New SONY SACD Player-$149

Great price, but I highly doubt that this is an authorized Sony dealer. I am almost certain that Sony does not allow authorized dealers to advertise discounted prices on ES components on the web.

By the way, I've never heard of audiocircle.com.

 

Yeah, I have my doubts about the "great" price on the C2000ES.

Do check out audiocircle.com. It's quite interesting....although the "hot topic" there are the various low cost digital amps.

 

A change in direction!

Let me start off by saying that I've been down this road before. I have a choice between two similar components, and I choose the lesser expensive model figuring it is sufficient for my needs. Then I debate it and debate it and cave. I end up exchanging the lesser expensive player for the more expensive one. This happened when I wanted a DVD-Audio player for my second stereo system. I chose the Denon DVD-2200 over the '2900. The '2200 was very nice, but the '2900 kept eating away at me. After two weeks, I did the exchange. I have not regretted that decision.

History has repeated itself. I bought the 'CE595 figuring it was good enough for my needs -- primarily shuffle play on several discs. I've said for a couple weeks now that the 'CE595 is very good for the money. It is. However, I got curious about the 'C2000ES, and my curiosity got the better of me. I ordered a 'C2000ES today from Crutchfield. The idea of it being better than the 'CE595 due to the extra power supply and different capacitors has me curious. Plus, I like a few of the extras such as gold-plated RCA outputs and the five-year warranty. I also like the idea of the silver chassis. So many of my components are black that it's nice to have something different.

The 'C2000ES won't be here until next Thursday. My plan is to return the 'CE595 to Best Buy, but I will hold onto it for now so that I can compare it to the 'C2000ES. I still have two weeks to return the 'CE595. I can't wait to do the comparison! The only reason that I will return the 'C2000ES is if I cannot hear a difference between the two players. Otherwise, the 'C2000ES is the keeper.

 

You'll never learn mate. Wasn't the SCD-C333ES -> SCD-C555ES a similar thing?

 

Don't feel bad Keith, I ordered a refurb Marantz DV6400 to replace both the Sony CE595 and Panasonic F87. The single biggest factor in my decision was that the Marantz just looks nicer.

 

Great price! I believe Oade Brothers currently wants about $300.00.

 

Nope, I'm a hopeless case. The 'C333ES/'C555ES situation was a bit different in that I did not do an exchange. I got the 'C333ES when it was current (towards the end of its production run) for my second stereo system. After owning it for about a year, I observed the dreaded static with a multi-channel SACD. The 'C555ES was out at that time, and I was already enjoying one that was split between my home-theater and main stereo systems. So I got a 'C555ES for the second system. The thing is that I never had the heart to ditch the 'C333ES, so I have both changers in the second system. Believe it or not, I use both quite regularly. I find the 'C555ES to be a better player, but the difference is not night and day, so I still use the 'C333ES quite a bit.

 

Wow! You too! I know that you were very happy with the 'CE595 and 'F87. You said that the 'F87 gave comparable CD performance to your NAD C 542. I wonder how the DV6400 will compare. Will you still have the 'CE595 and 'F87 for comparison to the DV6400? Definitely let us know how it works out.

 

Don't worry, Keith. I can understand where ya comin' from

Definitely let us know what you think when you do an A/B between the two players.

 

Me too.

 

Guys I may have it worse than anyone here. I shouldn't go into details just yet, but you'll certify me insane when you learn what will be new on my SACD plate within the next week

 

Yeah, Sam, you've been down this road before. What's ridiculous for me is that when I switched from the '2200 to the '2900, I remember saying that I would get the "right" component from the get-go next time and not jerk around. I lie.

 

I should have it Tuesday and plan in giving all four of them a really good comparison. It's great to see all of these budget units performing so well, but it seems to make me just want to spend a little more. The combined cost of the Sony and the Panasonic isn't much less than the Marantz player anyway. Both the Sony and Panasonic units are excellent machines really, I just didn't really want or need a changer, let alone two. I would have gone for one of the Denon units, but the superior video performance isn't really needed. I will give a full review next week. BTW, I don't think I will be selling the NAD anytime soon. I just can't stomach the money loss.

