Good quality for the price

I got mine Tjoeb 99 (with super crystal exchange and AC noise killer)in November 99. I compared it with mine old Technics CD player (450 $) and sound is much more accurate, warm and liquid. All harshnes was gone. You can feel depth and bass is deeper and stronger. I think this player is very good for playing voices (like Andrea Bocceli, Pavarotti, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias,...- mine kind of music).
This is great product for the money and I am glad I bought it.

I would like to thank Mr. Herman and AH! Tjoeb team for all help and kindness (full five stars).

Equipment used:
CD player AH! Tjoeb 99
Amplifier Electrocompaniet ECI-1 (100 W, dual mono)
Speakers B&W Nautilus 805
Interconnect cables Tara Labs RSC Reference G2
Speakers cables Tara Labs RSC Prime 1000

And now few lines for Slovenian visitors:
'Vse o CD predvajalniku lahko najdete na www.hifi-notes.com/ahtjoeb99home-en.htm, kontaktna oseba je g. Herman na naslovu: herman.van.den.dungen@tip.nl.
Cena CD-ja je bila 93.000 SIT (930 DEM)- tu je vseto: CD player AH! Tjoeb 99, super crystal exchange, pošta (EMS), usluge banke, carina(20 %), DDV (19%). Ce zelite imeti vec informacij o CD-ju me lahko kontaktirate na: dusanribic@hotmail.com ali na tel.: 061 36 42 075

Focused, breathy, punch, realism, good staging
Handy volume control on remote.

Anxious to see how it will hold up. Otherwise, for the price I have no gripes.

Bought into the hype and the hype is valid. As with all Ah! Tjoeb buyers I read all 140+ reviews on audioreview.com (digging for inconsistancies and motives for subjectivity), all pertinant lines on audioasylum.com and Kevin's site @ upscaleaudio.com into the wee hours until I decided to take the 500 buck plunge on an unauditioned piece. Did the 50 hour burn in which shaved off all the grit and it's been bliss ever since. The Rega was detailed and smooth but I'll trade that for presence any day. My VTL 450s and B&W 802Ns are a fairly bright match as far as tubes go but the Ah! brought everything into line without congestion. Awesome with vocals, strings and brass. Plenty of detail in the extreme ranges too. A steal at 525.00 with crystal and noise upgrade; I won't be upgrading for a few years and actually prefer the un-ostentatious facade.

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Rega Planet and Rotel 975

Afet some easy mods, very detailed & unharsh

build weight ie. mass

Got this unit from Kevin at Upscale Audio with the crystal,noise & digital out & motor mods. rite out of the box it blew my 1k d/a & well made transport away.So far I isolated the stages with sheet lead & am using tiptoes on the bottom & added a custom cut slab of granite 8X15in. on the cover. Inner detail has increased dramatically & soundstage cleaner,soon will add line cord after I decide what to use.I run the digi out to my d/a which I run into 2nd cd input on Proceed & regular out to cd1 so i can swith & compare the AH kills the d/a all the time, will do tube upgrade soon.Feel free to offer any suggestions regarding mod's to this unit. Bill P.

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Jolida unit with tube output stage

transparent, yet friendly sound

????

I think I am one of the first (proud) owners of the Tjoeb cd-player. August last year I bought one from DÉ HIFIWINKEL in Beek. A friend of mine, who also owns a great hifi-system, advised me about the existence of the Tjoeb cd-player. The sound is indeed impressive and good, certainly if compared with other (many times more expensive) players. In the meantime my Tjoeb '98 has been modified into a model '99 and it even sounds more beautifull now, more transparent with that unbeatable warm tube-sound. I have to be honest to say that I just recently discovered the world of audio. That's why I think it is a great pleasure to have made rightaway as "a novice" the right choice. I can really recommend it, without any hesitation!

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audio is really new to me

Sound quality and price.

Nobody knows what it is by looking at it.

Here is another one. Most importantly I would like to say my dealings with http://www.upscaleaudio.com were excellent. The order was processed quickly and efficiently. I could not recommend a reseller more than I could this one. Great people.

I got mine with the Amperex tubes, upgraded crystal and AC noise killer. Total delivered, $675. How much it sounds like I spent? $2500. I only wish Ah! Tjoeb would put some sort of change to the face to let lookers know that it is not a normal Marantz.

I also did a few mods. I lined the underside of the lid with Dynamat and also the bottom of the case. I replaced the feet with rubber racquet balls sliced in two and then I placed the whole thing in a sandbox with a sandbag on top.

I am running it through a Mark Levinson no383 integrated amplifier and a pair of PSB Stratuts Goldi speakers. That's it, that's my whole system. Sparse but it sounds fantastic.

