Digital Drive: REVIEW: Musical Fidelity X-Ray v3 CD Player/Recorder by Taosman

Model:	X-Ray v3
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$999
Description:	CD player
Manufacturer URL:	Musical Fidelity
Manufacturer URL:	Musical Fidelity

Review by Taosman ( A ) on September 23, 2005 at 16:07:10
IP Address: 67.42.131.59

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for the X-Ray v3

This is a review of the recently dicontinued, but still available X-Ray v3.
After my aging Sony ES player started getting noisey I started looking for a replacement. I was frustrated by local dealers poor set up of CD only players I had interest in so on a leep of faith and good comments by Wes Phillips, I sold some stock and ordered a MF X-Ray v3 from Kevin Deal. On receiving the player I was struck by it's solid casing and handsome looks. The sound lacked authority out of the box. So, I started the burn in process. After 4 days, 24/7 she started to really sing. The sound is very detailed. Amazingly detailed! I am hearing details and information that were buried on even poorly recorded CDs. This player is a perfect compliment to my warm sounding system. Nad C320BEE and B&W 603s2s. The Nad adds warmth to the B&Ws, and the X_Ray gives detail, sound stage and a bit more analog like warmth. Synergy! Don't spend dollars, spend time! The new MF 3.5 CD player is basicly the same upsampling player, for $600 more! The word on the street is MF under priced the X-Ray and made very little on them! One thing though, this player was tweaked by MF for max performance and does not like dirty or scratched CDs! I love this simple system and I live in the mountains and have clean ac power that maxs everything.

Product Weakness: does not like dirty or scratched CDs
Product Strengths: Analog like sound, detail, build quality

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Nad C320BEE
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	MF X-Ray v3
Speakers:	B&W 603s2
Cables/Interconnects:	Audio Quest
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	jazz ,acoustic , world music
Room Size (LxWxH):	20 x 18 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments:	none, slightly echoey
Time Period/Length of Audition:	7 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	none needed, clean ac
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	does not like dirty or scratched CDs
Product Strengths:	Analog like sound, detail, build quality