arnout

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This is a follow-up review from the one I wrote in June 2, 2003.

The reason I write this is because when my brother entered my name and last name in Googles search box he came up with that ridiculous review.

Yes I was new to the internet and was eager to write something about my new cd player...

I still own this cd player and am satisfied with it, though some thing I have written are bollocks:

1. "But my experience is that treble-rounded players put more an emphasis on agressive tones than more revealing players: revealing players integrate a harsh tone better, the result being more liquid,treble rounded players translate a brash sound to a fixed rounded point wich in my experience atracts more attention."

How could I possibly claim this? What a load of crap!
It's a true fact that there are smoother cd players out there, though not for the money I had spend.

2. "Maybe there is one slight complaint: the upper midd's are a tiny bit too bright(does every singer smoke Gauloises?), but that problem is solved by Wireworld oasisIII interconnects ($70)"

A true lie.
Those Wireworld interconnects didn't do anything else than just look nice.
Yes the upper midds were definitely too bright with some recordings.
When my old Pioneer SA 7500 died I bought a new amp, a Marantz pM7200 and things dramatically improved.
Though music still isn't always grain-free and I wonder if there's a system that is.
Some cd's are simply recorded and mastered that way

Other things I wrote are still valid: the error-correction is impecable, not a single time did a cd skip or did it read: "no disc"
And the relatively "weak" bass is still a plus in my opinion, it complements the PM7200's beefy bass well. Never ponderous or slow.

But enough of this.
Luckily I never got infected with the upgraditis virus, I simply enjoy listening to music, that's it, I'm not searching for the ultimate system.

Price Paid:  $200.00 from MARANTZ dealer in We

Summary:
good CD PLAYER WITH A EXCELENT SOUNDSTAGE AND GOOD STEREO SEPARATION ,IF YOU LIKE JAZZ OR VOCAL MUSIC THIS IS FOR YOU, BECAUSE HAS A GREAT CLARITY WITH VOICES AND ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS, IN THE OTHER HAND IF YOU PREFER ROCK OR HEAVY ,THIS CD IS TOO SMOOTH AND LACKS OF EXCIMENT.

Strengths:
GREAT CLARITY AND DEFINITION ,A GOOD BUY FOR THE PRICE, SOUND ALMOST AS GOOD AS REGA PLANET

Weaknesses:
NOT THE BEST TO PLAY ROCK MUSIC

Similar Products Used:
REGA PLANET

Price Paid:  $250.00 from hobo-hifi

Summary:
My old kenwood cd-player began skipping and send messages from hell:"NO DISC". I loved watching myself,throwing the damn thing on the ground,laughing maniacally. So,I was in search of a player that is dependable (a good error-correction),not so much a better sound(wich was oke) I had a choice between marantz cd5000,NAD c520,yamaha cdx 496 and the Denon dcd 755. I was on a tight budget and reviews I had read didn't really favour(overall seen) any of these particuarly. I chose the marantz for it's looks and excellent error-correction(according to 'STEREOPLAY') I listened to it at Hobo-Hi fi,but found it not usefull,so I just bought it(room conditions,mood,atmosphere are different than mine) At first I was dissapointed by the sound:thin bass,bright upper mid and less sweeter treble than my old kenwood. Depth,stereoimage and texture were(are) much better,so i gave it a try. I was rewarded for my patience: the sound is absolutely gorgeous. Maybe the sound had to kick in;I have read about players that needed time to play in,but personally I think that's a load of crap,I intend to believe that it's more a matter of getting used to the sound.Goldfrapp's "lovely head" sounds, by using headphones,the same(when she sings "...do you reckognise the sssmell") as the first time I listened to it. But which cd-player does sound smooth with many pop-recordings? With classical music this marantz works really delightfull:texture,timbre,depth and well defined bass. With pop music it sounds just how cd's are recorded: marvelous with good recordings,awfull(exaggerated) with bad recordings. The relativetly thin bass works as a treat with most pop cd's,Radiohead's Ok computer doesn't sound overblown. Many times people comment that a small bass is best suited for classical, not pop. I think it's rather the other way around; pop is mostely overproduced,classical much more natural. What I really like about the sound is it's natural warmth. My old Kenwood sounded thicker,with an artificial warmth(as if a loudnes was already built in) instruments,voices everything was rounded, without any sens of texture.Listening through headphones this is very pleasing: a thick, closed soundstage, run it over the speakers and only pop works fine. The marantz sounds its best through speakers, especially classical music sounds involving compared with the kenwood,the midd's are very detailed and although the bass is not as big as the kenwoods, by many recordings it simply sounds bigger because of it's definition.Maybe there is one slight complaint: the upper midd's are a tiny bit too bright(does every singer smoke Gauloises?), but that problem is solved by Wireworld oasisIII interconnects ($70).

Strengths:
It's a very neutral,clean and transparent sounding player.It's slim bass is dry and well defined, which suits especially pop music very well. I like the stereoimage,depth and overall balance very much.It,s transparancy is a bonus, as well it's definition and texture(as I have said in the beginning,that I never was looking for a better sound) Finally and that's really important: the error-correction is impeccable compared with mainly newer models(my roommate's cheap, ugly looking 15 year old Schneider plays the only disc,which my player rejects, without a problem) Thank god I didn't choose the NAD c520,I've read nothing but complaints about this machine.

Weaknesses:
If you really love a bigg bass this player is not for you. And if you like your music to be smooth all the time you should buy a valve-player. But my experience is that treble-rounded players put more an emphasis on agressive tones than more revealing players: revealing players integrate a harsh tone better, the result being more liquid,treble rounded players translate a brash sound to a fixed rounded point wich in my experience atracts more attention.

Similar Products Used:
An old Pioneer amplifier SA 7500 B&w 201 speakers Monitor speaker cables(the cheapest) Wireword oasis III audiointerconnects My old Kenwood midi-set cd-player and amplifier cd47,m47

Price Paid:  $1400.00 from june 2002

Summary:
As a replacement for my Proceed CD player i bought the musical fidelity cd player a a 3.2 The sound is must more clearer and transparant

Strengths:
dac is 96 hz, you can heare the differenc

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
proceed

Price Paid:  $199.00 from A&B

Summary:
Bough this a a cheap socond transport for my side system and have ended up liking the sound from it much more than my higher priced denon unit. I really enjoy the look of this player as well. Has great staging and, contrary to other peoples opinions here, find that it has the most bass i have heard in a while. I really enjoy the player at this moment.. i do notice the build quality is a little weak.. but it is a low cost player, and it doent seem to detract from the sound what so ever! so i guess it gets 5 stars.. as it really is better than i could have imagined, it really made my solid state system sound more like my tube amp set up. (which is a good thing) cheers

Strengths:
rather warm and inviting. i find that there is a strong bass note, as well as a nicly rounded soundstage.

Weaknesses:
mabey a little light i nthe ''ol build quality.

Similar Products Used:
denon, NAD, AMC, Yamaha, Sony, nak. etc etc etc