Soundstage! Analog realism!

Price? I wish it was $870 in stead of $8700. There are some cheaper black market units that aren't the same as the new MK2 units beware!

I've been primarily a vinyl listener but wanted to take a leap into the world of CD's, until I gave them a critical listen. What happened to the soundstage where'e the realism, therein was my delima. I listened to all the best reviewed players Cary, Meridian, BAT, Naim, Wadia, Levinson all the same. I even tried better DAC's, the MSB Platinum, dCS Elgar Plus /Purcell Combo and I still felt that the vinyl was clearly better. Just as I was about to give up I tried a new audio store near me United Home Audio, they happened to have the Audio Aero Capitole for demo and what a surprise it was! First, Greg and Mike at United Home Audio are clearly the most knowledgable audio professionals I have ever encountered, plus they let me come back for extended listens with no pressure. When I first listened to the Capitole I was not familiar with the recording Greg played, some interesting world music with a huge sound stage. At first I thought it was some demo disc trick because it sounded as big as my vinyl recordings. So I tried something I was familiar with and the sound stage was there, tall, wide, dynamic, and realistic. Well it took me a little time to get the full impression but my search was over. The great thing is I don't have to use my preamp either if I don't want to because the Capitole has a built in remote volume control, which is a more direct and cleaner solution. The detail and clarity is amazing from a digital source, but the real bonus is the analog realism from this unit. The soundstage is the best I've heard and I find myself not even noticing it is a "digital" source component at all. I've had my Capitole for 6 months now and I've about put my turntable out to pasture. I guess because there is much more on CD than vinyl, I find myself listening more these days. If you want the best, you have to spend the money and this unit isn't cheap, but I havent found any great audio component that was. I am giving it a 5 of 5 because it's the best at this time. I am also giving a 5 for value because I haven't heard a cheaper unit that sounded better.

Similar Products Used:

Cary, Meridian, BAT, Naim, Wadia, Levinson and DAC's by, the MSB Platinum, dCS Elgar Plus /Purcell Combo

Has all what was dreamt of a digital system to reach the quality of analog sound. Audio Aero (tribute is also to be given to the Anagram Technology module inside)found the way to what digital CD format was aiming at in the early 80s. Read the International Audio/Video reveiw at http://www.iar-80.com/page24.html on the Capitole CD Audio Aero is working a multiformat unit CD and SACD 2/6 channels using the same technologies (Anagram + tube output)... My bank account shivers already

I desperatly searched a tiniest one, but there are None

I tested a Capitole mk2 unit last year over 48hours which was not really burnt-in. The sound was excellent however I was fundamentally believing that the strength of the Audio Areo unit was coming from the DAC part. This review actually is for the Prima Mk2 32/192k DAC version of the Capitole. I bought the unit in Feb 2003. It took me a good six weeks to burn it in. The DAC is fed by an Oracle 2000 Transport and feeds a Classe Audio couple (CP60 preamp + Omicron dual mono amp) driving a pair of B&W Nautilus 802. All equipment including the Super-Gold Fantastic XLR cables are second hand except the Prima mk2 DAC. I mostly listen to Baroque and Renaissance music. The sound is similar to the one at the concert. For the first time, I heard a sound as good as (if not better on some top recently recorded CDs) vynil LPs. I use an Oracle Mk1 with a Denon DL304 mounted on a Fidelity Research arm. For anyone who is looking for either an integrated CD or a DAC (provided the feeding drive is top class) and wishing to hit THE sound, run out to buy either units (Capitol Mk2 / Prima Mk2). This review is not chauvinistic in any sense one as most of my eqpt is either British, American or Canadian, except the Audio Aero DAC. They did hit the sky. Good day from France

Similar Products Used:

Listened to Jadis, Mark Levinson, Meridian, Mephisto, Classé CDs

Listener fatigue is dead, long live endless musical pleasure!

None worthy of note.

This is a truly wonderful CD player and I can't see it being beaten by anything other than machines costing ridiculous sums of money, perhaps not even then. The soundstage is expansive with such musicality and tonal correctness that you would think that it came from a top turntable setup. My previous machine was the world acclaimed Marantz CD7 which is quite frankly beaten hands down by the Aero. I don't really understand the upsampling/oversampling technology but what I do know is that the Aero's implementation of it takes 16 bit discs to their ultimate conclusion. Who's going to win the SACD/DVD-A war? I no longer care and neither should you. Take a long, hard look at this machine. You might never have to do so again with any other.

