Blind Luck

Does it still make sense to have a CD collection and a dedicated player/ transport ?

It’s a valid question, Amarendra, and I guess the answer lies in the size of one’s collection.
I currently have over 1300 albums on cd, carefully collected over decades. Before that, it was LPs and tapes. The thought of making another format change is too much for me right now! And yes, I do like the feel of physical media :)
 
At the height of the pandemic last year, my cdp decided to throw a tantrum. Unable to find a sound technician, I decided to search for a replacement instead. Before anyone could yell 'Think!', Aretha style, I had tumbled headlong down the rabbit hole and swapped out every bit of kit.

Well, I'm back in the real world now with an entirely new setup. And, by sheer fluke, it manages to nail that elusive 'synergy' we all crave. This is pretty interesting because I religiously disobeyed the First Commandment - 'Thou Shall Not Buy Blind'! There were no auditions, no AB comparisons, no home demos, no posts seeking advice. I just pored over the numerous online reviews and user comments, and zeroed in on stuff that was being described as 'musical' rather than 'audiophile'.

So this post is my attempt at paying it forward. I hope FMs can glean some useful info, in case they're considering any of the gear listed below. Without further ado, here they are:

Audiolab 6000CDT > Denafrips Ares II > Cayin CS 55A > Wharfedale Linton

View attachment 66961

As mentioned above, there's amazing synergy at work here. Together, this kit produces great tone, timbre, detail, soundstage and, above all, musicality. It's the kind of setup where 3 hours feels like 30 minutes.

Right, enough hyperbole. Here's a quick look at each unit.

Audiolab 6000CDT
Colour me convinced, a dedicated CD transport can make a difference; even one as inexpensive as this. IMHO, the Audiolab is a stone cold bargain for the performance it delivers. However, you do have to be careful with the slot loader. Pressing down on the CD while inserting and removing discs can cause scratches on the playing surface. You'll need to focus after your third large.

Denafrips Ares II
I have very limited experience with DACs, so will avoid commenting on the chips v/s R2R debate. However, I can confirm that the sound is clearly 'analogue-like', with a beautiful ebb and flow to the music. I honestly did not expect my CDs to sound this fluid, while still transmitting all the subtle details. The only downside is that it needs ~30 minutes to warm up, before it starts singing. I run it in OS mode with the 'Slow' filter on.

Cayin CS 55A
I discovered Cayin only recently, and was intrigued by the fact that they're the ones who manufacture Primaluna amps. The CS 55A is the latest avatar of a model that was introduced in 2005, and I'm running it with KT88s in triode mode: 22wpc is plenty loud in my 26' x 18' living room. You can also swap out the KT88s for EL34s, KT77s or 6550s, and biasing is a breeze. The sound is a good balance of modern and vintage tube, with plenty of air, detail and sweetness. Thankfully, it doesn't sound solid state like some tube amps I've heard. Build quality and finish are stunning.

Wharfedale Linton
Online buzz (probably fueled by its retro style) would have you believe that this is a 'warm and fuzzy' speaker. Nonsense. A wide and deep soundstage, bags of detail, textured bass; it's all there. Laser-etched imaging is not their forte, but despite their size, they can disappear. I was a bit concerned that their 4 ohm impedance dip might cause problems for the amp. No such issue. Hooked up to the 8 ohm taps on the Cayin, the Lintons play loud without a hint of strain.

Guess that's enough gyan for now. If anyone has specific queries, please post here and I'll do my best to answer. Below are links to some of the reviews I found helpful.

Audiolab 6000CDT

Denafrips Ares II

Cayin CS 55A

Wharfedale Linton
What a beautiful upgrade to your setup @coaltrain ! Late to this party but glad I saw your post.
I've been sitting on the fence for years over using Blu-ray player for CDT + external DAC vs moving entirely to dedicated CDT and DAC. Such well written (and insidious!) reviews are no help at all for fence sitting...
My only defence for not moving is a modest collection of CDs.
I will have to give the audiolab CDT serious consideration now!
 
I’m well aware of your “modest collection”, @Jayant_S :)
Definitely worthy of a dedicated transport.
I’m out of the country at the moment, but you’re most welcome to drop by and hear for yourself once I’m back in town.
 
