Anthem CD-1 CD Players
Anthem CD-1 CD Players
USER REVIEWS
[Sep 11, 2008]
tannoyya
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
fantastic sound one of a kind nothing like it
Weakness:
not made any more
sonic frontiers i love there equipment. the anthem cd1 i've had for 6 years now and im still over the moon with it, this is a 6 disc player and would i find it very hard to go back to a single disc player and dont want to, big soundstage lots of detail yet warm lots of players have come and gone but the cd1 always has that something that i just can not let go of so i got a new laser for it for whenever it needs a new one, sonic frontiers cd1 6 disc multiplayer with 6922 valve output a real keeper in my eyes
Similar Products Used: musical fidelity fcd valve output
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[Apr 26, 2003]
coopmv
AudioPhile
Strength:
Great sound, highly functional design, great build and offers extra long-playing time (6 discs) plus remote.
Weakness:
None other than noise at disc loading and the tube-output stage delayed kick-in after power on. For a CD changer made in the late 90's, this CD player delivers tremendous sound. It sounds at least as good as my one-year old Rega Planet 2000 and blows away my two Sony ES changers. The tube-output stage gives any CD an extra dimension. I connect this changer to my Tandberg 3002 preamp/Crown DC300 amp combo and then to a pair of KLH speakers in my study. The resulting soundstage is unbelievable. The string and the vocal sound so real as if I am actually there for a live performance. The build is terrific and it weighs just a tad under 30 lbs. Thia is real build quality - lots of metal and a 3/8" inch solid aluminum fact plate - compared with most of the cheap CD plyers made in Asia. It is a shame that Sonic Frontiers no longer makes this player. This changer is much sought after by audiophiles in the second hand market for good reasons. Similar Products Used: Sony ES changers |
[Jan 24, 2000]
David Ellis
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Everything
Weakness:
None I listened to this CD player in the same setting, and compared it to a Wadia 830, and the Rotel 971. After reading the reviews on the Rotel 971, I figured this would be the unit I would likely buy. After my comparison, the Anthem was far superior to the Rotel! The difference was astounding! |
[Jul 13, 2000]
peter
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Brilliant soundstage,Built like a tank.
Weakness:
Noisy transport.But so what. This is a very well built unit.hen you open it up.18 screws hold the cover in place.When you look inside you see where the money has been spent.Damping material all over the cover.Very little excess wire.Soild board.No flex and quality parts.This will last a lifetime.Sound is exceptional and very detailed.I replaced the stock tube which is not bad but a good NOS will bring out its best sound.I have a Valvo ECC88 1960's tube instaled.For the true test i brought my wife in who has the golden ears.Her first comment was wow.We have tried very many cd players over the last year and she has allways said it good not bad but never had i heard her say wow.Every instrument plays in its true color.And eveything is in its place very good seperation and air around instruments.A tube output is waht evey CD player needs.A soild investment at 1600 US 2300 Canadain.get a used one you wont regret it if you can find one.High praise to the people at Anthem & thanks to the boys at The Parts Connection for your great choice of an upgrade NOS tube. Similar Products Used: Mcintosh MCD7008,Parasound CDP 1000,Cambridge cd 6, |
[Jul 30, 2001]
David Ellis
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Just about everything. It is smooth, dynamic, and the noise is almost non-exitant.
Weakness:
none I write this so that others will know of a some very worthwhile tweaks. The Anthem CD-1 doesn't need them, but they are very worthwhile. |
[Dec 23, 1999]
Luis Vazquez
Audio Enthusiast
From the very first day I auditioned the CD-1 I knew I was listening to hi-fi at it's best. Product quality, sound quality, and that great tube sound all wrapped in a single package for under $2000. My previous digital rig was a McCormack SST-1 with an Audio Alchemy DDE v3 D/A and DTI v2 anti-jitter device. After my initial break-in, the Anthem literally blew my socks off as the soundstage's height and width was more expansive than what I heard from the separates gear. After listening for a few months I finally sold the McCormack and Audio Alchemy gear. My next step was to upgrade the stock tube to something more musical - after a few auditions I found a Phillips JAN tube that made the midrange more liquid and added the extra warmth that I was looking for. Similar Products Used: McCormack SST-1 and Acurus ACD-11 |
[Sep 18, 2001]
Lou Walters
Audiophile
This is a preliminary review of a modified Anthem CD-1 CD player. I also own an Anthem Pre-1 that was also modified, that I will post a review for. Also, I will do a formal review once all of the new parts have broken in. The mods that have been done on this CD player over the past few years include: |
[Mar 02, 1998]
John
an Audio Enthusiast
For those of you who have been waiting for an "audiophile" CD changer, the wait is over! I recently purchased the Sonic Frontiers Anthem CD-1 ($1475) and I am duly impressed. When I first heard it at the store, I was amazed you could get such quality at a somewhat still reasonable price point. This player projects a very detailed sound stage. Both in depth and width. You can hear each guitar string as the pick slides across it. And the bass is tight and controlled. Sonic Frontiers has utilized a tubed output buffer in this design which seems to take away that digital "sheen" you can usually hear from CDs. And this unit comes with an HDCD chip to boot. Highly recommended if you're looking in the $1000 to $2500 range. And it has the convenience of handling 6 discs at a time. If money's no object then this rates a 3.5 but, if you have a budget to stay in, it gets a 4. |
[Apr 22, 1998]
Mark Cannon
an Audio Enthusiast
Sonic Frontiers obviously believes that convenience and high end audio can coexist. There is not many multidisc high end CD players available, yet the CD-1 does fulfill my desire for good music reproduction and multidisc convenience. |
[Mar 27, 1999]
JB
an Audio Enthusiast
I have never felt so confident that I have made a good purchase! I have never owned any piece of audio equipment that had a valve component. This CD player sounds awesome! |