Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

Well that certainly reassures the EE, optics expert, mechanical engineer,
and physicist residing in the left side of my brain.  They don't actually
say it sounds better, do they?  Has anybody heard it?

__Rich  :-)

Well, the specs sound impressive..  Well, they did until I compared them
to the Yamaha CD-2, now they don't look so hot..

still, its the sound, features and quality that counts..

I assume we have to pay for the flowery advertising...  Ballpark $ anyone?

- dave

I think Tweeter was quoting somewhere around $1200 for the OMS-7
and $800 for the OMS-5.  The sound should be the same between the
two players, so if a decision comes down to between the two, it
should just be a question of features.

I have always noticed a little extra player induced hiss with my
Sony CDP-101 player, I may consider switching.  The thing that
impresses me the most with the Nak is that they have taken great
pains to isolate the digital and analog circuitry.  Does anyone
know if any of the other models around go to this degree of
isolation?

					-Dave

I heard the /7 last night here in North Carolina.  All the funky high ends
and wierd horn sounds that I had come to associate with CDs in general
are gone!  This is the first player I've heard (and I've heard most of them)
that I want to take home and use for awhile.  I'm borrowing one for the
weekend and will post another note if impressions on living with it are
different from now.  Incidentally, my dealer is discounting th /7 by
about $100.

/dave

I seriously doubt that there's any sonic difference between the Nakamichi
and other good CD players (unless you're the type that can hear gold plated
connectors and the like).  It is likely that the Nak player has had better
than average attention to details such as layout and shielding; but any
player that's working properly will have a noise and distortion level that's
below the level on your recordings.  (re .4 - your CDP101 may have a problem,
its noise shouldn't be audible).  It would be interesting to see if it has
substantially better than average error correction and tracking capibility.

Of course, its psychologically gratifying to own asymptotic products like
that if you can afford it...

- Jim

Re: .4

You might want to take a look at the Kyosara if price is no object.  I've
heard several people talk about it and it appears to be the top as far as
quality components and isolation goes.  But then again who can put up with
a suggested retail of $1600.00 (although I haven't seen it at this price).

Steve

Before you condemn, try it.  Listen to the Nak vs teh Kyocera or the 
Sony or the NAD or the Yamaha as I have now done.  Admittedly, I have a 
high-end set-up, Audio Research Tube amp and preamp, etc.  But the differences
in CD players are there, real and non-subtle.  They are demonstrable on
any number of good quality systems as well. My stuff just makes it more
quickly apparent.

I must say that my Sota turntable and Koetsu arm with Monster Alpha II
cartridge still handliy trounces ANY CD. Nak got the high end right, I
can now listen without a headache but I ain't going to pay anything for
something that doesn't sound as good as what I've already got.

My basis for comparison has been CDs and LPs of Lincoln Mayorca and Amanda
McBroom from Sheffield and the new Paul Simon.

set /flame=off

Don't get me wrong - I'd like nothing better than for this technology to
work for a whole bunch of reasons.  It's like night and day now vs. a year
ago, and I could probably live happily with the Nak if I didn't have something
better.

/dave

	Dave -

	You've gone a long way to improve your system to it's level.
	The components you have talked about are of the finest available,
	agreed 100%.

	Considering those who cannot afford the Turntable/tonearm setup you
	have assembled.  Would the NAK be as good as this setup, and since
	CD's ARE getting better, foreseeably (sp?) be better??

	Please take into note also that the price of a very good virgin
	record is anywhere from 18$ to 50$ and wears out.  And that CD
	are also getting cheaper...

	Im not disagreeing with you at all, I've heard some very impressive
	records on my system, and not haveing a cd, can only imagine
	better.......

				dave
				----

	looking for the best from now-on...

I don't think so, at least not yet.  But you're correct, asking a $1300
(or $900 for the OMS-5) machine to sound like a $2200 machine ($2800 if
you include the VPI record cleaning machine ) is probably unfair.

