Stereophile - список рекомендованных компонентов 2013. Цифровые CD плееры, транспорты и медиа-проигрыватели. Часть 2

Class A
 

Audio Note CD-4.1x: $12,000 Audio Note's current flagship CD player is a top-loading, single-box design with an 18-bit Analog Devices AD1865N non-oversampling D/A chip, a robust Philips CD-Pro2LF transport mechanism, and a stereo pair of 6H23N dual-triode output tubes. Though it lacked ambience and air, the Audio Note had a chunky, involving sound, and excelled at presenting "the sonic flesh and blood" of even the most poorly recorded CDs, said AD. JA's measurements uncovered poor intermodulation performance and very high levels of jitter. "The CD-4.1x is a paradox," he said. "Does it sound good because of how it measures or despite it?" (Vol.35 No.7 Read Review Online)

Ayre Acoustics CX-7eMP: $3500 ✩ In his measurements, JA concluded that the original CX-7 CD player was "a model of modern CD-playing design....[It] sounds as clean as it looks. Its balance is vibrant, its bass well-defined and deep, its highs clean, detailed, and well-resolved." He was impressed by the way the original CX-7 preserved the "fragile sense of an acoustic around recorded instruments....Nothing sounded confused or obscured via the CX-7." While appearing physically unchanged, the CX-7e has undergone several upgrades, including a new FPGA chip. Sounding "superbly rich, smooth, and detailed," with "velvety highs and an enormously deep bass," the CX-7e "fully deserves a Class A rating in Stereophile's "Recommended Components," decreed JA after auditioning an early version of the "E" revision. The improved Ayre offered a more vivid and tactile presentation, distinguishing itself as "an almost aggressively rhythmic player, yet one with a wide open and transparent view of the sound," said AD. "Taut and tuneful, much better than original CX-7," adds WP. RD's new reference for high-end CD players. Further testing showed that the CX-7e exhibited excellent measured performance, though its noise floor wasn’t as low as that of the C-5xe. WP preferred the rhythmic drive and huge soundstage of Ayre's C-5xe universal player. Now supplied with MP upgrade— Upgrading a CX-7e to MP status costs $250–$900, depending on the age of the unit, and includes a reconfigured DAC, upgraded wiring, and new operating-system firmware for faster track access. The CX-7eMP produced a more natural onset and decay of transients with better-defined air around instruments, resulting in a sound that was "more like live music and less like a recording," said RD. Compared to the Luxman D-05, the Ayre was more articulate and focused but lacked the Luxman's full, rich midrange, said JM. (Vol.26 No.5, Vol.27 No.12, Vol.29 No.2, Vol.31 No.1, Vol.32 Nos.2 & 10; Vol.35 No.4 WWW; see also "The Fifth Element" in Vol.34 No.2 and Vol.35 No.4 Read Review Online)

Rega Apollo-R: $1095 Designed to match Rega's Brio-R integrated amplifier, the compact, top-loading Apollo-R measures 8.6" W by 3.5" H by 12.3" D. It offers RCA analog inputs, coaxial and optical TosLink digital inputs, and uses a Sanyo transport mechanism and a Wolfson WM8742 DAC. The Apollo-R has a confident, solid sound with "an analog sense of certainty," said ST. "Its performance was a revelation, and stunning in the way it got things so rhythmically right." (Vol.35 No.7)

Resolution Audio Cantata Music Center: $6495 With its large, retro-modern alphanumeric display and top panel of scalloped aluminum waves, the gorgeous Cantata has one of the most distinct appearances in all of digital audio. It combines a digital preamp, CD player, and DAC in a single slim chassis and offers Ethernet, USB, TosLink, AES/EBU, and coax inputs, as well as balanced and unbalanced stereo outputs. A free app allows the user to control all functions via iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, and the optional Pont Neuf USB-to-Ethernet Bridge ($400) permits wireless streaming of resolutions up to 24-bit/96kHz. Compared to the Benchmark DAC1 USB, the Cantata offered equal clarity but sounded noticeably smoother and more natural, said JI. On the test bench, the Cantata lacked low-level linearity but exhibited superb rejection of jitter and error correction, said JA. (Vol.34 No.11 Read Review Online)

Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D: $9000 The beautifully built 650D is a single-box CD player and DAC with AES/EBU, S/PDIF, TosLink, and USB digital inputs; S/PDIF and AES/EBU digital outputs; and balanced and unbalanced analog outputs. It uses ESS Technology's Sabre32 Ultra DAC chip and employs individual toroidal transformers for the digital and analog power supplies. The Simaudio had a muscular, rhythmically solid sound with clean, fast transient articulation, excellent transparency, outstanding soundstage depth and width, and analog-like imaging, said MF. JA was impressed by the Sim's superb measured performance: "It's hard to see how it could be any better!" (Vol.34 No.11 Read Review Online)

