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Digital Drive Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it. |
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Digital Drive Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it. |
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Model: CDP-10 Category: CD Player/Recorder Suggested Retail Price: $2995.00 CDN Description: Integrated CD player Manufacturer URL: Classé Audio Manufacturer URL: Classé Audio
Review by Zenaissance on January 15, 2004 at 18:20:48
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for the CDP-10One of the things I always wanted in a CD player is a reproduction of sound that is not just merely satisfying, but simply makes you forget that the CD in actuality is far from being the medium for the “perfect sound forever†concept. No matter how one slices it, vinyl playback to me defines the ultimate in what High-Fidelity is all about. Yet with so much invested into CDs (I have over 2,000) over the years, it makes no sense if I do not take advantage of my collection and explore some possibilities of audio enlightenment and surprises, even though a fair number of these discs cannot be “saved†even if played back through a $100K player.SACD is quite appealing, but the concept itself is unremarkable (still the same CD type format albeit higher resolution etc). Finding a dedicated Redbook player on the other hand is intriguing; really the way to go these days if you consider that many discs are much better recorded and re-mastered than the early years of digital playback. In addition, CD players are much more refined and the improvements namely through better DAC chips, circuitry and power supplies makes it even more possible now than ever before to realize the maximum potential of 16/44 playback.
Thus my decision to purchase a dedicated player is not extraordinary given the circumstances, but to find one that fits a certain budget is crucial. Unlike some blessed audiophiles, I do not have unlimited funds, and the dream of owning a nice top of the line DCS, Wadia, Burmester ensemble is at the moment, just that- still merely a dream. Of course there are always the Rotels, lower-priced Arcams, and the NADs which provide incredible punch for the pound. I wanted not only to do just a little better than the former, but to have a one-box player that provides a significant improvement over these players and at the same time remain in my current equipment list for a longer term of ownership (upgraditus notwithstanding).
My previous players were a Yamaha/Sony Carousel machine, Rotel RCD-971, Acurus ACD-11, Parasound CDP-2000 and the Arcam CD72T used as a transport for my Bel Canto DAC 1. The last incarnation provided me with a lot of excitement in music and made listening to most recordings not just merely bearable but actually quite pleasurable. However I could never get over the idea of having to spend so much more for extra interconnects, power cables, digital cable etc. I decided to move back to a single-box integrated player that removes most of the headaches of placement and coping with matching the right balance/combo.
Off I went then to my local dealer and listened to the following players (in no particularly order) even though I have already heard many of them: Audio Note 2.1x, Rega Planet/Jupiter 2000, Shanling T100, Musical Fidelity A3.2, Copland CDA-289, Classé CDP-10, and just for kicks the MSB Universal player, and the Esoteric DV-50. I have already heard the Rotel RCD-1070, and Arcam CD92T/FMJ33 players. Auditioning audio equipment can be a serious and very tedious effort, and finding the right CD player for oneself is no exception. I brought a number of my favourite test recordings including the Wilson Audio Demo, Ana Caram’s Blue Bossa (Chesky), Diana Krall’s Stepping Out (Justin Time), Dave Grusin’s Discovered Again (XRCD2), Art Pepper and the Rhythm Section (SACD/Hybrid), and Best Audiophile Voices (Top Music).
The Classé CDP-10 is an imposing unit- built like a tank with its anodized chrome/black panel look which is consistent with all the other models in the company’s current line-up. The hexagonal front buttons maybe slightly ergonomically-challenged but the load (open/close) button on the left of the drawer makes it easier to reach and is functionally more sound. There are idiosyncrasies with this player however, and they are found mainly in the user-friendly operation. The CD drawer seems to be rather flimsy and light- not at all like other competitive high-end products. In fact it feels rather like a computer disc drawer. Once the player is switched on, it exhibits a rather audible humming/whirring sound- a series of two hums. When a disc is placed, and the machine begins to read it, there is a series of four distinct hums, which is apparently part of the servo mechanism and is entirely harmless. I did not care very much for the remote either which is rather confusing. The player has no function that displays the remaining time left on each song as it is being played, which is a rather strange omission that I find a little lacking in thought. Also, one has to press the number of the song and then the play button to access the track. The red display (a rather old school trademark) is not particularly easy on the eyes, as I long for a more pleasant and readable bluish or greenish display. There is no function to dim or switch off the display. The off-centered display panel also tends to break up the line of vision (makes sense if the whole thing is in silver). So it is clear that the CDP-10 is not particularly user-friendly as far as functions are concerned. However the rear panel features balanced connections, which is rather useful for those who may desire a lower floor noise level. I used unbalanced connections in my home audition.
