notevenclose
pfm Member
Sorry, in context, le CEC.
Jays audio CD Transport Opinion
- Thread starter greygoose
- Start date
notevenclose
pfm Member
Ah well, remember Nicola's still got us all lashed to the headboard up here. Original owner's probably a lighthouse keeper, in which case it could be up to a month before a supply ship delivers your email.
notevenclose
pfm Member
Charismatic presenter. Do you think those are his hands loading the CD a couple of minutes in?
More seriously, though, quite interesting, not seen that before.
The CD5 is the machine I have. When I bought it, file-based replay was a much more important source for me, and from prior experience CEC's integrated players are pretty good.
I did have a DA-3N DAC here at one point, which was superb on S/PDIF, but the USB implementation was their first attempt and sounded a bit 'slugged.'
I had a Metrum NOS DAC at the time and preferred the CD5 playing CDs as an integrated as opposed to with the Metrum via either Kondo or Atlas digital cables. I had a small preference for file replay via the Metrum, but crunching the numbers selling the Metrum and buying the CD5 made more sense than buying the transport only version, the TL5. At the time there was only about 500 quid betwen the TL5 and CD5.
I now have another DAC, in the amp, and I prefer CD replay via the CD5, but file-based replay sounds best via the external (to the CD5) DAC, but again it's not a degree of difference I'd lose a lot of sleep over.
One interesting thing is differences in USB cables are minimised/ameliorated by the CD5's DAC, which depending on which side of the fence you're on, can I suppose be viewed as either a shortcoming or a benefit.
Since file-based replay increasingly passes further into irrelevance for me with each passing year, if I was buying again now I'd perhaps be more tempted by the TL5. I have half a cunning plan to get my paws on a TL2 at some point, so you never know, I may be listing the CD5 here one of these fine days.
Thanks for the video link.
effinity
pfm Member
Ha, now which CEC of mine would you like me to compare?
Yes I can say came from people with good turntables
Reason being, as but in a dream, I’ve ended up with a TL51X and a TL5!
No way was I going in that direction but here we are, an offer I couldn’t refuse.
I just have to sell some other stuff to cover it, and quick!
It’s one of those, while avidly scouring the internet etc for 3 weeks CEC stuff started coming at me your honour, I was helpless!
Anyway the comparison, I do indeed prefer either of the CEC’s to the Esoteric as far as memory will allow. The esoteric did provide astonishing detail and dynamics and the CEC’s do the same but with warmth, timbre and dare I say musicality.
Staggering thing is there isn’t so much between the TL51 and TL5 with the few months old ex demo TL5 being a tad more refined and something about various percussion, which being a percussionist, I tend to listen to the cowbells, small hand percussion, congas etc, all coming through with shimmers and tinklings hitting that emotional spot.
Maybe a little louder at the same volume if that makes sense.
Either machine I could happily live with and if I hadn’t heard the TL5 (£2895 new now in UK) I would have sailed on non the wiser, and happily, with the TL51.
All the frequencies seem well ordered on both, with voice, violins, brass, bass, electronic music presenting no wincing on the highs, butt punching bass and ecstatic midrange! I’m sold on CEC, seem to fit in with my set up really well.
I can keep both but only until the cc bill comes in next month, decisions!
notevenclose
pfm Member
Clearly delusional. All digital sources sound identical, unless they're 'broken.'
effinity
pfm Member
Definitely delusional.
Definitely delusional if you think all digital sources sound identical.
I was talking to a friend and occasional customer two weeks ago who has a superb audio system that most on here could only dream of. In his system, he has the top CEC TLO transport, and a top of the line £14000 Streamer/Server running Roon and streaming from Tidal etc. We were talking about digital sound. He confirmed that the best digital sound he has experienced came from his CEC transport, followed by ripped music from his SSD drive server, followed by streamed music from his streamer/server. This replicates my experience too, as well as what has been stated by many other top audio companies.