T+A Music Player Balanced: $4500 ✩ The Music Player combines a CD player, iPod dock, and FM tuner, and provides built-in Web-radio streaming, computer and/or NAS drive networking, and a DAC with input switching for two external digital sources. Its design and metalwork are "top-notch, with precise fit’n’finish and an elegant yet to-the-point modern style," said JI. The MP presented recording artifacts in a "matter-of-fact" manner and had a "calm, cool, collected" overall sound. Its measured performance indicated "a superbly well-engineered and extremely versatile media player," said JA. Outwardly identical to the original Music Player, New Balanced version has been augmented with fixed pairs of RCA and balanced XLR outputs, three S/PDIF and two TosLink digital inputs, and two USB jacks. The DAC now includes 32-bit Burr-Brown chipsets. The S/PDIF, USB stick, and LAN inputs can now accept resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz; TosLink maxes out at 24/96. Finally, the new, optional FD100 remote control ($600) has a small color screen that displays album-cover art and metadata as well as precise sampling rates. Partnered with T+A's new, fully balanced Power Plant Balanced integrated amplifier ($3100), the Music Player Balanced sounded dynamic and robust, with a smooth top end, a solid soundstage, and well-extended bass, said JI. (Vol.32 No.8, Vol.35 No.9 Read Review Online)

Class B
 

Audio Analogue Crescendo: $950 Tweaked and tuned just for CDs, the Crescendo uses a TEAC CD5010A CD transport developed specifically for audio applications and employs a low-jitter 24-bit/192kHz clock, a Burr-Brown receiver, and a 24/192 Delta Sigma DAC for digital-to-analog conversion. Like the matching Crescendo integrated amplifier, the CD player produced a "distinctively involving and engaging sound" with good low-level resolution, transient speed, and bass extension, said ST. (Vol.33 No.10)

Musical Fidelity M1CLiC: $1999 The handsome, tidy M1CLiC is a single-box, remote-controlled, network-connectable, analog/digital preamp and DAC. It supports resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz via Ethernet, optical, coaxial, and front-panel USB; resolutions up to 16/48 are handled via a rear-panel iPod connector and USB DAC input. A small (3" W by 2.75" H) LCD color display provides onscreen navigation of USB sources. The M1CLiC was less detailed than the Resolution Audio Cantata and less accurate than the Benchmark DAC1 USB, but offered a smooth, clean, pleasant overall sound, said JI. "If your emphasis is on a wide variety of input choices in a clean minimalist package, then the Musical Fidelity M1CLiC may be the perfect balance of features, performance, and sound," he decided. JA noted superb measured performance. (Vol.35 No.3 Read Review Online)

Class C
 

Emotiva ERC-2: $449 Exceptionally well built, the ERC-2 has a satiny black faceplate of brushed aluminum and comes with a substantial remote control. It has separate power supplies for the analog and digital electronics and uses a slot-loading Toshiba transport and an Analog Devices AD1955 DAC. Though it lacked some midrange warmth and texture, the Emotiva had a punchy, authoritative sound, with clean highs and well-controlled lows, said SM. On the test bench, the ERC-2 exhibited somewhat compromised jitter performance and curious noise-floor modulation at high frequencies, but produced the best error correction JA has encountered in more than 20 years of testing CD players. Sold direct with a 30-day return policy. (Vol.34 No.12, Vol.35 No.1 Read Review Online)

Marantz CD5004: $349.99 $$$ Designed to match Marantz's entry-level PM5004 integrated amplifier, this gorgeous CD player uses the company's proprietary Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules, trickled down from their Reference Series components, and incorporates Cirrus Logic's SACD-quality CS4392 D/A converters. It includes a buffered headphone amplifier and jack, variable pitch control (designed for musician play-along), a Q Replay button on the remote control that repeats the last 10 seconds played of the current track, and an IR Flasher input to provide connectivity to other components. The CD5004 exhibited surprisingly good low-level dynamic articulation and ambience retrieval while producing clean, extended highs and a rich, delicate midrange, said BJR. JA was similarly impressed: "That Marantz can offer this level of performance for just $350 is astonishing." (Vol.34 No.3 Read Review Online)

Music Hall cd15.2: $499 Designed to partner with Music Hall's a15.2 integrated amplifier, the cd15.2 CD player uses a Sanyo DA11SLM transport mechanism and a 24-bit/192kHz-capable Burr-Brown DAC. Though it lacked the resolution and bass weight of more expensive players, the cd15.2 offered a sweet, harmonically rich sound. "The a15.2-cd15.2 pairing is a success," said ST, adding that it "just plays the music and gets on with it. Cheap and cheerful." (Vol.33 No.12)

NAD C 515BEE: $299 NAD's most affordable CD player is designed to match the company's C 316BEE integrated amplifier. It measures 17" W by 2.4" H by 9.5" D, weighs just 7.75 lbs, and comes with a small remote control. Though it lacks a digital input, the C 515BEE can play MP3- and WMA-formatted recordings burned to CD-R or CD-RW discs. It uses a Cirrus Logic 24-bit/192kHz sigma-delta DAC and an audio-specific Texas Instruments 5532 dual op-amp. Though it lacked the bass weight and extension of Emotiva's ERC-2 and couldn’t match the midrange warmth of the Sony PlayStation 1, the NAD offered a smooth, coherent overall sound, with fast, clean transients and a large soundstage, said SM. Continued experience raises the rating to Class C. (Vol.35 No.2 Read Review Online)

