SUMMER |
2002 |
 |
Page 3 |
Bits
DODSON AUDIORalph Dodson has established a prominent position
in the world of digital design, earning his processor designs
a spot in the very top echelon of the genre. That reputation
gains even more validity with the release of his newest
technical marvel, the 218.
Taking flight from where the vaunted 217MkII-D model
previously perched, the 218 extracts newfound (and
unexpected) performance from the digital medium. After careful
comparisons, Ralph tells me his listening panel feels the
new 218 equals, and even exceeds, the performance
of analog! Listening tests were carried out in several systems,
with analog rigs ranging in price from $2000.00 to $20,000.00
in value. I eagerly await the arrival of the 218
to do my own comparisons.
The 218 represents the first production DAC to
be fully 100% cryogenically treated. The process holds a
number of advantages, all of which you can read about in
the White Paper found on the Dodson Website. For now, we
will simply state that cryogenic treatment (the way Dodson
performs it) brings significant benefits, which are both
audible and measurable.
Further, Mr. Dodson discovered that strong attention to
shielding from RFI/EMI pays surprising sonic dividends.
On previous models, the digital section was encased in an
RFI/EMI-proof sub enclosure. On the 218, the entire
chassis is lined with special non-magnetic shielding, safeguarding
the sensitive analog circuits (and further isolating the
digital path), protecting them from nasty RFI/EMI gremlins.
Of course, all of previous features found in the 217 remain,
including: Up-sampling to 96kHz, over-sampling to a remarkable
768kHz, custom Bybee Quantum Filters, constrained layer
chassis damping, 100,000 mf
of filter capacitance (more than many amplifiers!), de-jitter
circuit, balanced signal four-layer circuit board.
Price on the Dodson 218 is $8000.00. Interestingly,
every penny of the cost increase over the 217 was put towards
the upgrades. Mr. Dodson’s margin remaining exactly the
same! You can tell he is intent on offering the very best
value possible.
SHANLING:
Walk into the room and bingo, you’ll be immediately drawn
to the striking appearance of the sexy new CDT-100A
CD player from Shanling. The brushed stainless steel chassis
sports exposed tubes, transformers and drive mechanism.
The circular acrylic lid covering the CD during play is
lit from within with a blue LED, creating a cool ring of
light hovering just above the spinning disc!
The beauty of the Shanling CDT-100A is indeed
more than skin deep - if you sit down and listen; you’ll
be captivated by its sound.
Shanling, a Chinese company, also builds the Music
Hall CD-250 CD player sold by Roy Hall (Roy’s company is
well known for the Creek and Goldring brands they import).
Shanling conceived the CDT-100A in house and decided
to bring it to market. Roy Hall was impressed with the machine
and decided to distribute it for them in the United States.
The CDT-100 has both tube and solid-state output
stages, allowing the user to select their preference. The
design employs a Phillips laser in a specially designed
Shanling top load mechanism. CD’s are up-sampled to 24/96
through a Crystal chipset. HDCD decoding is offered via
a separate (PMD200) chip with 24/192 processor. The CDT-100A
is equipped with remote control volume (done in the digital
domain) and offers a tube-driven headphone jack, also with
variable output.
All in all, an amazing list of goodies, wrapped in a stunningly
unique chassis, for only $1999.00.
SIM AUDIO:
The highly acclaimed Eclipse
CD Player has a little brother. The new Nova, just
released, is based heavily on its sibling, offering a good
measure of the performance, at a significantly lower cost.
The more expensive ($5000.00) Eclipse is a superb
CD player, and has received a very positive reception from
the press and consumers alike. To fill out the line, and
offer a partner to their moderately priced integrated amps,
Sim needed a more cost effective CD player. Using the Eclipse
as a template, Sim sought to trim as much cost as possible,
but preserving most of the superb sonic quality.
The Nova offers separate digital and analog power
supplies using two torroidal transformers and seven stages
of DC voltage regulation. The digital section features Two
precision matched Burr-Brown PCM1704-j DACs are up-sampled
to 352.8kHz/24 bit resolution and Burr-Brown DF1704 digital
filters with 8X over sampling. The circuit path is entirely
capacitor free. $2895.00. Great Sim Audio 10 year warranty.
SACD
vs. DVD-A: The Beat Goes On
Are we any closer to either of the
new rival formats being able to claim dominance? It appears
not. Even though there have been some new software alliances
announced from both camps (Universal music group joins
Sony and EMI in support of SACD, Warner and EMI are offering
DVD-A, Universal may also begin releasing DVD-A with BMG
yet to commit to either format), there has been no obvious
rush toward either on the part of the mass market consumer,
which in my opinion, is the primary key to success. My
feeling is that both formats have problems, the most important
of which are high software prices and lack of titles.
Many of you have decided that enough is enough and have
purchased one of the many great CD players now available,
preferring to enjoy great sound from their large collection
of CD’s here and now, and let the Great Format Wars rage
on.
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