- The 5814A definitely has the signature Mullard sound of sweet top end and liquid midraqnge, with plenty of body and detail. However, I was not expecting the bass to be this prodigious. It's hard to believe that a couple of tiny glass bottles from 1965 could sound like you've added a subwoofer, but that's exactly what I'm getting. Is this a feature of the 5814A? No idea, but I'll take it!
Value
- At around 50-60% the cost of original European glassware, the NOS BELs are a real bargain. Especially when you consider that these are closely matched pairs.
I just rolled in a pair of BEL 12au7's into my Lampizator Baltic 3 DAC, and I concur with Coaltrain. Very impressed with what they are doing - they replaced my favourite NOS 12 au7, the RCA clear top.
Cheers,
Sid
 
Great to hear, @sidvee , especially as the RCA is no slouch.
And the differences must be pretty obvious on your state-of-the-art setup.
 
Great to hear, @sidvee , especially as the RCA is no slouch.
And the differences must be pretty obvious on your state-of-the-art setup.
Not really state of the art set-up coaltrain, but from whatever my limited experience has been, these tubes are excellent vfm. However prices for NOS matched pairs having started creeping up, maybe due to the exposure on the forum.
Have a pair of the new production mullard 12au7's, so planning to roll those in soon, to compare the NOS vs new mullard sound.
Cheers,
Sid
 
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Glad to see love for NOS BEL tubes. Been using the 12Ax7 on my DynacoPas3 pre for more than a year now with superlative results.
Got them for less than 500/pair , now they are 7-8 times as much if not more , that too with no guarantee being genuine.
 
Not really state of the art set-up coaltrain,
Yep, sure. You do realize you’ve got a German sedan parked in your listening room, right? :)

Have a pair of the new production mullard 12au7's, so planning to roll those in soon, to compare the NOS vs new mullard sound.
That would be a helpful comparison. Please do share your findings with us.

Got them for less than 500/pair
Out with the truth, @Bloom@83
You had a blunderbuss to the seller’s throat, didn’t you?
500 bucks is an absolute steal! :)
 
Out with the truth, @Bloom@83
You had a blunderbuss to the seller’s throat, didn’t you?
500 bucks is an absolute steal! :)
The seller belongs to a rapidly vanishing species of septuagenarian DIY-ers, who shun publicity , and belonging to elite north Kolkata class of bhadraloks (gentlemen) who don’t care about money. :)
He has his own secret sources , and I have quietly hoarded a few pairs of tubes from him.
 
The seller belongs to a rapidly vanishing species of septuagenarian DIY-ers, who shun publicity , and belonging to elite north Kolkata class of bhadraloks (gentlemen) who don’t care about money. :)
He has his own secret sources , and I have quietly hoarded a few pairs of tubes from him.
I spent 4 years in Cal; finished my 10th from La Marts.
Not once did I encounter such benevolence!
Bad karma, I guess :)
 
Y:)
That would be a helpful comparison. Please do share your findings with us.
I have been listening to the new production mullard 12au7's for the past few days. Biggest difference - when compared to the BEL's or the RCA clear tops, is that these are significantly quieter in terms of better black background, perhaps due to their new production status. And overall there is definite similarity to the BEL sound, albeit in a more restrained fashion. Unsure whether they are better than the BEL's, but will listen to them a few more weeks and report back, they are definitely more laid back than the BELs, so have to listen to them for a while. Next I have a set of NOS GE 12au7's and after that a pair of newer EH 12au7's. I like the Electro Harmonix tubes quite a bit, so looking forward to these.
Cheers,
Sid
 
Thanks for the update, sidvee.
The new Mullards are back to a reasonable price now, so good to know there’s a cost effective option to the BELs available.
Looking forward to the next installment featuring the NOS GEs :)
 
@coaltrain With about 10 months of playing time, what do you reckon the performance of these Lintons. Ive been eyeing these for a while now and really contemplating picking these up. Just sheer vintage looks and some online reviews.

Current Chain > Technics SL-1200 > > Monitor Audio Silver RX8 > NAD 3020i as a pre > Peeceebee Power Mono Blocks

Have got a pair of Cary Audio AE 805s but absolutely no space to place them. Need to find a matching pre for this as well.

Do we have these for audition anywhere in Bangalore?

Cheers!
 
Do we have these for audition anywhere in Bangalore?
Yep… at my place :)
Perhaps it’s better you hear the Lintons for yourself and decide. As I’m not very familiar with your setup, I don’t think I’m the best person to give you sound advice.
The coming week is relatively free for me. Do let me know via pm if you’d like to drop by for a listen.
 
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