Forestgump

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $495.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
I purchased this unit used from a private seller at Audiogon. I didn't know what to expect when I first listened to the YBA since I've never owned any of there products and I have to say for a mid level CD player I was amazed. The unit was musical and I forgot about the cables, amp and preamp and just listen. The YBA company knew what they were doing when making this player.

Strengths:
Mids, lows and highs

Weaknesses:
Cheap remote

Similar Products Used:
Nakamichi and Linn

Summary:
This a review that is difficult to put into general audiophile terminology. I would like to go on about soundstage, timbre, imaging, pace and tonal accuracy. However, this unit is simply musical. I put in my favorite CDs and forget about what I am supposed to hear and enjoy the music. There is not the in-your-face detail as I experienced with the Adcom or the over-blown mid-range of the Rega, but a very truthful and musical experience.

One note about this unit. As with all components system matching is important and interconnects make a difference. I tried AQ, Kimber and MIT, but found that DH Labs BL-1 worked best in my system. It help make this unit more nuetral and musical. This difference was not subtle, it was Large!! I felt like I had improved my pre-amp. My system came to life.

Is it the best? No miracles here. It is less lifelike than the YBA CD-1 or any recent vintage Wadia. It retails for a grand not three or five. But for the money, it "paints the best picture of the recording". There are a number of good players around 1K, each excelling in one or more areas; the YBA is the most truthful and musical to my ears.

Strengths:
Vey musical

Weaknesses:
Not as well built as others in its price range; remote is of average quality

Similar Products Used:
Rega, Roksan, Adcom, Cal, Music Fidelity

Price Paid:  $1000.00

Summary:
A very refined sounding player. Able to retrieve great detail yet remain musical (detail is not harsh or thrown at you). In keeping with the sound of other fine YBA products the sound is slightly laid back, which is preferable for long, extended listening periods. It comes very close to the YBA Integre. I prefered the Integre ($2,000), but it cost nearly twice as much as the Special. So I purchased the Special.

Once you have heard YBA products (including their lower priced Audio Refinement series), you will see why they have received so many favorable reviews in the audio press over the years. From top to bottom, the YBA product line is as good as it gets.

Strengths:
Very musical. No obvious shortcomings.

Weaknesses:
The remote is a cheap plastic unit, but it works.

Similar Products Used:
Compared to players from Classe, Audio Refinement, Roksan, YBA Integre.

Summary:
I have spent about one month with this entry level CD player from YBA.

This unit is not new and was introduced several years ago but is has recently
( as all YBA products ) been upgraded to the "Delta" version.

I was not expecting marvels from this quite low-cost player. I have to say that
I have been extremely surprised by its amazing qualities. This little player is
very musical. Music is simply more refined than with most digital products. Is
it an artefact coming from the "low-resolution" DAC ? Maybe. And so what ? The
result is that most of the digital "harshness" seems to be "smoothed" by this
player. Is it therefore less accurate ? I really don't think so. Fast transient,
for example, are exemplary in every aspect. This is particularly obvious when
listening to contemporary music (Crumb, Dussapin or Boulez for example). A
subtle openness seems to be always around. We are closer to the live experience
than ever.

Of course this is not the best CD player on Earth. The most subtle parts of
midrange illuminations that can be heard with the top-level YBA players are a
bit less present here. But the magic remains and the result is outsanding, at
least at this price point.

You want a drawback ? The remote control is typical low-quality industrial
product...

Sorry, I would have liked to write a better review. But english is not my mother
language and it is far from being obvious to me. As a conclusion, would I
recommend very strongly this exceptional CD player.

Strengths:
simply one of the most musical CD player !

Weaknesses:
low quality remote control