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For me the Audio Aero Prestige SACD player is among the most musical players I have ever heard, for CD and SACD. I have been enjoying its holographic liquidness for more than a year now. With a DAC that accepts external input, it is an ideal one-box player to combine CD, SACD and PC based (lossless) music via my Squeezebox.However, I have had some problems with the (I assume) Philips transport: it is too noisy on 50% of the disks I play (noise depends on the disk strangely enough) and it started to have dropouts on a number of disks. The latter problem has been increasing and since yesterday the transport seems to have given up totally: the CD that happened to be in the player keeps spinning and can not be ejected. In the (SA)CD menu there is no display any more -- just a black screen.
I have contacted Audio Aero in France to ask for their advice. All I know is that I want the Prestige to be repaired, as it is the first CD player that I can (or, alas, could) listen to endlessly ...
I noticed the discussions on this forum on the player´s Philips transport, and on the benefits of the Sony transport that is used in more recent ones. Anyone heard both these two transports in this player and can compare?
Follow Ups:
I have now returned my Prestige to Audio Aéro in France and it seems I can chose between 3 options:(1) exchange Philips transport for a new PHilips transport
(2) exchange Philips transport for a new Sony built transport
(3) upgrade to the Signature editionI am inclined to go for tha last option, assuming that this includes an upgrade to the Sony transport, and will post the outcome here -- especially soundwise...
I am not sure that SE upgrade has something to do with transport exchange. Anyway my Prestige has this upgrade and it's worth the extra money.I must be an exception, no problem with Philips transport since more than one year, even if loading is a little bit noisy.
Jean
You are absolutely right about the quality of the Audio Aero DA-converters. I have a AA Prima DAC for two years now. When it entered my humble home, it was thé turningpoint for listening again with pleasure of my CD collection. Before that point I begun to hate the 16/44 disc more and more since the SA-CD player came in. But CD playing with my dear Sony SCD-XA777ES is not on par with it's SA-CD qualities. And a very nice bonus came with the Squeezebox on the Audio Aero. Just stunning, as good as CD via a CD transport. And with no back ground tjilping out of a CD player of course, only perfect silence between the musical notes.By the way, the new Genesis SA-CD's are great. Even in 2 channel play, as I do most of the time. I bought 'Trick of the Tail' and 'Wind and Wuthering'
Can't almost wait for the 'Selling England' and 'The Lamb' albums...:-)
Hi Bodie,I had the same problem with the Phillip's transport. Noise and poor operation. Many a time it got stuck and all you can do is switch off the player at the rear main switch and switch back on to 'reboot' it. Sometimes if you changed inputs with a disc still in the draw it wouldn't recognise the disc when you came back.
I opted for the new Sony transport, which was a £400 upgrade not covered in the UK warranty rather than get the Phillips transport replaced with same.
The sound quality is now even better, with fast access times, track info in the display and very silent in use. However there are still quirks when this is installed. There is now no standby function and so if you leave a disc in the tray it will spin forever. Stop only stops the music. You must always eject a disc! Still a few operational errors too. Doesn't seem to like certain SACDs, not reading first few seconds of some tracks. Mine is going back to AA for a fix I hope.
I've had the Prestige for almost 12 months and a Capitole MKII before that and it's been a rollercoaster ride. Sound, when it is perfect is near perfect for me. When it doesn't work properly, it's s....t
Would I buy it again...................no.
Too many fantastic players out there now to choose from.
I'd still get the new transport just for the improved sound and quiet operation.
Hope this helps
Hi smart,Thanks, this is very helpful!
I spoke to the technician at Audio Aéro two days ago and he suggested to replace the transport by the new Sony one which should be much quieter -- as you confirm. I am still waiting for their formal reply how to do this (also in terms of warranty).
I will let you know the results of all this...
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