Nuforce CDP-8: $1450 Sleek and unobtrusive at 8.5" W by 1.8" H by 14" D and weighing just 7 lbs, the CDP-8 CD player has a beveled front panel with a touch-sensitive strip for control functions, and uses a 15V DC wall-wart power supply. It has a constant angular-velocity transport with a DSP-controlled laser, said to reduce jitter and increase the accuracy of the datastream. The CDP-8 combined solid bass impact with airy highs and a strong sense of momentum, said WP. "The NuForce CDP-8 is a remarkably good CD player, one of the best I've heard in years," he concluded. On the test bench, however, WP's review sample suffered from very high levels of jitter and noise modulation. A subsequent production change to reduce EMI-RFI radiation worked to eliminate the noise modulation and reduce jitter, found JA. Though it lacked the original's bass weight, the revised CDP-8's greater speed, clarity, and precision made the earlier version sound unrefined and brutish. "The new version was, by no small margin, the more compelling player," decided SM, who feels that the original Class A classification was too optimistic. (Vol.33 No.11, Vol.34 Nos.2 & 6 Read Review Online)

Sony Playstation 1: around $25 used $$$ ✩ A first-generation Sony PlayStation (SCPH-1001) is made of gray plastic, has a set of RCA analog outputs, and comes equipped with a game controller and power cord. When used with Cardas Neutral Reference interconnects, the PS1 offered an "extended, open, and agile" sound, said AD who declared the PS1 an "insanely high value." JM was unimpressed by the player's user interface and noisy disc mechanism, however, and found that switching to cheaper cables resulted in a threadbare midrange and treble. Nevertheless, he admitted, "For $25, it sounds wonderful." AD agreed, noting that the PS1 combined "slightly diminished" frequency extremes with a "superior level of rhythmic acuity" for a smooth and involving sound. Prices have climbed to as much as $70 on online commerce sites such as eBay and Audiogon. Some disagreement among the magazine's scribes: Low Class B, according to AD; Class D, according to JM; JA splits the difference, but warns that later-generation PS1s use a less well-specified DAC and lack the RCA output jacks: ignore them, he says. Compared with the Emotiva ERC-2, the Sony lacked treble clarity and bass weight, but offered a fleshier midrange and was more forgiving of poorly recorded material, said SM. (Vol.31 Nos.4 & 7, Vol.35 No.1 Read Review Online)

Class D
 

Apple iPod classic, 160GB: $249 as reviewed ✩ This sleek and sassy data-storage unit is capable of playing lossy compressed (MP3, AAC), lossless compressed (ALC), and uncompressed (AIFF, WAV) digital audio files delighted JA and WP. WP was surprised to find the iPod worthy of serious audiophile consideration: "The open nature of the iPod's playback format—or, more properly speaking, its lack of a single playback standard—means that the player can offer the sound quality its owner demands of it." Files ripped in AIFF were "indistinguishable from the original CD," with impressive dynamics, detailed imaging, and extended frequency extremes. JA: "Excellent, cost-effective audio engineering from an unexpected source." Stereophile's "Editor's Choice" and "Budget Product of the Year" for 2003. Current version significantly revised and offers 160GB hard-drive capacity as standard. Current version offers superb measured performance. JA is an enthusiastic owner. (Vol.26 No.10 Read Review Online)

HiFiMan HM-602: $399 About the size and shape of an iPod Classic, the HM-602 portable music player has a handsome, serious appearance, with a 2" LCD screen, gold controls, and a fine metallic finish. It uses a 1990s-vintage, 16-bit Philips TDA-1543 DAC chip and offers a headphone output, line input, a five-pin mini data-exchange port, and a USB DAC port. In addition to its SD card slot, the HM-602 has 16GB of onboard memory for storing MP3, WAV, OGG, and 24-bit/96kHz FLAC files. JA's measurements, however, revealed that while the HM-602 will play 24-bit data files, it will always truncate those data to 16 bits to present them to the DAC. The USB input offered jitter that was so high as to be off the scale. The HM-602's sound will be dominated by the designer's decision to forgo a reconstruction filter, he added. Compared to SM's iPod Nano, the HM-602 offered greater bass weight and control; a bigger soundstage; larger, more precisely placed images; and a richer, fuller overall sound. (Vol.34 No.5 Read Review Online)

Parasound Zcd: $400 Like all of Parasound's Z products, the basic-black Zcd measures 9.5" W by 2" H by 10" D, and has front-panel rack-mounting holes; a silver-colored option, without mounting holes, is also now available. The neatly organized rear panel offers a wealth of connections, including: Variable and Fixed analog outputs; a video output; a 3.5mm stereo line input; coaxial and optical digital outputs; and a USB input for MP3 playback. Though MP3s played from a flash drive lacked the immediacy, clarity, and impact of their CD counterparts, they often sounded less mechanical. Compared to the NAD C 515BEE, the Zcd sounded faster, tighter, more aggressive, and produced a taller but shallower soundstage with less well-delineated images, said SM. (Vol.35 No.10 Read Review Online)

Class K
 
Parasound CD 1, Oppo BDP-103 & 105.