Like everybody else here I can only say that the soundstage is wide and deep. The music sounds very much alive and very much unlike a digital compact disc. I can't ever see wanting to change this CD player to something else. It is one of the few really great deals in hifi today. I bought on faith without ever hearing one and I have no regrets.

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NAD CD player.

smooth true to form sound reproduction more like listening to sound 'waves' rather than the often harsh and less than accurate(natural) digital reconstruction inherent in CD technology.

hard to say,the AH Tjoeb performs exactly as it is marketed.It is a pure,simple and charming CDP .

Yes yet another five star review. My listening is done 100% through headphones the AH Tjoeb CD player, a Wheatfield HA-2 amp,see their web site at www.wheatfield.com, and Sennheiser 580s.The listening experience is heavenly.The AH! is quick and creates a nice analog feeling sound. For me the ultimate test of any audio product is the quality of feeling that is created in the listener and without a doubt the AH! makes me feel great. I haven't been to bed on time since it arrived!The AH! and a Paul Chamber's bass solo is like listening to two finely played instruments, the bass by Paul and the AH Tjoeb in my living room.There could be no better match than AH!, Up Scale Audio and Kevin Deal - see his web site at www.upscaleaudio.com. This is enlightened business at its best.

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EAD CD1000

Price-performance ratio, tweakability, sound (see details below)

Not possible to audition before buying, flimsy case

I have had the Tjoeb99 for about a year now and have done a lot of tweakings on it. I would like to pass on my experiences and look at a comparison I did with a Myryad MCD 100 ($1250,--).

But first I want to report on my experiences with bypassing the tube section as Jeff has recommended below. I tried it, but it is trash. I cannot imagine that an audiophile (as Jeff describes himself) would like anything about that boring sound with incredibly muddy bass, period. Either Jeff has a different CD-player or his review is a scam.

OK, let’s get serious. I have intensively compared the Tjoeb with a Myryad MCD 100. The Tjoeb under test has the Super Crystal and Noise Killer options, and the following tweaks:
- Bitumen damped cover and drive mechanism (cheap & good!)
- Shielded power cord
- Tjoeb Sjoes feet
- Philips E2888CC SQ gold pins
- AD712 operation amplifier
- Some WIMA caps across the power supply caps

I know that’s quite a lot, but except of the feet and the Philips tubes it was really cheap and not difficult to do. Now what is the sound of this Tjoeb? I would say it is very good for the price. In comparison with the Myryad it has the same soundstage, the same amount of detail and punch but there is one major difference. The Myryad is very natural and neutral (though not cold). The Tjoeb is a little coloured.
Vocals seem closer to the audience and are “more emotional”, strings are “fuller than natural” (quote TNT-audio.com), the sound can be a tad darker, bigger but less analytical. You may like it or not.
Considering that my Tjoeb with all the upgrades costs about half of the Myryad I’d clearly prefer the Tjoeb. And I can continue to “play” around with it and try to make it sound even better. If the two players were equal in price I would get the Myryad, but would maybe miss some of the virtues of the Tjoeb....

Conclusion: I am very happy and will certainly keep the Tjoeb in my system and will upgrade my amplifier (HK690) which is clearly the weak link...

Comparison done with:
AHTjoeb99, Myryad MCD 100, Myryad MI120, Harman Kardon HK 690, Dynaudio Contour 1,3 MKII, Dynaudio Audience 60

Rating: I think that the TJoeb deserves 2x 5 stars. There are surely better players, but I have to make up for Jeff's ridiculously low rating....

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Myryad MCD 100, several lower cost CDPs

Price, sound quality.

Cheap appearance.

I must admit I am no audiophile, but I love listening to good music, usually 1950's and 1960's jazz. I have two systems in my home, the first is a old Fisher 500c which has been lovingly cared for by me for the past 20 years that plays through a pair of KEF 102s with the Kef Kube. The other system is an equally old Scott 299c amp, Dual 1015 turntable and ancient but beautifully warm Jensen 3-ways from the ealy 1960's. As you can guess, I love the sound of vintage tube equipment, so I've never really been fond of the way CD players sound, even when played through my ancient equipment. But I really love the convenience of CDs, so after reading the reviews of the Tjoeb '98 for a few months, I broke down and ordered the unit about a month ago.

The Tjoeb '99 arrived a week ago and I burned it in for 48 hours before hooking it up to the Fisher. I've been listening to Art Pepper, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Monk, etc. WOW! Two days ago I plugged it into the Scott and had equally dramatic results listening to early Sun recordings of Johnny Cash and Elivs (had to be fair to the country and rock folks).


