Digital Drive: REVIEW: Heart CD6000 CD Player/Recorder by Lecartel

Model:	CD6000
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$749.00
Description:	Marantz CD6000 player with tube output stage & tweaking by Heart
Manufacturer URL:	Heart
Model Picture:	View

Review by Lecartel ( A ) on October 23, 2002 at 23:43:32
IP Address: 202.3.233.111

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I own two tubed CDPs : The Ah Tjoeb 4000 (with the OPA 627 op amp, Tjoeb feet, the optional Tjoeb power cord, plus a pair of Mullard tubes) and the Heart CD 6000 (tubed Marantz CD 6000) with Siemens 7308 tubes, instead of the stock Sovtek 6922. I ordered the Heart since it had received rave reviews on audioasylum and elsewhere. Many seemed to think it was an upgrade for the Ah Tjoeb, especially since it was based on a Marantz 6000 and the Ah Tjoeb on the Marantz 4000.
I have owned both for more than 6 months and they both had lots of time to burn in.
I have been doing A/B comparisons with the same CD in both decks, the same Manley Stingray tube amplifier (4 Ei EL 84 per Channel, triode wiring, 2 Mullard AT , 2 Ei 6414), the same pair of Triangle Celius loudspeaker with Siltech G3 gold/silver cÃ¢bles, a XP 20 G3 Siltech Power cord).
Howewer, I only have one pair of Siltech G3 interconnect (I cannot afford 2 pairs), therefore I had to use my next best interconnect (Chord) with one of the decks.
I began by hooking the Heart with the Siltech interconnect and the Ah Tjoeb with the Chord interconnect. I listened to a Jazz live recording of Enrico Rava and Paolo Fresu live in Montreal, playing simultaneously (I bought two original CDs) in both decks.
I found the overall sound and tonal balance of both decks very close. Not much difference when switching from one deck to the other.
Both decks sounded natural and musical. But as I kept switching, I found that I was irresistibly drawn to listen longer and longer when connected to the Ah Tjoeb. I did not feel like switching back to the Heart. I could not explain why at first, since they sounded so close. After thinking it through, I found I was more emotionally involved in the music when listening to the Ah Tjoeb. On this record, some pieces are hard to follow unless you are â€œthereâ€ with the musicians, taken by the ambience, especially when they go off in wild improvisations.
With the Heart, I felt â€œleft behindâ€ after a while at some place, thinking they were going too wild. With the Ah Tjoeb, not so, I thoroughly enjoyed every piece, being more involved and immersed in the music.
Thinking again, I wondered why was that. There was a subtle difference: with the Ah Tjoeb, the music had more â€œmeatâ€. It is like watching a beautiful body with just the right amount of flesh: not a skull (thatâ€™s what you see with cheap solid state CDPs), not just skin and bones (even a top model looks ugly if too skinny), not too much fat either (thatâ€™s what you hear with some â€œtubeyâ€ cheap tube gear), but just the right amount of well toned muscles at the right place. The Ah Tjoeb gives you that beautiful flesh around the notes, not just the skin and bones, while the Heart seems to show you perfect bones and skin but not as much flesh around it â€¦
Now I was ready to redo the same test, but this time hooking the Ah Tjoeb to the Siltech G3 interconnect and the Heart to the Chord interconnect. This time there was no contest at all. The Ah Tjoeb entered another dimension altogether. The soundstage opened up and filled the room, the Manley Stingray sounded like it had suddenly doubled its power, everything was crystal clear and highly focused, especially the highs (drums and cymbals just like â€œliveâ€).
The Ah Tjoeb cum Siltech sounded just gorgeous, as if a heavy curtain had been lifted off before me. The music seems totally freed and musicians seem to play right in front of me. Voices take on an incredible presence (Ah, Diana Krall and Patricia Barber, are just right here in front of me !). The microdynamics are outstanding: drum solos sound almost just as sharp as they would on a live stage (I donâ€™t listen that loud).
The music pulls you in, there is no way to listen â€œcasuallyâ€, even at moderate volume: you are invariably drawn to stop any other activity or thought, and just LISTEN with your body and soul, as you would if you had in Diana Krall or Patricia Barber, or Keith Jarett, playing just for you in your living room. The Heart does not do that, even cum Siltech.
In comparison the Heart seems dull and muffled, the soundstage restricted, the music uninspiring. This is understandable since the Siltech interconnect costs about the same price as the Ah Tjoeb, but my point is that, in the first experience, with the Siltech connected to the Heart, the Ah Tjoeb 4000 was still the winner, albeit by a much smaller margin. In other words, somehow the Heart cannot take advantage of that great cable as the Ah Tjoeb does.
My conclusion : do not buy â€œupgradesâ€ tubed DCPs if you own the Ah Tjoeb. Better buy good NOS tubes, a Siltech cable, and a Burr Brown OPA 627 op amp (40$). Or better yet, the new Tjoeupsampler, (that I have ordered but not received yet, more on this later).

Product Weakness: Not enough microdynamics, lacks that last bit of humanity
Product Strengths: musical

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Manley Stingray
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Ah Tjoeb 4000, Heart CD 6000
Speakers:	Triangle Celius 202
Cables/Interconnects:	Siltech G3
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz
Time Period/Length of Audition:	6 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Not enough microdynamics, lacks that last bit of humanity
Product Strengths:	musical