ajcllc Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 What differences are made with a tube CD player such as a Shanling or Jolida? Please post your comparisons versus solid state. Do these make as much of a difference even if you are using a tube preamp and/or amp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I just sold a Cary Tube CD player for 575. I compared it to various stand alone CD players from JVC, Onkyo (1200 dollar model), and built in CD players included in my PC and Media Server. Tested with SS equipment as well as tube equipment. The Cary tube CD player did maintain the warmth, mid range detail that tubes provide. But, you need to determine if the tube CD player is using tubes as a tube buffer in conjunction with SS componets in the line stage or are tubes being used in place off SS componets in the line stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 But, you need to determine if the tube CD player is using tubes as a tube buffer in conjunction with SS componets in the line stage or are tubes being used in place off SS componets in the line stage. How do you determine that? Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Ask the company's tech support. Email or phone. American companies are good at responding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Speakerfritz wouldn't you find this information in the desciption? If they call it a tubed output, doesn't that sum it up? Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwc Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I will give my vote that the AH! is a great CD Player. It has the appearance of something you would by from Walmart but the innards shine. I have it going through my Blueberry and it is great. It also sounded great on my McIntosh SS preamp too. I can't tell a real difference but haven't given the critical comparison. I will say that standard CD's in the AH! sound better than my McIntosh cd player that cost almost 3X as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Speakerfritz wouldn't you find this information in the desciption? If they call it a tubed output, doesn't that sum it up? Jay It could be tube buffered and still be tubed output. A true tube CD player or tube DAC does not use op amps or transistors in the line stage....just the tube circut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 must say that my Jolida 100 SR from Hot Rod Audio sounds mighty good....Bluesboy just left my house after listening to Mark Knopflers "Ragpickers Dream" and we were mighty impressed with the sound. My previous cd was a Denon from 1984 and it was good for it's time but then again cds recorded with 20 or 24 bit technology makes me want to throw away the earlier recordings. Bluesboy is getting a Sony universal and I look forward to hearing that and watching the dvds as well. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I have four audio systems that get daily use. Three of the four CDs players I own are "tube CD players." In my main system is the BAT VK-D5, the finest CD player I have ever heard--period. In my office system at work is a Conrad-Johnson 2b, a very warm, musical and sweet sounding player--really great for jazz--bought this used off of Audiogon for $799, a really good deal! In my kitchen system is the original AH! Tjoeb '99--great player for the money ($250 new in 1999). And finally, in my wife's office system is a new Cambridge Audio 640C-- Ihaven't listened to it mujch, but my wife LOVES it. I tend to like "warm" sounding players (the original Rega Planet was the first CD player like this I ever heard--unfortunately mine died a few months ago) and this has led me to tube models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 [H] I have four audio systems that get daily use. Three of the four CDs players I own are "tube CD players." In my main system is the BAT VK-D5, the finest CD player I have ever heard--period. In my office system at work is a Conrad-Johnson 2b, a very warm, musical and sweet sounding player--really great for jazz--bought this used off of Audiogon for $799, a really good deal! In my kitchen system is the original AH! Tjoeb '99--great player for the money ($250 new in 1999). And finally, in my wife's office system is a new Cambridge Audio 640C-- Ihaven't listened to it mujch, but my wife LOVES it. I tend to like "warm" sounding players (the original Rega Planet was the first CD player like this I ever heard--unfortunately mine died a few months ago) and this has led me to tube models. I have owned over 50 cd players in the past few years, the best soincs IMHO absolutely come with a tube stage. Allan, the BAT is a great player, as is the Audio Aero Capitol MK2, Modwrights various 'players, Exemplars, APL's, et. I have found that a proper tube stage, really bring's forth that added 3 dimensionality, and increased holographic soundstage. My latest and greatest player has 20 dac's per channel, linear power supply, single ended tube stage using 2 6H30 super tubes. I have been at a friends home who has now sold his TT(Walker Promesium)after preferring CD's, to his vinyl. It is really amazing how much information is on these disc's, and at the same time, how most manufacturers, just do NOT know how to build a proper player, to read the disc. I have found that all SS players I have owned or listened too had someting lacking, to draw me INTO the music. OTOH, Tubed