Digital Source Suggestion?

[paneristi]

Dear Friends,
I am looking for a CD Player to mate with my system, which consists of:
- B&W CDM 1NT speakers
- NAD SilverLine S200 power amp
- DIY Tube Buffer using Philips 6922 & WBT connection
- Siltech MXT New York Interconnect (and Siltech MXT Paris on hand)
- MIT Terminator 2 bi-wire speaker cables
- (BORROWED) NAD 502 CD Player
- Room size 4 x 5 x 4 (heigh) meters


Current characteristics:
- System sounds agressive & highly dynamic
- Superb Soundstage
- However, it can be fatiguing when playing some other recordings

I am thinking of getting a 'warm' CD Player. Cambridge Audio Azur 640C comes to mind. I would pass on tube CD Player like Cayin / Spark as I already have the tube buffer (also acting as passive preamp). I have yet to compare the 640C with the NAD 502, but it seems too hard (store policy matters)

- Any experience like this one?
- Is the Azur 640C a good choice? Any other alternative?

Many Thanks
Andreas

[Jimmy C]

...different players, but I don't think that's gonna fix your problem. It's probably more a result of your speakers and/or room interaction along with poorly mastered discs. I have a live Rush CD that is atrocious sounding, no speaker or CD player will fix that one up!

Moderately priced CDPs can indeed sound slightly different, but I wouldn't expect system-altering differences. I would try to play around with speaker placement and possibly some budget-minded room treatments, if at all possible. IME, positioning and a few tweaks will yield far greater differences than a different CDP. Of course, I have not heard all of them...

Good luck...

[markw]

Current characteristics:
- System sounds agressive & highly dynamic
- Superb Soundstage
- However, it can be fatiguing when playing some other recordings

Not all recordings are created equal.

If you get a device that takes the edge off of those that sound "fatiguing", all other recordings will go through the same processing. The other recordings that are "agressive & highly dynamic" and with "superb soundstage" will now sound dull and lifeless.

That's kind of like letting the dumbest kid in the class sst the pace for all the others.

Some recordings ya either have to live with or tweak the tone controls for those bad ones. It helps a little. Been there, done that. When you're into old roots rock recordings with great music but lousy sound, your perspective changes.

Oh, btw, anything with an active tube in the circuit is not passive. Passive implies no power applied to any circuits, which operates on the theory that any power consuming device generates noise.

[Feanor]

The Azur C640 is relatively smooth-sounding unit in that price range. I evaluated it against my Sony SCD-CE775 SACD/CD player. The former was smoother though less detailed, so I stuck with the Sony -- i.e. my preference was for detail over smoothness.

My other thought is recording the B&W CDM1NT. In my opinion, based on my audition about 1.5 years ago, that speaker was extremely sharp on less-than-great recordings. That is, on the many CDs that are excessively bright. I think I'm not alone in finding the CDM1NT to be a bit "analytic".

[paneristi]

Previously, I used Marantz MA-500 power amps with MIT in-wall speaker cables (all borrowed, cheapskate, eh?), and no-brand interconnects. It was indeed very cozy. However, when swapped to SilverLine NAD, the presentation details, dynamic, and soundstage improves alot. Missing was the warmness (or, should I say, pseudo-warm?). However, the details, dynamic, and s-stage were not up there.

The current combination plays Handel-Messiah (Telarc) with focus, details, & soundstage I have heard from high-price system. So does it on Cassandra Wilson - New Moon Daughter.

Jimmy C, I agree with you about acoustics. It does, I believe, make great difference. Indeed, I heard Roksan Kandy combo with Quad LS11 in that 'true' listening room MORE MUSICAL than Contour 1.1 with Jadis Orchestra & ClearAudio Turntable in a room with minimum acoustics treatment.

Acoustics treatment aside, I still want to tame this brightness issue.

BTW, has anyone ever compared difference between Mullard & Philips 6922?

More enlightenment please...