The Watercooler-- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first

My experiments with CD Players

So I don’t think you can get much better than a Mass Kobo or a Tsuranagi to amplify IEMs, pun intended.

You don’t need much to amp IEMs anyway.

But given how revealing how high-end IEMs are, I have long wanted to experience CDs with IEMs! I was a CD-first listener in my teens. That was probably when it all started for me.

Moreover, lately, I have been very satiated with my Trifecta, Perpetua, XE6 and Helios (different flavors covered!) and concomitantly, unexcited by the new releases. So I decided to traverse the road not taken, of experimenting with CD players as sources.

Consequently, a few days ago, I brought in a relatively inexpensive Marantz SA8003 to use with my Tsuranagi and my IEMs.

It would be an overstatement to say I was blown away but an understatement to say I found positive improvements vis-à-vis DAPs as sources.

The Marantz greatly enhanced the stage width and resolution of the XE6 and the Dita Perpetua compared to what I am used to with DAPs and even the Hugo 2. The left to right expansion of the soundscape was particularly enjoyable.

So I wanted to take it up a notch and went to one of my dealer's showroom to try higher-end CD players, namely the McIntosh MCD-600 CD Player and the Accuphase DP-570 CD Player. These are considerably more expensive than the $1000 Marantz loaner I have brought in. The McIntosh goes for $7500 and the Accuphase, $11,000.

Findings:

1. CD players as sources make a definitive improvement to staging compared to streaming via DAPs. Very noticeable improvement and makes the experience more intoxicating and lifelike.

2. Differences between built-in DACs in CD players are noticeable in tonality but less so in terms of technical performance.

3. With IEMs, the Tsuranagi naturally performs at a much higher level than built-in amps of CD players.

4. I love the Marantx house sound. Sounds a lot like the Brise Tsuranagi and I may get a higher-end Marantz CD player.

I also tried the Esoteric N-05XD which is a top-of-the-line streamer DAC and pre-amp. I enjoyed the sound of this DAC. Very meaty with some of the best bass I have heard. Bass presence just goes up several notches on this DAC.

However, when streaming with this wonderful streamer-DAC, it still does not match the CD players in terms of soundstage expansion.

I absolutely adore my Sony WM1ZM2 having tried all the other DAPs in the market (with the exception of the Shanling M9+ and LP6 and its variants) so it's not like I need sources.

But given how satiated I am with my current crop of IEMs and the Tsuranagi (I have tried the Mass Kobo, yes), continuing to experiment with sources seems like a worthwhile dimension of the hobby.

Sources: Sony DMP-Z1 | Sony WM1ZM2 | Brise Tsuranagi Transducers: Campfire Trifecta + Effect Audio Centurion | Dita Perpetua + Dita Celeste | Aroma Fei Wan (Incoming) + PW Audio Orpheus YT Channel: Amplify Audio Show