I was talking to a friend and occasional customer two weeks ago who has a superb audio system that most on here could only dream of. In his system, he has the top CEC TLO transport, and a top of the line £14000 Streamer/Server running Roon and streaming from Tidal etc. We were talking about digital sound. He confirmed that the best digital sound he has experienced came from his CEC transport, followed by ripped music from his SSD drive server, followed by streamed music from his streamer/server. This replicates my experience too, as well as what has been stated by many other top audio companies.
effinity
pfm Member
Oh my, would love to hear that! Yes definitely differences in the the sound of digital sources and perhaps not always related to cost purely but more on the system matching maybe.
I'm in the 'start with speakers and work backwards' camp, filling in the gaps between source and transducer is surely the challenge and possibly most fun if got right and the most frustration if not, like 'where do I begin' in terms of tweaking.
I've no doubt that digital sources sound different, CEC to me sounds and feels like coming home!
Favourites in the past have been Naim CD3, Avondale CD3 mod, Cds2 and 3, Audio Aero Capitole Mk2 (my previous favourite), Revox 225/226 (for the price 15yrs ago, 200 quid used, mindblowing), Esoteric X-03SE (different than the others but still great), Denon DCD 1520 also has its charms and is again, different.
Thank goodness for a diverse society.
Agreed. It's not all related to cost. System matching is key. Good luck with the system. Great place to start. The speaker first then build your system around it.
effinity
pfm Member
Very much agree and i've had some great speakers but these take the biscuit! Main problem for me now I find, is weight, i'm thinking ahead 5-10yrs, hopefully longer! How am I going to move things around as I age, 70 next year, or if downsizing, which could be quite soon, will everything fit!
These would never have fitted into my worldview at one time but prejudice overcome, they are amazing!
Escalante Fremont Mk2, a Tierry Budge design. 2 yrs in, a long time for me.
Darren L
Egalitarian
What do you think of the little Townsend dooda's below the speakers @effinity .
FWIW I'm concentrating on slowing upgrading my source components for the time being as we intend to move house within the next year or so, downsizing the house but hopefully not the room in which I have my system, though hopefully still a dedicated room, once I have my 'final' room (I'd like my next move to be my last) I'll then look to speakers and suitable amplification.
FWIW I'm concentrating on slowing upgrading my source components for the time being as we intend to move house within the next year or so, downsizing the house but hopefully not the room in which I have my system, though hopefully still a dedicated room, once I have my 'final' room (I'd like my next move to be my last) I'll then look to speakers and suitable amplification.
effinity
pfm Member
Yes, been good, 3 months now, speakers on the stand nipples already worked well and these things go by shades and degrees on different days even but clearer, more resolving, timbre my favourite word, all up a notch or two. Worth it to my ears, what else matters? Mrs noticed too and her ears are golden!
seethroughyou
pfm Member
Yes everyone loves to drool over CEC and swear by it. Dare to take a look under the cover of all that fancy metal-work and it’s a cheap boom box....
http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/REFERENCES/CEC/CEC TL-1X.html
http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/REFERENCES/CEC/CEC TL-1X.html
seethroughyou
pfm Member
Here’s another, fancy on the outside and cheap and flawed on the inside:
http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/REFERENCES/cec51/cectl51x.html
http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/REFERENCES/cec51/cectl51x.html
Alex S
carbon based lifeform
Perhaps you can share your audition.
seethroughyou
pfm Member
Perhaps you can substantiate why these units costing 4-5 figures, use nearly all their parts are from a £200 CD boom box/alarm clock? Rolls Royce prices, Lada parts in a fancy box and the audiophiles can’t drool over it enough or be defensive enough when the evidence is presented to them.
effinity
pfm Member
I'll dance to a boombox but I prefer my C.E.C. so far so good.
iansr
pfm Member
I remember seeing a well known Product designer talking about car design on a TV programme. He was saying that the way to make people think a product is top quality is by making all the parts that you see and feel to a high standard. People then assume that the rest of the product is of an equally high standard, when in fact it might not be. So with a car for example, you notice how heavy the door is; does the door make a satisfying clunk when you close it; do the switches feel solid and move precisely and firmly; what does the material covering the dash and facia feel like etc etc. Because cars are built to a price and the engineering has to reach a minimum standard there isn’t much scope for devoting disproportionate amounts to the fit and finish in order to fool people, but there is plenty of scope to do it with hi fi gear . . . .