Two weeks into ownership, this will be my final update. From the lack of responses to my other threads about it I can see this is a very minority interest. Which is fair enough, this is not 'What Vintage HiFi?'; other than the argumentative threads, this forum is mostly about newbies asking about new gear, probably as it should be.
Anyhow...for anyone still reading, I've decided the PCM II is a keeper. I love the warm approachable presentation. I did have early reservations that it didn't sound quite as detailed as my HRT II+ DAC and CD63 KI, but having listened to about 40 CDs in two weeks both on speakers and through my RS180's, I now don't think that's the case. What I do feel, as hinted in my first impressions, this is definitely not an exuberent player that would have blown you away in the dealers. Which in terms of sales is a shame because humans being impulsive as they are, I can imagine it got left on the shelf very often in favour of players which sounded more impressive and exciting within the first 10 seconds, But sometimes the forthright exuberant ones are the hardest to live with in the long term, especially when you throw a modern brash or flatlined master at them. With this player, you do need to live with it for a bit to appreciate its qualities. And it even does its best to make modern flatlined masters sound listenable, like Mrs Fubar's Take That, "The Circus" CD.
The sound comes across as very dynamic, very smooth, good strong deep bass, treble is a touch rolled off but the result never sounds muddy. Layering and instrument separation is as good as I've ever heard, and the soundstage (mix permitting) is wide and deep. Nearly everything you play, it begs you to turn up the volume and just wallow in the experience. Which surely is what it's all about.
Thanks for reading.
Anyhow...for anyone still reading, I've decided the PCM II is a keeper. I love the warm approachable presentation. I did have early reservations that it didn't sound quite as detailed as my HRT II+ DAC and CD63 KI, but having listened to about 40 CDs in two weeks both on speakers and through my RS180's, I now don't think that's the case. What I do feel, as hinted in my first impressions, this is definitely not an exuberent player that would have blown you away in the dealers. Which in terms of sales is a shame because humans being impulsive as they are, I can imagine it got left on the shelf very often in favour of players which sounded more impressive and exciting within the first 10 seconds, But sometimes the forthright exuberant ones are the hardest to live with in the long term, especially when you throw a modern brash or flatlined master at them. With this player, you do need to live with it for a bit to appreciate its qualities. And it even does its best to make modern flatlined masters sound listenable, like Mrs Fubar's Take That, "The Circus" CD.
The sound comes across as very dynamic, very smooth, good strong deep bass, treble is a touch rolled off but the result never sounds muddy. Layering and instrument separation is as good as I've ever heard, and the soundstage (mix permitting) is wide and deep. Nearly everything you play, it begs you to turn up the volume and just wallow in the experience. Which surely is what it's all about.
Thanks for reading.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram