also a very good piece of kit - i have my Squeezebox going through it and the result s are very impressive

 

[matengawhat]

Also the place that offered you the CDP - have they got any of the xplora DAB radios left as wouldn't mind one if cheap enough as currently using the internet radio from the squeezbox

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help...I think I'll order one in a few mins. The missus will probably hit me with my recently purchased SA1s though :-( Either that or the locks will mysteriously change...

 

[crusaderlord]

Good luck !

After i upgraded my Arcam's my lovely wife asked a leading question if that was everything done now.

When i said i may need to look at the speakers again now i had a better CD and Amp you should have seen her face.

As it happens i havent seen the need to change yet as the Epos are working really well with Arcam.

 

[matengawhat]

so what did you go for in the end?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, this wasn't a very considered purchase seeing as I went to work today without any intention (or thought) of buying a CDP. Anyway, I bought the Musical Fidelity X Ray 8 with PSU. Apparently it has more life in it than the CD36 but I'm sure they're both very good. It's an excellent deal at £500 delivered and will get rid of the fatiguing, glassy brightness of the MK3 Kandy. As much as I've enjoyed the Kandy it's time to move on.

My apologies but I didn't ask about the DAB box but it's Lintone Audio if you want to call them. Thanks for your help.

 

[matengawhat]

you'll prob have it tomorrow - they seem really good at despatching stuff - well let us know how you get on!

 

[Anonymous]

matengawhat:you'll prob have it tomorrow - they seem really good at despatching stuff - well let us know how you get on!
Right, I've had the new XRay 8 spinning since about six tonight and the out-of-box impression is very good indeed. I did a bit of an (impatient) session with the Kandy first to set the scene and then swapped over.

When playing Amy MacDonald xxx I'm gob-smacked at how much better the timing is compared to the Kandy, particularly in the bass. It's tighter, deeper, better defined and stops and starts a lot quicker. With a sub this difference is striking as the REL used to just over-emphasise the boom too much. This has helped a lot and I wasn't really expecting it. It certainly gets my foot tapping a lot more!

When listening to Duffy it certainly pulls out the poor recording quality (at least on track 1), highlighting a bit of distortion probably caused by production compression. I could hear it on the Kandy but this is more detailed!

It plays my CD-Rs which is a big bonus over the Kandy, which would just take pleasure in ignoring me like an obstinate cat. It's nice to make a copy of a CD that's starting to look a bit scratched.

At the risk of sounding like every other upgradee, the sound is more detailed, smoother, richer (very slightly) and more focused. It's hard to describe because the Kandy is very focused too but this just seems to resolve the edges more cleanly and makes the blacks blacker; I suspect this is the benefit of an external PSU removing grain.

Right, now to try a load more disks...if there's anyone out there with an older generation CDP, this is a great buy for £500 from Lintone Audio. OK, so the CD6SE is _only_ £800, but I bet it's not as easy to match as this beasty.

BTW, does anyone know where I can get a bargain XT-100 amp to go with this ;-)

 

[matengawhat]

i think that pretty much covers it - vocally its amazing - bass kicks - try seven nation army by the white stripes to compare to the kandy - its a world apart.

i agreee the distortion on the duffy album is unforgivable although they prob say its meant to sound like that.

if you listen to a lot of accoustic driven music its the instruments that first got me especially plucked guitars, so clear as are the vocals - but spin something like linlin park and its amazing clear and crisp but lacks some excitement in my opinion.

i looked around for an xt-100 briefly and really struggled to find any with good discounts

 

[Anonymous]

The problem I have is that I listen to a lot of very different music from choral to rock. Plus I use the system for TV and DVD so it needs to be a good all rounder. I think it's probably fair to say that this player is more neutral than the Kandy which likes balls-out partying. Suits my taste anyway May I recommend trying some of the Naim Demo disks as they're great fun, a bit different and beautifully produced. A fiver each, another hifi bargain...

 

[the record spot]

Very nice deal - sounds like an utter winner. If only I didn't have twins.....not complaining you understand, just there's only one place for the money right now!!