How Did Yamaha Beat Denon?
Written: Jun 24 '03 (Updated Apr 10 '04)
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Pros: Straight forward design. Transparent sound. excellent resistance to skipping. Quiet!
Cons: No "Power" button on the remote.
The Bottom Line: In a market filled with frills and thrills, the Yamaha CDC 585 is a refreshingly simple first rate design that should please even the most demanding audiophile for years!
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| sam-pro's Full Review: Yamaha CDC-506 5-Disc CD Changer |
I must admit that it never ceases to amaze me how an item so simple as a CD player can be over engineered or complicated by various bells and whistles that more than a few manufacturers seem to embrace and furthermore...justify with higher price tags!
Sure one can argue about quality of construction such as metal vs. plastic cabinets. One can even discuss the D/A converters of given decks. Some stores even offer expensive upgrades or conversions costing in the thousands of dollars all for the sake of sonic purity. Indeed in some cases the differences can be perceived by the individual upon completion of such expensive modifications!
This of course is all leading up to the component for your consideration here...the Yamaha CDC 585 5-disc CD Carousel Player. The 13 lb. beauty boasts wonderful specs and the front display is clearly lit in amber with a three level adjustment. The 28 page Owner's Manual is well written and very thorough. The 5-Disc CD Changer carries an MSRP of $149.00 and boasts the following Main Features and Specifications:
5-Disc PlayXchange
CDR and CD-RW disc read capability
Peak search and Index search
Intelligent digital servo
Frequency Response=20Hz to 20KHz + or - 0.5db
Distortion= less than .003%
106 db S/N Ratio
96 db Dynamic Range
Fixed OUTPUT
RCA analog/optical outputs
Multi-function Remote
CD synchronized recording compatible with Yamaha tape deck
Remote control
40-track Random Access/Programming
Yamaha S-Bit technology improves signal resolution
Automatic track programming for tape recording
Dimensions (WxHxD): 17-1/8" x 4" x 15-1/2"
Shipping weight: 12.9 lbs.
I found myself in a somewhat amusing situation when I ran the Yamaha through my little "torture test". There were many other CD players in the showroom but not even the best Sony or Denon seemed to equal the Yamaha!
The Yamaha CDC 585 had a solid feel to it with the controls operating smoothly on both the unit itself and the Remote Control. My only quibble with the player is the fact that there is no "Power" button on the remote control itself. It is not a major concern to me but it might be to you. And this is where any negativity about the unit ceases to exist!
I only used two CD's for the audition on this occasion. One was a Black Tulip Records recording of "Gene Pitney's Greatest Hits" which is very near and dear to me but has some scratches that simply cause most CD players to go into a frenzy! The other was a home grown backup copy of CBS Masterworks recording of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" that is simply very dynamic and spectacular! See my review of this CD: http://www.epinions.com/content_101198237316
There were two CD players in the showroom that could handle the scratched "Pitney" Cd...A thousand dollar Denon and the Yamaha CDC 585. I was amazed as every other CD player has simply clicked and skipped like crazy over the first seven tracks!
Both the $1000 Denon and the $150 Yamaha sounded great with equal transparency and lack of edginess in the HIGHS. The real surprise was that the Yamaha beat the Denon in the mids andhighs with slightly more definition and airy quality! This reflects the excellent Frequency Response specification of 20Hz to 20 KHz plus or minus 0.5db and the extremely low Harmonic Distortion. Many modern players fall off around 18 KHz! Certainly the Yamaha's resolution was superb!!!
This truly is the most natural sounding CD player I ever auditioned beating units that cost up to $2000!! Of course, in all fairness...the Denon also doubled as a DVD player. But still at $1000 you should not expect anything less than a "song and dance"...right!?
On top of everything else, when I placed the home-grown CDR disc in the Denon it balked the first time then regrouped and played the disc whereas the Yamaha didn't flinch! It simply accepted the 75 minute CDR CD immediately and played it to perfection!
The Yamaha is an extremely quiet unit with smooth disc transition. The fact that its bigger brother...the CDC 685 has variable headphone and Output Level Controls only improves upon the already flawless performance of the CDC 585!
It seems to me that Yamaha's S-Bit Technology makes a difference. Although I am fully aware that SACD players with supposedly superior performance over units like the Yamaha CDC 585 exist...my advice is to wait until these expensive units are proven to have all the kinks out of them. In the meantime, one would be hard pressed to find something that can equal or surpass the incredible performance of the Yamaha CDC 585.
If one were to take full advantage of its Optical Output that person would experience many a breathtaking performance...provided that the associated amp and speakers could handle it! At its price of $120 to $150, the Yamaha has no peer!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): N/A
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Epinions.com ID:
sam-pro
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Member: Peter J Sammon II
Location: The Bloomfield Burying Ground, USA
Reviews written: 218
Trusted by: 122 members
About Me:
Every once in awhile something great arrives at relatively low cost to you...Priceless!
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