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I first heard a CD player in my own system in 1984 or 1985, several years before I began writing for Stereophile. I was curious about the Compact Disc medium—I'd read about it, had listened to CDs in stores, and was eager to hear what they sounded like in my own system. I'd even bought a CD: the original-cast recording of 42nd Street, which I already had on LP. One evening, a friend who worked for Sony and knew that I was an audiophile brought over his latest acquisition: a CDP-501ES, the second from the top of Sony's line of CD players. He also brought along a bunch of CDs, including some…
I don't have a copy of the Telarc 1812 Overture—which, whatever its sonic qualities, is possibly the most boring interpretation of the work on record—but I do have a Telarc sampler featuring recordings from that period, and the DX-7555's presentation of orchestral sound was very pleasing, the string sections of orchestras sounding much like . . . well, string sections, and avoiding the squeaky chalk-on-a-blackboard effect that bad digital sound can produce. Just for old times' sake, I also played 42nd Street. That was fine, too, except for the tap-dancing bits, which came across more as…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Single-box, fixed-output CD player with remote control. Formats played: CD, MP3 CD, CD-R/RW. D/A conversion: 24-bit/192kHz with switchable "Slow" and "Sharp" reconstruction filters. Analog outputs: 1 pair (RCA). Digital outputs: coaxial S/PDIF, TosLink. Headphone jack with volume control. Four-mode dimmer. Frequency range: 2Hz–20kHz. Signal/noise: 111dB. Dynamic range: 100dB. THD: 0.0027%. Maximum output level: 2.0V RMS. Output impedance: 470 ohms. Power consumption: 3W.
Dimensions: 17 1/8" (435mm) W by 4 3/8" (111mm) H by 15¾" (405mm) D. Weight…
Sidebar 2: RD's Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Ayre CX-7e CD player, Marantz DV8400 universal player.
Integrated Amplifiers: PS Audio GCC-100, Onkyo A-9555.
Loudspeakers: Avantgarde Uno Nano.
Cables: Interconnect: Nordost Quattro Fils (single-ended, balanced). Speaker: Nordost Valhalla. AC: PS Audio xStream Power, TARA Labs Decade.
Accessories: Arcici Suspense Rack, PolyCrystal amplifier stands, Furutech RD-2 CD demagnetizer.—Robert Deutsch
Sidebar 3 Measurements
To measure the Onkyo DX-7555, I used the magazine's older Audio Precision System One and a brand-new Audio Precision System SYS2722 kindly loaned by AP (see "As We See It" and Audio Precision's website), as well as the Miller Audio Research Jitter Analyzer.
The DX-7555 offered excellent error correction, producing no audible glitches in its output until the Pierre Verany Test CD's track 32, the data spiral of which includes 1mm gaps. The Onkyo's maximum output level at 1kHz was 2.06V, close to the CD standard's 2V, and it preserved absolute polarity; ie,…
Wes Phillips wrote about the Onkyo DX-7555 in February 2008 (Vol.31 No.2):
"Still got that Oppo DV970HD universal player you reviewed last May?" asked John Atkinson.
"Yeah," I said, grudgingly, afraid he might want to borrow it.
"Good. I'd like you to listen to the $599 Onkyo DX-7555 CD player, which Robert Deutsch just reviewed for the January issue. He compares it to the Ayre CX-7e, which costs a lot more, and to an older Marantz universal player. I think the Oppo would make a helpful real-world comparison."
Roger, Chief—especially as I wouldn't have to…
It's easy to be impressed by Simaudio's Moon Evolution Andromeda Reference CD player. Everything about it oozes quality and luxury, from its imposing two-chassis configuration to the multi-component disc clamp of machined aluminum. Even surrounded by my double-decker VTL amps, VPI HR-X turntable, and Ferrari Fly-yellow Wilson Audio Sophia 2 speakers, the Andromeda was usually the first thing guests asked about: "How much does that cost?" The answer is $12,500. The Andromeda should look impressive.
Skin-deep or through and through?
The Andromeda Reference, part of the Moon…
A good way to get more specific about the Andromeda's performance is to start by recalling my experience with the Andromeda's predecessor, Simaudio's Moon Eclipse, which was my reference CD player for several years. (See my review in the April 2001 Stereophile, and the Follow-Up in the April 2003 issue.) The Eclipse was one of the best-sounding decks available at the time, and significantly less colored than its contemporaries, but it did have a slight but distinct, and consistently audible, sonic signature. Its strengths were superb reproduction of spatial cues and ambient detail, precise…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-chassis, top-loading CD player with internal 24-bit/705.6kHz upsampling and 24-bit D/A conversion. Digital filter and upsampling: 24-bit Burr-Brown DF-1704 digital filters. D/A conversion: 4 matched Burr-Brown PCM-1704U-K DACs in fully balanced configuration. Digital inputs: S/PDIF (BNC). Digital outputs: S/PDIF (BNC), AES/UBU (XLR). Analog outputs: balanced (XLR), unbalanced (RCA). Maximum voltage output: 4.0V balanced, 2.0V unbalanced. Output impedance: 50 ohms (unbalanced), 25 ohms (balanced). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, +0/–0.1dB; 5Hz–…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Source: VPI TNT HR-X turntable & tonearm; Lyra Titan, Grado Statement Reference cartridges.
Digital Source: Simaudio Moon Eclipse, Primare CD31 CD players.
Preamplification: Sutherland PhD phono stage; Sutherland Direct Line Stage, Placette Active Line Stage, VTL TL-7.5 preamplifiers.
Power Amplifiers: VTL Ichiban and Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks, VTL S-400.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Sophia 2.
Cables: Stereovox, Audience, Nordost Valhalla interconnects and speaker cables. AC: Audience PowerChord.
Accessories:…