New final CDP for 2010...

[admin_exported]

Audiolab CDE....

Cambridge Audio Azur 550c....
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 640C V2....
or push the boat out for the..

Audiolab CD....

 

[JoelSim]

Why would you swap a Paganini for one of those?

 

[stephennic]

Hi,

I use to own the cambridge 640c v2, good detail, imaging etc great for pop but I found it a bit too clinical for slower music like jazz, classical etc. On the wrong system it can sound too cold and analytical, it is quite lean too. On a warmer system it might be okay. I found it intially exciteing to listen too but found it hard to relax too late at night as I found the mids a bit to forward. I tried it on a valve system and it did seem to be more tonally balanced.

Hope the feedback helps.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't sell the paganini i wouldn't of thought, just may move upstairs onto bedroom system. Its an early 2000 model and it wont play copied discs, or i cant seem to get it to read any..

For downstairs im considering the audiolab cd for £435. I was impressed with it on demo a while back, against my old micromega stage 3...

duno yet, some of the CA kit seems ok...

 

[chebby]

Why not the current model 650C ?

 

[d_a_n1979]

Rega Apollo if you're looking at that price region.

Although I'm to demo both Audiolab CDE and CD next week so i'll let you know how I get on if you havent made a choice by then.

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:Rega Apollo if you're looking at that price region.

Although I'm to demo both Audiolab CDE and CD next week so i'll let you know how I get on if you havent made a choice by then.

good good let me know what you think...

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:
Why not the current model 650C ?

money on the audiolab cd would be money better well spent, you not think?

 

[Anonymous]

This Cyrus 8 seems like a good purchase and £350.

This Audiolab 8000CD is ex-demo and £400, not bad either.

 

[chebby]

reggaedave:chebby:Why not the current model 650C ?
money on the audiolab cd would be money better well spent, you not think?

What I meant was, why did you list the old 640C as an option, rather than the current model 650C?

As for the Audiolab, I cannot comment. I have not heard any of the CDPs you asked about.

 

[Anonymous]

The cyrus 8 and the rega apollo, blows the 640 out of the water. You would be getting so much more player for your money. Had the 640 a few years ago, and as good as it was, the others beat it hands down.

It is your money, but am sure you can do alot more with say £350 than the £150 for the 640 (around that cost).

Ive got the apollo in my second system, and it is very good, but should imagine the cyrus 8 is a step up again, and you can upgrade it with a psx-r to make it sound even better in the long run, or get it upgraded to a higher spec in the future.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:reggaedave:chebby:Why not the current model 650C ?
money on the audiolab cd would be money better well spent, you not think?

What I meant was, why did you list the old 640C as an option, rather than the current model 650C?

As for the Audiolab, I cannot comment. I have not heard any of the CDPs you asked about.

I demoed the Audiolab cd and was very impressed with it at the time. I can demo some of the CA amps at richer sounds, but only through one of their amps,as they have no demo room.

The audiolab demo i had was using my audiolab 8000s and 8000p, bi amped to some B&W 684's...

As my cd player will be the final component, it will look good alongside the other two boxes..(OCD ! LOL).

My opinion off the cuff, I think the audiolab amps will sound better than the CA ones of the same(ish) price range. Im trying to work out if the CD is worth an extra £170 over the CDE model (Audiolab's)..

And im even thinking of going back in time, and picking up some B&W 685's for a little more bass over my rega's.

The other thing is, i tried digital out from my paganini, through my dacmagic, and i didnt think it sounded anywhere near as detailed or controlled. Now bearing in mind my paganini's dac is a decade old, (£750 in 1999), and the Dacmagics dac came out in 2009 or something, The CA kit was a bit of a downfall. The Dacmagic was only for PC connection so it was fine, just a suprise.

The digital coaxial cable i used was a £120 per length cable, so couldn't have gave it a better cable to try it with aswell.

The
Silver Knight Executor Digi digital interconnect

 

[JoelSim]

I think the 685s will be a sideways move. If you're going to upgrade trhen make it worthwhile.

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:
I think the 685s will be a sideways move. If you're going to upgrade trhen make it worthwhile.

The budgets not that important, but they must be bookshelf/standmount at the moment (in this house) .

Was not impressed with the MA RX1's,RX2's the other week.

 

[Anonymous]

i can pick one of these up for a bargain...

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/2500

 

[plastic penguin]

JoelSim:

I think the 685s will be a sideways move. If you're going to upgrade trhen make it worthwhile.

I agree. A worthwhile upgrade would be minimum Epos M12s or budget allowing, PMC DB1S. The latter is the best sub-£1000 standmounter I've heard - betters a lot of + £1000ers as well....

 

[d_a_n1979]

What was it that you didnt like re the M/A RX1's and RX2's?

I'm in agreement that the B&W 685's would be a sideways step. How's about the Dynaudio DM 2/7's or the Dali Mentor Minuet's?

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:What was it that you didnt like re the M/A RX1's and RX2's?

I'm in agreement that the B&W 685's would be a sideways step. How's about the Dynaudio DM 2/7's or the Dali Mentor Minuet's?

I felt the bass was just way to overpowering on the RX2's, was just about bearable on the RX1's. They where ok but felt the bass was too much, and lost a bit of detail on the mid and top end notes, just didnt blow me away that's all .

 

[Anonymous]

No opinions on the Quad 99 cdp as a new player?,,,,,

 

[Anonymous]

reggaedave,

Just a quick note to say that the CDP you linked to earlier is the Quad CDS, rather than the CDP, which I think is is predecessor of the CDP-2. That's important because the CDP has a digital pre-amp with DAC and 6 digital inputs built in, and the CDS does not! Quite a difference if you need them...

Hedgehog

 

[Anonymous]

Hedgehog:
reggaedave,

Just a quick note to say that the CDP you linked to earlier is the Quad CDS, rather than the CDP, which I think is is predecessor of the CDP-2. That's important because the CDP has a digital pre-amp with DAC and 6 digital inputs built in, and the CDS does not! Quite a difference if you need them...

Hedgehog

The one i have in mind is defo a QUAD 99 CDP...(THANKS FOR THE WARNING)

just thinking how good it may be normally connected to my audiolabs....

 

[d_a_n1979]

After reading through this again, IMO, you'd be best to stick with the Audiolab and keep the synergy going

Re the M/A RX2's; I agree, their bass is fairly full on but when I demo'd them that's what I liked about them as their midrange and treble shone outright as well. The ones I demo'd though had at least 150hours through them so that could make a big difference!

The hifi store guy said that they're fairly boomy straight out the box...

Were the M/A speakers on decent stands & mass loaded at all?

 

[Anonymous]

Im going to end up with the audiolab cd i think at this rate.

The MA speakers where set up in a proper demo room on dreadnought stands i think, they were alrite just not my cup of tea .

 

[Anonymous]

Going to take my Paganini for a few vs demo's, against the Audiolab cd firstly.

Got my eye on some 2k speakers aswell but that's a secret for the time being...lol

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:
I think the 685s will be a sideways move. If you're going to upgrade trhen make it worthwhile.

watch this space....