player's, even if they rolled off the treble, a touch, and did not have the last word in bass, still were more musically satisfying. Personnaly, I have been on a search, for the most analog sounding digital player available, and am not willing to settle for a warm player. OTOH, we live in fabulous audio times now. There are so many really good sounding digital player's brand new, on the market. Many from china, and other 3rd world countries. The Melody player is real interesting, along with the consonance, shanling, jolida, and many more. I have personnaly found best bang for the buck in modified players, with tube stages added. My latest is the NWO 2.5 www.aplhifi.com this was a long journey of passion to find the best digital, regardless of price. When I started back on my obsessive audiophool path a few years back, I thought a couple hundred bucks was a lot to spend for quality. Boy, oh boy did I learn a lot, and still do, all the time. At this point I can build a great system f or a grand, a super system for 2k, and be real content(yeah, right[]) My goal for today is a world class system, boy, does my wife think I am nutz. Bottom line, IMHO, to get the most out of a system, I believe you need to start with source, cause, without source, you have NO MUSIC. Thus is my interpretation of just how important the player is. TUBES ROCK[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Smilin, Man, you are just killin some of us with lack of info about the Smilinwalls. What is the status? Regards, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Where can you buy the Jolida JD100? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Terry, they are finally done, Tom says they sound AMAZING, he is tweaking them in his home for the past few weeks, and is contacting shippers, hopefully by the end of next week, they will be on there way home to PAPA[H]I have asked Tom to start posting more pictures, cause I am sure he has done an amazing job. I started that journey a year and a quater, in the making, with many changes, along the way. I sure hope they float my boat, cause my current Epiphany 12/12's are no slouch, and were awarded TAS most wanted speaker award a few years ago. They have some competition.[]but, I really miss horns, so I do believe they will win.[]Tom tell me he never in his life heard his stereo have a sounstage wider than the speakers themselves.....I will know soon, Thank God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I think that you should buy an upgraded one pre owned from someone on audiogon, that way, you can get it at a better price, and loose less when upgrading., I did not see any upgraded ones today, but, keep your eyes on audiogon, and make appropriate offers. You may wanna start a thread about them, or even better, just do a google search. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Whether the manufacturers employ tubes or purely s/s in the design, I have found that really good CD players sound warm and musical because they have eliminated the jitter and harshness found in poorer designs. I don't think cost is a major facter here - this has more to do with the inherent skills of the circuit designer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 get one on Audiogon for $600-700 from time to time or Underwood HIFi or Hotrod audio.com. I got a mini-mod at Hot rod Audio which includes different tubes, sound deadning and isopads for the feet for $900. A warm sounding cd at an affordable price. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 What differences are made with a tube CD player such as a Shanling or Jolida? Please post your comparisons versus solid state. Do these make as much of a difference even if you are using a tube preamp and/or amp? ajc, My opinion as to tube CD players might be considered tainted by many because I require SS power amps to slam the bottom of my Cornwall bins, so I mix and match. I run a AH! tube CD player into a JMA tube pre, and dump that into two tube-warm Luxman M-117 SS power amps. Just love what the AH! has done for my system! Less than $1,500.00 with all the bells. A light build on the outside, the stuff on the inside is very well done. If the case build bothers you, just through a concrete block on top of it.[H] Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Guy's once you get to the 1500 plus range, ya gotta get into the pre-modded units, like the Modwright Sony 999es, with seperate power supply, or the Exemplar 2910......JMO, but CORRECT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I have owned over 50 cd players in the past few years, the best soincs IMHO absolutely come with a tube stage. If you can keep track of whether player #44 was better than player #21, and in what particulars, you've got one superhuman memory. I can't usually remember what I went downstairs to get, until I go back upstairs again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilin Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I have owned over 50 cd players in the past few years, the best soincs IMHO absolutely come with a tube stage. If you can keep track of whether player #44 was better than player #21, and in what particulars, you've got one superhuman memory. I can't usually remember what I went downstairs to get, until I go back upstairs again. SUCH IS THE UPS, AND DOWNS, OF LIFE, IN THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.