CD Player/Transport Reviews

Audio Note CD-4.1x CD player Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: Garrard 301, Thorens TD 124 turntables; EMT 997, Schick tonearms; Ortofon SPU, EMT TSD 15 70th Anniversary & OFD 25 pickup heads.
Digital Sources: Sony SCD-777ES SACD/CD player; Wavelength Proton USB D/A converter; Apple iMac G5 computer running Apple iTunes v.10.2.2, Decibel v.1.0.2 playback software.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 Standard (SPU version), Silvercore One-to-Ten step-up transformers; Shindo Masseto preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: Shindo Corton-Charlemagne monoblocks, Fi 421A.
Loudspeakers: Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE.
Cables: USB: Nordost Blue Heaven, AudioQuest Diamond. Interconnect: Audio Note AN-Vx, Shindo Silver, AudioQuest Columbia. Speaker: Auditorium 23. AC: Ocellia Reference.
Accessories: Box Furniture Company D3S rack under source & amplification components; Keith Monks record-cleaning machine.—Art Dudley

COMPANY INFO
Audio Note UK, Ltd.
25 Montefiore Road
Hove, East Sussex BN3 1RD
England, UK
(44) (0)1273-220-511
www.audionote.co.uk
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
JItterjaber's picture
Submitted by JItterjaber on July 5, 2012 - 2:20pm

They still make CD players? 

Thanks for the review, but I would be really curious how a RAM based CD playback (i.e. pure music) on a laptop compares to expensive CD players. I have a feeling this could enlighten people!

Best,

www.hifiqc.com

mrhyfy's picture
Submitted by mrhyfy on July 9, 2012 - 5:14pm

Looking under the cover,,I don't see 12 grand worth!  Sorta looks like chi-fi.

mrhyfy's picture
Submitted by mrhyfy on July 10, 2012 - 10:59am

sorry!

Archimago's picture
Submitted by Archimago on August 18, 2012 - 1:46pm

Good review and I'm glad to see equipment like this getting on the test bench and put through its paces.

Obviously, the measurement results are laughable...  No worry however, since I'm sure Peter Qvortrup will happily conjure up some philosophical musings about how frequency respose, accurate waveform reproduction, noise level, jitter are all irrelevant and how these results are those of superior sound reproduction at a mere $12K :-).

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