The technology will continue to improve, but I'll be it won't be CD,
Phillips has a prototype bubble memory system that I think samples at 66k;
others are playing with ROMs of various types. No moving parts!!

If I had to live without a turntable of the quality of mine (good, I think),
then I could live with the Nakamichi in my system happily.  Knowing
what can be done with the LP (and you're right again, they're expensive),
I choose not to buy yet.  That's my real point.

I really wish it wern't so. I want that neat shiny little disk to work
and work well. It's so much more convenient and lasting.  But I also
want the best sound I can afford, ergo LPs still.

Incidentally, I do think that on 90 - 95% of all systems out there, the
Nak will do the job. Also, using the LPs is worthless without a VPI, 
Nitty Gritty or other cleaning machine to keep them in good shape.
Records rarely wear out, they get incredibly grungy, and the machines
clean them up good as new.  I've got over 1000 albums mostly from late
60's and early 70's that still sound fine. But they require care as to
cleaning and storage that sometimes trys my patience.

Hope this helps - I respect the Nak a great deal but it ain't my cup
of tea even though it's the closest I've heard yet.

/dave

RE: .8

Watch out about using Sheffield pressing to do your LP vs. CD comparisons.
Others have expressed concern that the Sheffield CD's are not well
engineered and do not represent the same level of quality as their LP's.

Ward

Agreed - that's why we used the Paul Simon and Dave Grusin as well
as some Boz Scaggs.  The Sheffield CDs are cut from an analogue master
made at the same time as the direct-to-disk cuts - therefore they have
at least 1 generation loss built in.

/dave

Re: .8

I just got back from vacation and heard the Nak and was quite impressed.
I wasn't cutting down anything... I was just pointing out what the Kyosara
literature said it's strong points were.  I've yet to see one and was 
curious what the reaction in this file would be.

Steve

If the performance of the NAK CD is like that of their cassette players, I can
not say enough good things about the company.  

    Hello all,
    
    I'm new to this notes file, and notice this is a rather old note,
    however...
    
    I just purchased the Nak OMS-7 (and the new CR-5A Cassette deck).
    The sound is indeed fantastic, and well worth the cost (although
    I did mail order my gear and payed 80% of list price).
    
    What I found is that the differences in sound between CD players
    became much more noticable on "high end" systems (not too surprising
    of course).  For the rest of my system, I have a pair of Infinity
    Quantum II speakers, a large Nikko receiver (175 watts into
    8 ohms), and a Thorens turntable (Ma 2002e cartridge).
    
    I also found a differnce in how well the drives are isolated from
    shock etc.  The Nak is top in every respect (and consistent with
    their well earned reputation in the cassette area).
    
    	Jim Totton    

I just purchased a Nakamichi OMS-7 for a fantastic price and agree that it 
is worth every cent. One of the leading factors that caused me to buy the 
NAK is a prejudice developed from owning a NAK tape deck. The sound and 
overall quality is superior to most anything I have heard. When I first 
brought the unit home my wife thought that I was crazy, but after hearing 
the results she changed her mind. 


                                                    Earl

    and what is a fantastic price?
    
    						.dave.
    

    Probably a close-out price.
    
    I saw the new Nak CD players at the CES show.
    

I was able to get the OMS-7 for about 50% of the normal price on a closeout 
deal. The newer model, OMS-7 Mark II, currently lists for $1695. Major price 
increase with no noticeable change in design. MOst of the price increase is 
attributed to the drop in value of the dollar.


                                                     Regards,
                                                      Earl

    To add maybe an incorrectly placed note, has anyone
    seen the new Nak disk players?  In particular, the
    new OMS-3 and OMS-4.  Not bad.  The OMS-4 is all the
    old Nak players were at a lower price and only a
    few differences.
       Stop by at your local store and check them out.
    For those of interest in information and possibly
    good deals (see Earl about that) on Equiptment,
    please read Note 401 and its replies.  
    		Always here to help,
    		   ...Ron...