HiWire

I thought this site was set up so that Aerius could post porn Err... I cross-post my reviews at Head-Fi. I might stop doing this in a while because they don't generate the same kind of interest and intelligent discussion over there. There is a high noise-to-signal ratio over there - it's not necessarily the fault of the mods.

It sounds like the MS-2i would go well with a richer-sounding amp or source combo, then. I like the lower-end Grados because they still distort enough to get down-and-dirty with lesser recordings, e.g. pop music. I've noticed that really high end speakers and headphones sound a bit odd with poor recordings... you don't really need audiophile equipment for all music. Blasphemy, I know...

Sorry, what was that? You get tired of your Orpheus? Just kidding - you can get used to anything. I'd love to hear the new SR-007MK2. They're the next logical step from the HP-2, for me.

Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!

I'm still in the burn-in phase, so it's probably too early to tell. I don't think the reviewer's Dynaudios were a good match for the Arcam - I would certainly pair them with something a bit warmer. Bass and rhythm are just fine, though, in my system. I don't find the CD36 to be particularly analytical, but it does sound a bit more delicate than other players - music is flowing rather than forceful. The overall sound is full-bodied, but neither forward nor laid-back. I'm assuming that the treble will soften slightly over time or that I'll adjust - it's a totally different listening experience from my portable, with an expanded frequency response and outstanding dynamics.

I got a new source after extensive auditioning, the Arcam FMJ CD36. I think it is making my life better

I've listened to the rest of Monheit's album. There is definitely more attention given to emotional nuance and the accompanying instruments are better balanced against Jane Monheit's voice. In Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction, the guitar and vocals flow along quite well, but the CD36 doesn't get down and dirty or rough-sounding like some other CD players. I'm hoping that it improves in rock performance with burn-in. Rhythm is good, but the Arcam player never loses its polish and poise. My first CD, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult's 13 Above the Night, fared better. The mixture of goth electro-rock and disco techno-house was irresistible and the densely-mixed lo-fi sound was appropriately funky and swinging. The real eargasm/revelation/epiphany happened with Anna Netrebko's Sempre Libera. The incredible quality of Netrebko's voice and the superb recording of the orchestra and her accompanying vocalists made all my other discs sound like crap. The compelling lyricism, richness, and musicality of the performances (La traviata and Gianni Schicchi) proved that the player earned its money's worth.

You can also get the Oppo players modded at www.tweakaudio.com for less than $1,000, depending on your choice of options. I'm planning to pick up the new Oppo DV-983H player a few months after it's released next year.

I'm using the Headsave Classic - I think it's the third revision, and one of the last home amps that Norm made. The ground op-amp blew out, so I haven't been able to listen to my HP-2s for about three weeks. Norm replaced the dead OPA627 with an OPA227, and I'll be ordering an OPA627 right away.

I finally got my amp back and running, so I'm going to start posting my impressions of my new CD player. I still have my Panasonic SL-S160 PCDP as a reference, but I'll probably stop making comparisons after a while. Before I mention anything else though, I noticed the output power is much higher than my Panasonic's - this is logical because of the differences between portable and home players' power supplies and output sections. Anyway, the Arcam sounds much louder at the same level on the volume dial - I'll probably have to turn it down when I listen for longer periods. I've only listened to the first three tracks of Jane Monheit's Taking a Chance on Love on both players so far - I'll listen to a greater variety of music and at greater length when I get back from dinner and the gym tonight. Also, I'll post a pic of my incredibly ghetto audiophile phurniture. The first things that I am noticing are increased frequency response, improved soundstage, and better flow. Bass was immediately deeper and tighter, and highs are more extended. In terms of soundstage, the perceived space is wider and deeper - also, I can hear accompanying instrumentalists far more clearly now. This is somewhat related to flow - the CD36 makes Jane Monheit's voice more realistic (fuller-bodied, smoother, and more nuanced) while allowing several instruments to stay prominent at the same time. I have noticed that lower-end players have difficulty handling complex arrangements while better players can keep up with a layered sound.

Any news on the new modules? I strongly considered the updated GS-1 when my amp died. It's a neck-and-neck race between the GS-1 and CI Audio's VHP-2 so far.

A lot of headphones scale quite well. Most people engage in herd behavior - now I'm going to see if my amp has returned. Amps are about more than volume - microdynamics are beyond the MP3 crowd...

I just read this. Fantastic review, aerius.

Are you talking stock performance or buying with an intent to mod?

About 6 or 7 feet. I prefer to be close enough to turn the volume knob, but not close enough to hear the transport working...

I think aerius nailed it. I didn't try my Guns N' Roses on the CD7... the dCS got everything right on that track ("for $50,000, it should!" - Captain Obvious), but if the CD7 can't rock, I don't want it. The diffuse sound would have been a nightmare on the HP-2s, which is why I ended up with a player that was less bright than the SuperNova, but more lush and liquid than the characterless CD7.

Can you audition these players, or did you purchase based on user opinions/meet impressions? I asked the mod vs. stock question myself a while ago and went for a stock player. I'll probably pick up an Oppo to mod, but Esoteric equipment is beyond me.

Happy Birthday, blessingx! Twice the presents!

Merry Christmas!

I'd love a pair of Alessandro MS-Pros for Christmas.

Thanks, guys. Sorry about the punctuation... MS Word doesn't cut-and-paste into this forum very well. Jon L, I didn't know anything at all about the Accuphase players before I heard the DP-75. They were always too expensive and practically non-existent in this area. Thanks for the info. The Audio Research CD7 is a very good player. I didn't find it boring, but I had trouble describing it in the usual "audiophile" terms. I'm sure that I would enjoy its sound in long-term listening, but from a reviewer's point of view, I was a bit exhausted from listening to the same tracks back-to-back for three players in a row. Its slightly diffuse sound signature failed to grab me immediately (which could be a strength or a weakness), its price was almost double my budget and I preferred the voices of the dCS and Arcam players in general over the Audio Research's. A $50,0000 reference is fine by me

I might try something like that... a long time after Christmas. Ikea is pretty close.

Who's laughing now? Congrats on the amp

Yeah, I was a little anxious. Just a little... it did allow me to catch up on the current amps out there, though