Similar Products Used:

Marantz CD7, BAT VKD5 SE, Metronome Technologie.

everything: warm, transparent, and very, very, very natural (this is the most important in my mind). It's also an excellent tube pre-amp.

I don't like the design.

Sorry for my bad english. The Audioaero Capitol is probably one of the best top class cd player in the world (I don't say that because I'm French, of course!). I know very well a lot of "top" products (Mark Levinson ML 39, Icos CD pro, Linn CD 12, Audioanalogue Maestro, Naim audio, Audioresearch cd players, Roksan Atessa, etc.) but the Capitol is clearly the best because of it's natural "non-cd" sound. I was the happy proprietor for years of a (old) Modsquad McCormack Signature, a wonderful machine, directly linked with a pair of Audiotruth Diamond II to a Macintosh Mc500 (to drive big Cabasse loudspeakers matched with Monster M 2.2s cables). Altrought the Modsquad is still a very good player (voices, hum...) in comparaison of most quoted cd players (ML39 for example), there is no comparaison with the absolute transparency and resolution of the Capitol. This machime mates the best of the analogue and the digital sound: warmth, musicality, liquidity, natural feeling, no harshness, etc., with transparency, resolution, precision of inner details, etc.! It is truly incredible! And it is also a very good tube pre-amp, comparable with the top world pre-amp products (tube and solid-state)! One of my friends, which have an enormous system (Infinity Beta 2, Class A Mark Levinson amps, Audioresearch LS 5 pre-amp, Technics X1000 plus Z1000 cd player/processor, Audioquest Dragon cables,etc.), sell his LS 5 and Technics (a fabulous cd player, launched in 1991) because the Capitol is out competition!

Similar Products Used:

Modsquad McCormack Siganture, Roksan Atessa, Mark Levinson ML39...

Acts as preamp. Treble has life & shimmers like it should. Images have weight. The most analogue sounding of all CD players I have heard. Dont' need a preamp.

I don't love the transport system. The puck is a pain and top loading takes the turntables place. Price is high. If you have other sources you will play with cables to listen to other sources to connect your preamp to your amp.

I have been burning in the CD player for 5 days now. The sound is so impressive that I am writing now. The treble is fin ally listenable on CD. The images have body. Everything sounds more palpable. I am waiting for the last word in dynamics but that should come in time. I bought this player after hearing it at the audio show in NY & not knowing what it is. Every room I went into that had amazing sound had this CD player. This was truly done without even seeing what they were using. Don't plan on buying it without planning on having time to listen to all your CD as if they are new. Do this before you do anything else if you can afford it. I have Nautilus 801s which reveal everything. I was suffering from listener fatigue. I don't suffer anymore. I am hearing things I haven't heard before. Detail galore. In a word musicality in CD. All I do is listen.

Similar Products Used:

Meridain 508.24 (was great in its time, still has great bass), Accuphase DP 65 (just not musical, put on a record & you will know what I mean next to it), Sony SACD DVP NC650V(cheapy version, great va

Airy, very neutral, very good low

nothing

I get my new Audio Aero Capitole model two yesterday and i can say that it is better every area than early model.I play it about four hours.I know that it came better when i burn it about 100 hours. .Design is too very fine.Early model is my mind best but that new is amazing good and expensive too.Absolutely best cd player and you dont need preamp.happy listening tapsa

Similar Products Used:

see below early model text

Resolution of detail, soundstage, palpability, analog-like sound, richness...

A great and looming weakness is the new cost, which I believe surpasses $8,000.00. I sincerely hope that these guys don''t price themselves out of the market. It has certainly happened before and this is simply too good of a player to be lost, as a result of an unrealistic pricing schema. At the $4,500 MSRP a great deal!!! At the new price ($8,000+), I am very concerned about this players revenue generating life expectancy.

The Audio Aero CDP is an EXCEPTIONAL CD Player. I have listened to a good number of CD Players and the Audio Aero, by far, eclipses them all. Its resolution of inner details, the depth and width of its soundstage, its palpability, its richness, its analog-like smoothness are all beyond reproach. I sit and listen to this player for a few moments and those moments quickly turn into a few hours wonderfully spent. That is to say that it is very hard to walk away from the sound coming from this player. Please note, I DO NOT WORK FOR AUDIO AERO, NOR AM I AFFILIATED WITH THEM IN ANYWAY. I just bought the CD player and fell in love... My girlfriend completely understands. She now wants one too!