 

I look forward to the results of your comparison. When I was looking for a DVD-Audio player for my second system, I briefly considered the Panasonic 'F85. In the end, I was skeptical as to the sound quality that this player could deliver with DVD-Audio discs and CDs. I also didn't really want a DVD-Audio changer. I figured the 'F85 would not be as good with CDs as my other changers in the system, and I didn't have a large enough DVD-Audio collection to warrant a changer. Of course, I ended up buying a much more expensive single-disc DVD-Audio player hoping that more quality DVD-Audio titles would be released.

 

I'm getting the 'C2000ES tomorrow! Whoo-hoo! When I placed the order through Crutchfield on Friday, they said that I would get it this coming Thursday. Well, the tracking info. shows that it will arrive tomorrow (Tuesday)! Whoo-hoo! I can't wait!

 

I bit the bullet on Saturday and picked up the 595. Before disconnecting the Pioneer 45a I played a 2-channel track off of Beck's "Sea Change" and my wife and I had a good listen. We then swapped and replayed it. Right out of the box, we heard a difference. I can't say for sure if my ears are good enough for subtle changes, but the opening guitar seemed to open up. The vocals seemed better integrated with the mix. Then we put in "Celluloid Heroes" and the vocals again appeared more lively. We then popped in Peter Gabriel's Up with "Signal to Noise" in 5.1, my wife being far more familiar with it. His whispering "receive and transmit" at the end of the song was heard for the first time. I filled the tray and hit continual play, left it for a few hours, and then hit it again.

I haven't given it a dedicated listening since, but it's a keeper. I'm completely out of room in my cabinet so I had to put it up pretty high. Thanx, StyxCollector, for the advice of Radio Shack A/B switchers. I may wait a few weeks for the wallet to replenish, then buy the parts.

Mark

 

I bet you can't wait! Please let us know how it stacks up against the 595. I have the 595 on a secondary system and am happy with it. I have a 775 on my main system and may consider upgrading to a C2000ES to replace that. Oade Brothers does not advertise the price on the web, I emailed them and it is $299. For that price I may bite with some good reviews.

 

I surely will post my impressions.

Have you compared the 'CE775 and 'CE595? If you were to get the 'C2000ES, would it make sense to ditch the 'CE775 or the 'CE595? Granted, the 'CE595 is newer, but is it better? I'm just curious.

 

I can not wait to hear them.

I need to do a closer comparison, but the CE595 sounds a bit cleaner on SACD compared to the CE775. Close though. I would probably ditch the CE775 (well, probably keep it as a backup). I have been considering an upgrade for the CE775 for a while. Ahhh.. decisions...

 

I know how that goes! I had to move a cassette deck out of my second system to make room for the 'CE595. The 'C2000ES will now go in that slot.

 

I purposely bought and integrated amp that only had three inputs for this reason. Now a new piece has to be very good in order for it be a keeper. But with the Marantz universal arriving tomorrow, I might be able to free up another input.

 

O.K. I would be curious to hear more from your about the 'CE775 versus the 'CE595 versus the 'C2000ES.

 

I admire your sense of control. Just three inputs would never stop me. I'd dangle cables on the floor and switch them out to accommodate more gear.

 

I am actually going to try a different type of comparison with the new player. I haven't listened to any disc (no cd, sacd, or dvd-audio) for a week. Only XM. If UPS comes through tomorrow, I plan on hooking up the Marantz and listening for a week. I have boxed up all of the other players already. If I like the sound after a week, it will stay. No, not a very fair comparison but I might sleep better.

 

Fair point. It can be tough enough to compare two components, but three can be a real pain. You could focus on two and then compare the better of the two to the third. Still, you should be able to determine if the '6400 is the right component. You know your system.