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My workshop CD-player, a
heavily modified Rotel CD 951, recently failed and despite current
trends towards computer based musical libraries, I decided to invest
in yet another CD player, however this one with a DAC that can be fed
from my computer and allows me to explore the fuzzy landscape of
digital music. When new technologies are introduced, I mostly wait to
see where things are heading before investing. In terms of
practicality a conventional CD-player is simply faster compared to
heating up a PC and opening software and I hesitate to spend countless
hours transferring all my CDs to a hard drive. But I will explore
high-res downloads as this player can handle it.
I found this review of the 2.1 player at 6moons.
The long and the short of it is that the 2.1 ended up in my main
system and the T80 as my workshop player. In terms of functionality
the T80 is better than this 2.1, but the sound from the 2.1 may excel
the T80.
I immediately replaced the 2.1's output caps
(stack foil) by Jantzen Audio Silver/Gold Z-caps and having these caps
in both players they're easier comparing. I think the 2.1 is a better
player and if you can live with ideosyncratic remote control and
overall functionality, go for it.
Post scriptum:
Using the Shanling's DAC for
24 bit high-res
downloads lead to this article and numerous response mails. Fitted
with silver-gold coupling caps this DAC provides everything I'd hoped
for in 24 bit music reproduction.
Right image: On the right hand side of
the tubes, ECC82, two 6.8 uF stack foil caps are placed and will be
replaced by Silver/Golds.
The CD player must be totally dismantled to allow un-soldering of the
stack-foils,
but this is easily done by loosening a few screws and removing
connecting cables.
The other two 6.8 uF stack foils next to the DAC
board were later also replaced by 2.2 uF silver-golds.
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