Once the music plays, the picture changes for the better and immediately I noticed that this machine is really a different beast from the previous Classé CD players- namely the .3, .5 and 1.5. An Audio Asylum inmate not long ago made a comment that the dealers found this player not to their liking and without really auditioning it, he made the assumption that this newer model is not much different from the previous ones. Well, this “assumption†is exactly that because the CDP-10 is really quite different. Firstly, it is a much larger model (25†wide and 20†deep). The newer player uses the latest Burr-Brown PCM1738 chips at 24bit/192khz (one for each channel). In addition it upsamples to 352 khz and uses the top PMD200 HDCD oversampling filter for anyone who has HDCD discs. The topology uses fully-differential push-pull output and is designed to be balanced from the signals to output. I did not find significant audible gains when using the balanced connections, and this could be related the signals being converted to balanced output in the subsequent stages. There are 11 regulated stages for the power supply which features a rather substantial custom toroidal transformer. The reclocking system involves an isolated Master Clock which exhibited very low jitter (Stereophile measured this at 177 picoseconds which is outstanding). The CDP-10 also uses the professional type Philips VAE-1250 transport (reads both CDRs and CDRWs) which is said to be quite durable and reliable. The operation was extremely quiet and there is no reason why the CDP-10 cannot make a great transport if one ever wants to improve the DAC section although this is really already quite excellent. The interior also has enough space for some minor tweaking. I was able to place a Gutwire Notepad Dampening pad on the transport as well as a Shakti stone inside the chassis which resulted in a more improved sound.
So what does this player sound like? Well, it is simply very rich and rewarding. The first thing that comes to mind is the open and spacious soundstage that brings the musicians closer to life. The perspective is just about right and one can feel the depth of the soundstage- easily picking out the musician’s position especially in a jazz session . The next blessing is the natural ease in which this player captures the music- it doesn’t really overwhelm you but one feels that the ambience is just right and the atmosphere very musical. At first one may feel that the player obscures the sound, a little blurring of details- but that is only because it does not really spotlight individual instruments but highlights the entire group with ample detail in separation. In fact this is quite a detailed player but because it is so musical, the detail does not detract you from following the music. Now the next characteristic separates this player from its previous incarnations which is in the rhythm and pacing department. Track 4 “the Mating Dance†in the Wilson Audio reference Cd is a sonic delight with multiple drum trackings and very precise imaging. The CDP-10 does a fine job in capturing the speed and impact of drums and never sounds dull or slow. The older Classé models I found, always had a bit of “catching-up†when it comes to rhythm- not so for the CDP-10. I then plunked into MIT Reference CD recording featuring Carol Roseberger playing Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata. The tone of the Bösendorfer piano was captured quite accurately and the lower level transients really stood out. I then switched to the Shanling T100 and the sound although also quite musical, somehow seemed softer, perhaps a little more harmonic bloom due to the tubes. The drums however on the Shanling has a read thump to it that can be felt and this I perceive is a good thing. However, what I found the CDP-10 more compelling was that the instruments rendered a texture of solidity, that the T100 lacked. There was simply more weight and authority and the images were more sharply defined while the Shanling model seemed to have a glow that obscures the images a little. Throwing Ana Caram’s “Blue Bossa†album into the mix revealed the differences even more between the machines. There was a wholeness that I preferred with the Classé - something I can point my finger to while the Shanling seemed slightly syrupy in nature although the sound is still very exceptional.
