Digital Drive: REVIEW: Musical Fidelity A3cd CD Player/Recorder by Belgarchi

Model:	A3cd
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$1000
Description:	24 bit cd player
Manufacturer URL:	Musical Fidelity

Review by Belgarchi on June 20, 2008 at 21:17:17
IP Address: 216.80.144.198 Add Your Review
for the A3cd

This small CD-Player looks good... and that's it for the positive aspects of this review.
It is very cheaply build - small power supply, not many discrete componets - and the sound is very disppointing.
NO deep bass. No soundstage, or more exactly flat soundstage in depth and inconsistent from left to right. The mid-highs, despite being not very detailed, is fatiguing. And the sound is boring due to lack of dynamism.
I wonder if I had a 'lemon', or if they are all like that; I love the sound of Musical Fidelity amplifier, and it is difficult to believe that one of their CD-Player can sound so bad, like a $200 'Best Buy' CD-Player.

Product Weakness:	Every aspect of sound.
Product Strengths:	Look.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Musical Fidelity, Conrad-Johnson
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Arcam
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Classe, Thorens-SME
Speakers: B&W, Dynaudio
Cables/Interconnects: Audioquest, Kimber
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jaz, Classic, Other
Room Size (LxWxH): 30 x 20 x 15
Room Comments/Treatments: Neutral
Time Period/Length of Audition: ~2 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Monster Cable
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Musical Fidelity, Conrad-Johnson
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Arcam
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Classe, Thorens-SME
Speakers:	B&W, Dynaudio
Cables/Interconnects:	Audioquest, Kimber
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jaz, Classic, Other
Room Size (LxWxH):	30 x 20 x 15
Room Comments/Treatments:	Neutral
Time Period/Length of Audition:	~2 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Monster Cable
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner