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March 25, 2009 - 8:11pm
#1
Great thanks to John Atkinson, Michael Fremer, and Art Dudley
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Thanks for the post Clifton, it's provided a respite from all of the negativity around here. Good to see something Pro-Stereophile on the forum for a change. I for one get tired of the complaining that seems to go on around here way too much. Shouldn't the Stereophile forum be for people that support the magazine and praise it's contributions instead of trying to dismember it at every turn? One would think so, but sadly it's rarely the case.
Yeah, Lowry, I guess it all depends on whether you are looking for an argument or some help, in terms of saving yourself some legwork.
I always trust people until that trust is violated. This has led to an ulcer-free life of sonic debauchery. Since I first found out about Stereophile, in the late 1960's, they have NEVER violated my trust. Now, occasionally I disagree with their findings and opinions, but they have always been square shooters, scrupulously honest in expressing such findings and opinions.
Stereophile has probably saved me a hundred grand, over the past 30+ years, in actual costs (that is, in feeling confident about jumping on a bargain that might not have been there tomorrow) and, in time potentially wasted, frustration saved, and driving time.
My purchase of the Cary is just another example of being able to trust the good folks whose highly informed opinions I have enjoyed reading over the past 3 decades. I was absolutely flabbergasted about how good this unit sounds. And it will play a hubcap, if it has a few pits and valleys dented on it. I have the $14,000 DCS all-in-one unit in my "big-room" system, up in the Sierras, and, going by sonic memory, this Cary sounds just as musical. Which, along with reliability, is all I really give a fuck about. I will be very interested, when I take my next trip up into the mountains, to plug this thing in and listen to a comparison in real time. I'll just bet the Cary gives me just as much music as the DCS.
Great to hear from you again, Lowry. Happy tunes.
Clifton
I am also of the opinion this is great news.
We are primarliy here to discuss audio in its various forms and there is nothing like getting a great sound at a price your happy with.
Happy listening, if you do find that Dcs is not living up to expectations id be happy to provide a new home
Alan
you are happy with the magazine ?
with your purchase ?
why are you posting to this forum ?
Congrats on the find, Clifton, have fun listening.
Cliff:
Thanks for the great story. A real happy ending. We could all use more of those. Happy to see you are so tickled with the new machine and that sounds like a whopper of a good deal too. That price puts it near to the ayre ce7 which only plays redbook, although very good redbook. Also, very good to see someone supporting a dealer. I don't know how much longer the one actual hifi dealer we have is going to last.
Congrats. Enjoy.
Awesome news, Clifton. Thanks very much.
What I want to know is...how did you get an $8000 unit for $3900? Such a deal....
I am jealous...lol.
Nice one, Clifton!
Just so long as you don't call it 'affordable.'
This demonstrates what a good audio dealer is all about and what a bad snooty dealer is all about as well. I too, awhile back tried to get some information and pricing from Shelley's Stereo in Woodland Hills and after one call and two eMails nothing so I took my business somewhere else. Glad to hear you saved money over the Ayre which is high priced and I also keep all my back issues of Stereophile for just such an issue. There are I am sure a lot of really good audio dealers out there but there are a lot of them who like to talk down to customers and are all about themselves instead of the customer. That is also, I believe, one of the key reasons that a lot of people dont get into high end audio
Glad you found a good purchase, Clifton, and that the mag helped in your quest.
For the other folks... it aint all sunshine and roses in this world, and id much rather see a forum where people speak their minds. if the people say a lot of negative things..just maybe..maybe..they are on to something. I mean, how boring are a bunch of asskissing syncophants?
give credit where it is due, but if you have an issue, gripe. hell.
the mag should thank God for the people that complain...it allows growth.
Actually, Tom, I think I meant the Ayre ce5 -- the one that plays both SACD and CD, and sells for 6 large.
Commsysman, I got it on sale because it has been replaced by the 306 "Professional." John Atkinson went over all of this in his review of the latter in the November, 2008 issue. He was in the process of reviewing the one I bought, but Dennis Had sent him an upgrade, based on the fact that the Pacific Microsonics 2000 chip was being discontinued. John had kept the model being replaced (the one I bought), so he compared it to the "Professional" and said he could hear no difference.
That is why the review was important. I knew that if John could hear no difference, I probably couldn't as well. And, since I know Kevin Deal at "Upscale Audio" (I HATE the name, but Kevin was appropriately named, because he WILL deal, whenever possible), and I know he stands behind all warranted products, I knew I had nothing to lose by trying this now-replaced model. Kevin has a couple more in his inventory, if anyone out there was considering a new SACD/CD player.
I also had the chance to meet Dennis Had, when the Stereophile show was at the LA Airport the time before the most recent show there. 1996 or 1997, I believe. He used to trade commodities, too, and we talked about cabbages and kings over about half a dozen beers out in the patio. So that made the decision even easier.
Still, I could never have tried this without an audition without having had access to 3 seasoned pros like JA, Art, and Michael. So, thanks again, guys.
Happy tunes.
For what it does, Buddha, it is, indeed, "affordable." It is the best-sounding, by far[/i, ]redbook CD player I have ever heard. Of course, I haven't heard everything out there -- vinyl is still my preferred medium for recorded music. But, it sounds MUCH better than my Meridian 508-24, which was a $4,500 machine in 1996, and it automatically reads HDCD discs, which the Meridian wouldn't do. And, of course, it offers the added benefit of PLAYING every CD my Meridian refused, and every SACD that my Sony wouldn't read.
So, yes, it is affordable if you love music and have a lot of it on CD and SACD. I have paid more, and gotten less.
Happy tunes.
By the way, Buddha, I assume you were speaking somewhat tongue in cheek (Confucius say, "Man who follow Marquis de Sade speak with tongue in cheek...").
"Affordable." A contentious term, these days. Sure to attract the ire of SOMEBODY. What would they say if I spent a grand on an "affordable" whore? Hey! Times are tough! Everybody deserves a good working wage, and what money could be better spent than on a romp on the carpet with the B Minor Mass playin' in the background?
Don't knock it 'till ya try it!
Hi, amigo. Yes. I was joking around about the ruckus that's been raised by MF calling the Marantz disc player he recently reviewed "relatively affordable."
Actually, I think you got a red hot smokin' stone cold bargain!
If you pro-rate the cost to "per hour of joy" that device will deliver over the next decade, it's an amazing thing.
You also supported a brick and mortar dealer and an American designer/builder. You trickled in all the right directions!
I wish you many years of sonic bliss from that baby!