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-   -   Boulder and CD Players (https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=2867)

2-Channel 12-09-2009 09:09 PM

Boulder and CD Players
 
I was pouring through the Boulder website. Their 1021 CD transport or CD player has garnered very impressive reviews. From conversations with dealers and a Boulder rep, it appears that most owners use their 1021 as a CD player feeding their preamplifier directly. In fact, the 1021 has derailed the 2020 DAC so significantly that Boulder discontinued the DAC altogether claiming that the newer 1021 surpassed its performance results. The last 2020 has been sold thus ending its availability as a new purchase.

With CD transports usually being highlighted in high end systems, I was curious how many of you feel about a CD player vs a CD transport in a high end system.

I believe Krell had/has high end CD players in their CAST design.

Is the CD player still viewed as a legitimate high end component [in certain instances like Boulder], or do most audiophiles prefer the separation of the transport and the DAC?

Still-One 12-09-2009 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2-Channel (Post 52590)
I was pouring through the Boulder website. Their 1021 CD transport or CD player has garnered very impressive reviews. From conversations with dealers and a Boulder rep, it appears that most owners use their 1021 as a CD player feeding their preamplifier directly. In fact, the 1021 has derailed the 2020 DAC so significantly that Boulder discontinued the DAC altogether claiming that the newer 1021 surpassed its performance results. The last 2020 has been sold thus ending its availability as a new purchase.

With CD transports usually being highlighted in high end systems, I was curious how many of you feel about a CD player vs a CD transport in a high end system.

I believe Krell had/has high end CD players in their CAST design.

Is the CD player still viewed as a legitimate high end component [in certain instances like Boulder], or do most audiophiles prefer the separation of the transport and the DAC?

There are some very good one box players from Esoteric, DCS, EMM, Meridian but only lately have the companies provided access to their DAC's for other sources. The X01's, the Puccini, and CDSA are all considered high end players.

The current issue of TAS has a review of the Boulder unit. They note that CD doesn't get any better than this.

1KW 12-09-2009 09:20 PM

Hello what about the MCD500 ?

Still-One 12-09-2009 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KW (Post 52597)
Hello what about the MCD500 ?

I do not normally recommend my own gear. Now, I wouldn't still own #3 if I didn't think it was great.

PHC1 12-09-2009 09:34 PM

Read the stereophile review where they make a direct comparison of Boulder 1021 to the much less expensive Ayre C-5xeMP. :D Stereophile: Boulder 1021 disc player

Still-One 12-09-2009 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHC1 (Post 52600)
Read the stereophile review where they make a direct comparison of Boulder 1021 to the much less expensive Ayre C-5xeMP. :D Stereophile: Boulder 1021 disc player

All depends on who is doing the review. TAS also selected the Meridian 808.2 as the technology breakthrough of the year. Then they chose the Spectral as the Disc Player of the Year. :dazed-7: They chose the Maxx3's as "Cost no Object Speaker for 2009", but the selected the Magico M5 as Overall Product of the Year.

PHC1 12-09-2009 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillone (Post 52605)
All depends on who is doing the review. TAS also selected the Meridian 808.2 as the technology breakthrough of the year. Then they chose the Spectral as the Disc Player of the Year. :dazed-7: They chose the Maxx3's as "Cost no Object Speaker for 2009", but the selected the Magico M5 as Overall Product of the Year.

True but when an experienced reviewer says he couldn't hear a difference and actually preferred a $7k CDP to a $24K Boulder unit, one can't help to wonder what the extra $17k buys you in this case. :D

Still-One 12-09-2009 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHC1 (Post 52607)
True but when an experienced reviewer says he couldn't hear a difference and actually preferred a $7k CDP to a $24K Boulder unit, one can't help to wonder what the extra $17k buys you in this case. :D

Hi rez playback.

PHC1 12-09-2009 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillone (Post 52608)
Hi rez playback.

Ayre does high res just as well. Ayre does CD, SACD, DVD-A, DVD-V and has up to 192Khz sample rate capability. What does the Boulder offer above and beyond? :scratch2:

JSCC 12-10-2009 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillone (Post 52605)
All depends on who is doing the review. TAS also selected the Meridian 808.2 as the technology breakthrough of the year. Then they chose the Spectral as the Disc Player of the Year. :dazed-7: They chose the Maxx3's as "Cost no Object Speaker for 2009", but the selected the Magico M5 as Overall Product of the Year.

Hi Jim,

Meridian's "technology breakthrough of the year" does not mean its the best player, which went to Spectral. There may be "other" criteria to which Meridian may have lost out, although it may be ahead in technology.

Similarly, Maxx 3 "cost no object SPEAKER for 2009" may mean that the Wilson speaker is the best speaker for ANY price point whereas, the Magico M5 could mean just that it is the overall most impressive product of 2009 and not necessarily sounded better than the Maxx 3.

All said and done, its how people like me "read in between the lines" and try to second guess what the writer/reviewer try to bring across. It is this "grey guesses" that makes the hobby that much more interesting as then could controversies spin debates and sales. Hopefully, in the end, may inspire progress for products to come. And then, we go on and one ... 2010, 2011, ......

I could be entirely wrong in what I had written, but this is how I would read whatever in the magazines, albeit always with a tinge of salt. In the end, I buy what strikes me and gives me the pride of ownership. After all, I am the one who's going to live with the purchase, speakers, gears, amps or cables.

Cheers!


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