The Rega Jupiter 2000 was even less of a match- I preferred the Shanling T100 over it, especially in its musicality- an area where the Jupiter is no slouch. Although the pace and rhythm is good in Jupiter 2000, the Shanling betters it a little by having the instruments sound slightly more dynamic. The Classé being slightly darker however beats both models in adding a precision that two two lacked. Case in point- Dave Grusin’s Baretta’s theme song in his “Discovered Again†(XRCD24) disc has layers of clear guitar riffs and drums which seemed to be played with a little more urgency and thrust through the Classé CDP-10 than the Shanling or Rega models.
What about comparing the CDP-10 to the likes of the Esoteric DV-50? Indeed, the DV-50 does everything right the first time and reveals every redeeming quality of a good recording. Yet some may feel this takes the mystery out of the music. With the Classé CDP-10 the subtle shadings and details are not immediate upon the first listen but you are fully aware that it is there becomes the player does not highlight the music- it simply allows the music to pace its natural course. You begin to follow the musical journey and the logic of its argument. One clear area where the DV-50 is champ lies in the soundstage wehre it is slightly more expressive and extensive than the CDP-10. No doubt, the DV-50 is a world class universal player that has every format sounding quite exceptional, and when it comes down to SACD performance- well any superb SACD disc is going to beat out a superb Redbook CD. However for pure CD playback, the difference between the two machines is not very substantial (yes, it is better but not by a mile) and given their respective prices (the DV-50 costing almost three times more than the CDP-10) the Classé model really seems like a very good deal if one is looking strictly for a world class CD player that is built to last.
No player is obviously going to be perfect and the CDP-10 is no exception. Although the bass is good and punchy, in absolute audiophile terms, it may be slightly softened; definitely not for those who like music to be “in your face.†The music tends to be polite and laidback, but this is not really a problem especially for those who like to discover their music gradually rather than having the music grip you right away. This may be a Classé trademark but it certainly does not detract from any serious music making because I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It may also be a good match for certain components. In my case it works quite well with my Martin Logan Aerius i’s since these speakers can be a bit wanting on the warmer and textured side as opposed to a more analytical and dynamic aspect which they are famous for. Yet the strengths far outweigh any doubts I have had especially when one takes into account that the sound is very clean, and solid. The instruments have more body/tone while the music is more fleshed out with a wider and deeper soundstage which results in an effortless and natural presentation.
I believe the people at Classé decided to take a more direct approach with this player- by really delivering the goods in an attractive package that is well-priced and not out of the range of most audiophile’s budgets. The idea perhaps is to make this machine not merely more competitive, but as a real contender in a field that seems to be growing with more and more quality players. At $2,000, there aren’t going to be a lot of serious complaints even though most people would bulk at the idea of paying this amount for a stand-alone CD player.
The Classé CDP-10 has my nod for a quality digital product with an outstanding sound, so much so I went and purchased the demo unit from my dealer. With this much going on, it is no wonder Classé never had a player other than in the Omega line-up that has such careful attention to detail and design.
Jason Liu
President, Martin Logan Club
Product Weakness: Remote Functions, Not Particularly "In Your Face" presentation, more laidback Product Strengths: Smooth, Highly Resolving 24/192 Sound, Rhythmic, Very Musical and Natural, Top Contender in its Price Range
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: PS Audio HCA-2 Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Pass Labs X2.5 Sources (CDP/Turntable): Classe CDP-10 Speakers: Martin Logan Aerius i's Cables/Interconnects: Van Den Hul, PS Audio Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Jazz, Pop, New Age Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Classé Audio CDP-10 CD Player/Recorder - Zenaissance 18:20:48 01/15/04 (6)
- Classé Audio - Really a shame that this is their only dedicated redbook machine... - reb 17:21:20 01/17/04 (0)
- Very nice review Jason !! I hear Classe are introducing.. - Audio Pharaoh 20:23:39 01/16/04 (1)
- Re: Very nice review Jason !! I hear Classe are introducing.. - Zenaissance 08:39:00 01/17/04 (0)
- Very nice review - JeffH 08:54:18 01/16/04 (0)
- Excellent Review! - J North 08:52:05 01/16/04 (0)
- Classé Audio CDP-10 CD Player/Recorder - tkg 20:07:59 01/15/04 (0)
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