The sound of the Tjoeb is nothing short of breathtaking when compared with both the Denon and Kyocera CD players I had been used to. There is a warmth and depth to the sound that I have only heard in analog LP reproduction in the past.

As I stated above, I'm no audiophile, but this doesn't mean I can't give this unit the highest rating possible.

The only drawback is that the unit really looks and feels "cheap," but it is hidden in a cabinet so I don't really care!

Analog like sound, detailed without being harsh. LOW PRICE! Tweakable

None for the price!

First, I would like to thank all of the previous reviewers, your reviews are 99% of the reason I purchased the Tjoeb! Thank you!!

I wanted to upgrade my aging Marantz CD-63 as I felt is was the weak link in my system. I tweaked for years to tame the harsh sound changing amps, speakers, cables, etc. I was never totally satisfied so, I decided it's time was up!

My quest for a new CDP had begun. I don't like going to Hi-end stores to shop for many reasons. 1) The store (salesperson) are always trying to sell you what they carry. 2) They always have a less than friendly attitude and I am never comfortable listening to different equipment. 3) The equipment always sounds much different when you get it home. 4) I don't have the time to drive all over town listining to CDP's especially if I am not enjoying the experience.

So, I use this site, other forums, magazines and other listeners opinions to help me make my choices in Hi-Fi purchases. It was on this site I found the Tjoeb. Based upon all of the positive reviews, I ordered one.

I received my Tjoeb '99 (VE039928046376) in mid December with the AC Noise Killer and the SuperCrystal. After receiving it I only checked it to make sure it functioned properly. I was very impressed when I heard the amount of detail and bass when I was testing the unit. I wanted to listen more, but I knew it needed to be burnt-in first. So, I turned my amp off and hit the repeat button. I let it play for about 50 hours before I began listening.

After the burn-in period, I began my project, to determine if this sub US$500.00 CDP is as good as they say. I Dropped in one of my favorite CD's Patrica Barber Cafe Blue, wow! Great detail, deep full bass, wonderful midrange! I could swear she was singing right in front of me! I was happy! In a nut shell, this player is as great as they say! I love it!

As time went on, I looked forward to every moment I could listen to my system, and all of my old CD's, but I was curious about the mods that the others have tried. I must tell you, I like to take things apart and put them back together, so I thought what the heck, I try em! Don't get me wrong, this player is excellent left alone! and for US$450.00 - US$500.00 you can't go wrong! Buy one before they cost $750.00 - $1,000.00!

I started with the tubes, mine came with Phillips 6922's and I changed them to Amperex '67 7308 gold pins which I bought of ebay for $56.00 (thanks Chris!). Big improvement, money well spent! The highs were more detailed and the bass fuller, I was very impressed with the improvement!

Then I added the IEC Chassis connector and an AudioQuest AC-15 H/S power cord.

Next was to apply Dynamat to the entire chassis and top cover.

Lastly, I changed the feet to Poly Crystal cones and put a 3/4" thick piece of glass lined with Dynamat on top of the CDP.

I can honestly say, I am close to sonic perfection! This is a great player with or with out the mods!

My system:

Plinius 8150
Modified Tjoeb '99
Platinum Audio Solo's
Kimber Silver Streak Interconnects
AudioQuest A/C Cords
Nordost Super Flatline MK II Bi-wire Speaker Cables

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Marantz CD-63

Very musical. Good balance of warmth and detail.

Slight click between tracks

I’ve been listening to this CD player for a week now afer breaking it in and plugging it into my system and I’m really moved, literally, toe tapping and often heart jumping. A beautiful sound. Clear distinct notes that are not raspy at all, much detail and warmth. Also more bass than I thought my system was capable of.
The system was sort of disappointing. A tube preamp that I thought couldn’t manage any better resolution - CJ PV10al. I suspected the CD player, a CAL Icon. Some Cds sounded so poor that I thought they were made wrong and even was ready to return a Shostokovich quartet. But when I heard these on the Ah! I can hear that I was wrong. The string quartet has such powerful clarity and detail that I was amazed. Now I love it. The quitar and lute music I thought was poor is wonderful, every string resonates as if I were there. The music on the whole has come alive. My only problem is pulling myself away to do other things. I highly recommend this player.
I got the options including better tubes (Amperex) as recommended by the dealer, Kevin at Upscale Audio (www.upscaleaudio.com). Thanks to the engineers for making a great Cd player that is affordable. I heard a Arcam 9 with the same preamp and a CJ amp and I feel that this is better. Also the remote has a volume control.
Other equipment:
Conrad Jonhson PV10al preamp
B&K St202 amp
Harmonic Technology Precision Link interconnects
Energy 22 Reference speakers

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California Audio Labs, Icon