Tubes Asylum: REVIEW: AMC 8a-5404u CD Player/Recorder by Dave L

I had been auditioning a number of $700-$1,000 cd players of the SS and tube variety.
The competition:
$900 Creek SS player
$750 Rega planet SS
$550 Jolida 602
$700 Adcom GCD-700 SS
$589 AH! Tjoeb 99
All of the above units were recommended to me for exceptional performance for under $1,000. The frontrunner in my book was the AH! Tjoeb 99. It was clearly better than the other competators in musicality. The SS units were dismissed early by the AH! Tjoeb 99. That left the AMC, Jolida, and AH! Tjoeb. The Jolida, although very nice, had a somewhat compressed soundsatge compared to the other two. The build quality wasn't there either. The Marantz er Tjoeb did also look kind of cheap.
It took only a few minutes to eliminate the Jolida, it wasn't quite there sonically or construction wise.
I listened long and hard over a few days to the AH! and the AMC.
Under the same circumstances, the AMC had a better soundstage. I liked the utter lack of grain, and deep imaging and detail it provided. I liked it's build better than the AH! Tjoeb.
Listening:
It's quicker and simpler to list the differences.
The AMC had a tighter low bass. I feel it was lower in midrange coloration while retaining warmth. I felt the nuance and detail were superior, as well as instrument separation. It was a matter of a small degree in each area. The AH! Tjoeb 99 cannot be faulted for being the very best sub $600 player, I think it is, no sub $600 ss or tube that I heard [dozens] can touch it. The AMC may have been that nth degree better, but in it's improvement, it is incredible and as close to flawless as I can afford. It does more for me musically, and from an asthetics point of view.
It was a very close race, but the AMC nosed ahead in all the areas that count. A HIGHLY recommended component!!

REVIEW: AMC 8a-5404u CD Player/Recorder Review by Dave L at Audio Asylum