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In Reply to: Need a new cd player, Help me please! posted by RTilbury on May 25, 2005 at 11:10:47:
The steal of the year. I've had mine for nearly a month and couldn't be happier!
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I too was split on the MH CD-25 or Onyx XCD-88. I just pulled the trigger on an Onyx XCD-88 with the Underwood HiFi mod level 1+. I talked to Wally at Underwood at some length about these 2 CDP. He sells and mods them both, he says they are the same player and he likes the looks of the Onyx better. They do the exact same mod to both players.I expect to receive my Onyx in a few days. I will post my thoughts!!
I am having trouble deciding which player to get. The onix 88 or music hall 25. Are these players really exactly the same? I would hate to buy the onix only to find out that the music hall is the better player. Please help!
Everything I've read indicates they are the same except for cosmetics and opamps in the output stage. I don't know the Music Hall so I can't comment on it specifically. There is a forum at the AV123 site were it is discussed at length. Apparently they are all made by Shanling.
I actually like the looks of the Onix better, but this deal with the opamps? Does the music hall use better ones? I emailed one of the guys at av123 and he said i would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the 2, and that shanling makes the player for music hall and onix, but onix is not allowed to talk about the small difference between the 3 players.
I think the guy who owns Perpetual Technologies (AV123) specifically asked for the opamps in the Onix over the ones used in the Music Hall. I've been "under the hood" recently and I must say I'm inpressed the the quality of parts used as well as the layout and build.
Is the onix really such a great cd player, its hard to imagine with a msrp at $299.
The XCD-88 is built by Shanling and on the inside, it's identical to the Music Hall CD-25 and Shanling S-100, with the exception of maybe the op amps. The XCD-88 uses Burr Brown opa2604's. For the money, the XCD-88 is a bargain. Also, all the great available mods for the CD-25 can be applied to the XCD-88.I bought an XCD-88 from a guy at Audiogon, and I should receive it tomorrow. I can't wait! I've already ordered some replacement op amps (opa627's) and the adapters. I'm gonna use it for a while with the stock op amps, then do the upgrade and compare. I'll post my impressions, later :-)
I've received my Onix player and have been testing it for the last few hours, and I really like it. Sounds damn fine, for the money spent. In my system, depending on the cd, it does sometimes sound a bit bright. Not harsh at all, just a bit bright. Although, my system and room are part of the problem. I've settled on using TMC White Label interconnects, which helps tame the top end. My other cables on hand include Kimber Hero, Nordost Black knight, Heartland and Monster Reference A's. My future op amp upgrade (opa627) should cure most, if not all of the occasional brightness.Overall, the player has a nice soundstage, good tonal balance, great imaging and well blended bass. It blows away any player I've ever owned, and I will be selling my Theta DAC, since the DAC in the Onix kills it.
If i could get the music hall mmf cd25 for cheaper then 300 dollars which would you suggest i get, the onix or the music hall.
I think I'd spend the extra bucks on the ONIX. I have one as well, and the Customer Service is excellent. If you ever have a problem, they'll go the extra distance to work it out for you. Although the product itself is good, the service is even better.
Well, unless the MH is used...you won't find it cheaper (Onix new). But IF it were at the same price and both new, the MH - only cause it looks nicer (to me). The Onix is a gumetal color (which matches nothing I have). The MH is a brushed aluminum.They're the same exact unit but comsetically slightly diferent. I would never get the MH used unless much lower than the Onix.
well lets say the music hall was used but i could get it for about 200 , would that be the better bet over the onix?
If I had found a Music Hall in great shape for $200, I probably would have jumped on it. I paid $206 for the Onix, and it's only a month old.BTW, the first batch of XCD-88's were in the gun metal grey so they would match the Onix sp-3 tube integrated amp. The current XCD's are finished in bead blasted aluminun (silver), from what I've read.
Well it looks like if I can get the music hall for around 200 I will jump on it too. From looking around this cd player seems to just get praise after praise. I love the looks too, where on earth did you get the onix for 206?? Can I buy it off you if I can't get the music hall??? hahahBTW I am guessing these cd players will make a big difference over the yamaha. I dont love the sound, but it is better then the sony dvd,sacd I have, which is harsh and cold sounding.
Any thoughts on how the onix sounds to you and what it replaced? Im assuming the onix and mh sound almost exactly alike
For the longest time, I was using an AMC CD8b as a transport with a Theta Chroma 396 DAC. The combo had a nice warm, laid back and smooth sound. Not harsh at all, but lacked some detail. In my quest for increased detail, I picked up a famed Pioneer PD-65 to use as a transport. The soundstage with the pioneer was way bigger and a lot of detail was brought forward. I really thought I found a replacement for the AMC, but that only lasted about 2 weeks. I grew very tired of the sound, which was too forward and etched in the upper midrange. I've tried a few different interconnects to try to compensate, but with no success. From what I've read about the Onix, it should fit my taste (and budget). The planned op amp upgrade should bring the sound up a notch, or more.BTW, My speakers are Magnepan SMGA's with a Velodyne F1200 servo sub. My system is quite revealing and sensitive to the slightest change in the source.
I replaced a CD8B with the Onix as well and I have MMGs (modified). I'm not using an external DAC though. I was also looking for more detail and a more realistic soundstage and more image depth. The Onyx beat the pants of off the AMC. You should hear an HDCD on this thing. I have disks that I didn't even know were encoded until that blue light came on.
I too picked up the Onix. I am running it through the Jungson 88D, with Magnepan MMG's. I replaced a an 11 year old Sony CDP C535 player that was more expensive than the Onix, and that was 11 years ago! While I only have the Onix a week I can tell you there is great detail in the presentation. There is more depth than I had, and the sound is warm. Of course any system and room will produce different results, but the quality of this player is very good. The MMG's like the SMGa's I had (which my son killed) are revealing, and they like the Onix. While it has nothing to do with sound, the Onix is a good looking component, with a solid feel to it. I'm pretty happy with it. My favorite test cut for any new component is Pork Pie Hat from the Jeff Beck Wired CD. Check it out! I'm curious to see what others use as an indicator of sound quality.
Alison Krauss "Let Me Touch You For A While" from New Favorite.
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