Similar Products Used:

Mark Levinson, BAT, Oracle, Sim Audio, Naim, Linn, YBA, Cary, Wadia.

Neutral and warm sound, great soundstage, rich details, good bass definition, silky mids, no need to have a preamp and another pair of connectors actually better to use it directly.

out of date appreance (to my taste), awful remote, not so user friendly cd loading mechanism, it takes time to burn in if completely shut due to tube output.

I agree with Tapsa the reviewer below. Audio Aero Capitol 24/192 is not only a very good cd player/processor but also a fine tube preamp. When I use it directly to the power amp, the soundstage, details, bass lines improved significantly. It takes approx. 1-2 hours to my ears to give the optimum performance due to the tube output stage, although in users manual, Audio Aero states that it requires min 4-5 hours. There is a great warmness and neutrality in its sound, soundstage, dynamics and details are well above many cd players + stereo preamps in its price range. For instance it is absolutely better than ML39. My previous player was also a very good performer Rotel RCD-991 which has a very good performance/price ratio and can beat many more expensive players. But Capitol 24/192 is a different class speaking honestly. I found one at second hand and traded for my Rotel. I am so satisfied and will keep the player for so long. Only if I decide to switch to SACD or another future format, I may think of adding a very good preamp and use Capitol thru preamp, but Capitol 24/192 will be my referance machine for my CD collection for sure. Balanced connection is far superior than single ended. Higly recommended regardless of any price range and other components in the system.

Similar Products Used:

Levinson 39, 390s, 37+360s, Audio Aero Prima, Rotel RCD-991,

Very neutral,airy, deep soundtage, dynamic.You dont need preamp.

Nothing

This cd player is best what i have ever heard.I have own many top players Audio Research, Sphinx,Wadia,Sonic Frontiers, Krell,Audionet, Mc Cormack, California Audio Labs etc, but Audio Aero is very different it is more like very good vinyl sound, very neutral, airy, dynamic and deep soundstage, many top cd player are dry and sterile but not Audio Aero.I want best with my Acapella Campanile speakers,Audionet max monoamp,Audio Physic minos sub and Transparent Ultra cables. It is cheap because i dont need preamp, it work fine straight to my amp.I can''''t anymore listen another cd player so good is Audio Aero.

Similar Products Used:

Audio Researh,Krell,Sphinx,Sonic Frontiers,Audionet,California Audio Labs, Mc Cormack, Sony sacd, Wadia etc

Its strengths are where they count - in the music. This is the most musical player I have heard. Every instrument has fully three dimensions and they are all in perfect relationship to each other. Bass does not over power yet is strong and fades with its natural length. I'm not sure how to describe it, when I listen to a bass being plucked there is a sense of a strong full note that you think will resonate for a long time, but it doesn't, a bass note (I'm talking acoustic upright) starts strong but fades fast and delicate. Which for me is the major part of the beauty of the instrument. Especially behind a female voice. Patricia Barber take a bow.
Separation of instruments is clear but does not break up the band. Mozarts clarinet concerto makes those little hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
Soundstage not only went way back but came a long way into the room as well creating more of an impression of being there.
I was warned not to listen to it for I would be dissatisfied with what I had. This turned out to be true. I was comparing it to a Meridian 506.20 with the 24 bit upgrade. I have been very happy with this player. But it was dull in comparison.
A friend brought his Meridian 508 around (which I had always thought a fantastic player and quite a step up on mine, but it too was pedestrian in comparison.
I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Comes with a learning remote.
Has its on volume control so it can plug straight into the power amp if that is all you have or want.

Sometimes the draw lid mechanism gets confused about the position of the disk.
Some people could not be botherd with the clamping arrangement. (Those people would not be listening to this level of player anyway. It's sometimes difficult to accept others don't get the same thrill from the same things.)
That little hockey puck can end up inside the case.

A referance quality machine.
The promise of CD has finally got here just as the umpires are shifting the goal posts.

Similar Products Used:

Meridian 506 and 508.