Absolute best source?

[The Kipnis Studios]

Without a doubt, the very best stand alone CD player is . . .

The Mark Levinson No. 51!

It has the single lowest jitter data stream going directly to some of the best sounding hand matched DACs available.

But - It cost $20k, and the 128 that were built, were sold before production started. But you might pick one up in mint condition for a steal.

It's ability to play 44.1 kHz CDs as though they were SACDs, DVD-A, BluRay LPCM is so striking - any of the 500+ demonstrations I've given of my KSS Cinema and Listening Room Designs have left people stunned by how good this Levinson actually is. And it also plays and does the same for DVD-A and DVD-V. It has the most accurate video color space of any DVD player on the market.

I hope they make a similar "no holds barred" BD player in the very near future.

[kennyt]

Jeremy,

Am I mistaken, I do not believe the ML 512 does DVD-A, only CD and DVD-V as I am aware.

KT

[The Kipnis Studios]

Originally Posted by kennyt

Jeremy,

Am I mistaken, I do not believe the ML 512 does DVD-A, only CD and DVD-V as I am aware.

KT

It is the ML No. 51 Digital Media Player, with DVD-V, DVD-A (to 96 kHz & 24-bit), and CD.

It weighs sixty pounds and has the most amazing choice of parts and design. They were all hand built as a statement product for ML - their flagship Spinner.

You have got to see and hear this piece!!!

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by The Kipnis Studios

DVD-A (to 96 kHz & 24-bit), and CD.

I know the piece, never heard it, but must say, it is not a true DVD-A player.....

I had the option to buy one for a very competitive price a while back, sick in fact and turned it down as DVD will be dead soon and no matter how good a job it does, it won't be as good as Blu-ray.

[The Kipnis Studios]

Originally Posted by kennyt

It is not a true DVD-A player & It won't be as good as Blu-ray.

But, I just watched the Beatles' Yellow Submarine on DVD from 1999, and it blew away many of the mixes on BD and HD-DVD, and the picture quality was competitive with a 16 mm release print, which I have shown many, many times.

How long will we have to wait for SONY to truck that and other great films out onto BD? Meanwhile, it's not HDTV, but given a good DVD master - It ROCKS! Even on an 18' x 10' screen and in 8.8 surround decoding 8-)

Thank you, Mark Levinson No. 51!!!

[nedrudrelyt]

Linn CD12 by a good margin is the best I have heard. Even compared to the best 2-box designs. Currently, The Meridian 808 is the best piece I have come across since the Linn CD12 and for the under $5000 category it has to be the Cary 303/300. Swap a few tubes in the Cary and experiment and with that selectable upsampling it is a tweakers dream. Haven't heard better yet under $5000 than the Cary. This is all for redbook of course. Best SACD source out there? Anyone?