I own this player and I'm pretty satisfied with it.I paid $800 for it new but I think the new model with HDCD is around$1500.
As far as the sound, the bass/upper bass response is the first thing I noticed.Very strong.It is maybe a little too ripe sometimes, but I can live with that! (I'm a bass player). The midrange is ok(sometimes grainy)and highs are pretty good.(slightly reticent).Soundstage is decent. I get very good depth on recordings that have it.It also has good features for someone who makes alot of recordings.I find this lacking on alot of cd players.

I just had a chance to compare the "standard" CAL Icon Mk. II with the Power Boss-upgraded version. The system used HK amplifiers (825 pre and 870 power amps) and a pair of Maggies (3.3Rs).
The "standard" Icon has a warmer, more "tube-like" sound. It does better on rock/pop recordings, and is more forgiving of bright recordings. Bass and definition are good, but not as good as the Power Boss-upgraded version.

The Power Boss-upgraded Icon has better bass control, definition and detail, but has a slightly colder/brighter sound than the "standard" Icon. It does better on classical/new age recordings, but is not at all forgiving of bright-sounding recordings. However, the colder and brighter sound has me thinking about a tube preamp to compensate.

Both units are "addictive" to listen to. After I got my Icon, I found myself listening to CDs all the time.

My recommendations: If you have dark-sounding speakers or amplifiers, and listen primarily to classical music, get the Power Boss upgrade. If you have a bright-sounding system and listen primarily to rock/pop music, take your Icon "straight up."

I am giving both versions of the Icon 4 stars, due to the tradeoff between the resolution of the Power Boss and the warmth of the "standard" model.

I purchased the CalAudioLabs Icon MK2 for use with a Genesis Digital Lens jitter reduction device and a Parasound DAC. I must say that I am truely impressed. The sound is just incredible, so smooth and detailed. The bass is deep and tight, the midrange is rich and the highend is light, airy and utterly transparent. The unit is built extremely well and it is also laid out in such a way that it is very easy to operate. This is a great unit and I highly reccomend it.

I've got my ICONII at dirt cheap price @ around $450 US just about a month ago.The intension was to have something to listen to in the mean time while i am hunting for a better CD Player @3000 range. My choice is Wadia 830 which had received raved reviews and listening to it seems very promising. I sold my old CD player and preamp and hook it up directly to McIntosh MC7300 Amp controlling the volume via gain control driving a pair of Dynaudio Crafft (again bought it at a dirt cheap price!).These speakers are killer.

Back to business, I loan a Wadia 830 to compare it side by side at home. To my utmost surprise, the ICON is not far off from the 830! 830 is an excellent player in its own. But my ICON achieve say 80% of the performance of 830 at 1/7 of the price! Imagine the sound with a proper pre-amp connected!

Summary:
High - very good not top notch. With the help of esotars of DYNS, it's very acceptable.
Mid - sounds grainy right out of the box, but gets smoother and silky and convincing as it is burnt in. ( add in a pair of transparent Ultra cable in replace the Ortofon 8N elevates this). Good body and microdynamics but no bloating in images.
Transient - very good, 85% of 830
Resolution - good, 80% again of 830. 830 excels in this area
Depth - due to limitation of my room, I cannot comment on the ultimate depth it can achieve, but im not a depth freak.
Musicality - excellent, did a good job in transfering music emotion to listener withoout sounding mellow to please the crowd, neutral and ever so slightly on the warm side, which is great. 90% of Wadia
Bass - 75% of 830. Wadia is definitely swept the floor on this bit.
Width - very good.
imaging/intensity - 85% of 830, which is amazing!

I'm keeping my ICONII!! Wadia is an excellent player and I respect it very much still but, I'll save the bucks to fetch a new pre-amp/amp set.. maybe the Goldmund SRP/SRA.

Overall sound quality 4 Stars, Value 6 Stars combine the two creates a 5 Star product! Bravo! Well done CAL!!

I've had the Icon II for a year now. This player is very good considering the price ($400 used). The Icon II is detailed, images well, and is very musical. As a matter of fact, I've lost some imaging since upgrading it with a CAL Alpha DAC. The Alpha offers more detail and resolution, both high and low-end. However, I've noticed that the vocal that comes from the center is not as clear as from the Icon II by itself. To be fair, the cable - Illuminations DV-75 - is new and still needs break-in. So far, the improvement is good but I expect more. Will post a follow-up later. Anyway, I can recommend the Icon II without hesitation.
Enjoy,
Isaac

The system so far:
California Audio Labs Ikon MK II;
Tara Labs Prism Interconnects
Adcom 555 Preamp
Adcom 555 X2 in bridged mode
Kimber Kable 4TC to HF
Kimber Kable 8TC to LF
Kef 104/2 Bi-wire

I recently upgraded my CD player from Luxman to CAL Ikon (night and day). I tested this product against the best Rotel and CAL sounded sweeter and tighter. I tested CAL against the Theta Miles (Theta wins). However, switching back and forth A/B I could not justify the price increase. I did not feel that the Miles was four time better than the Ikon. I got my Ikon as a demo for $650. I hear that CAL is removing it and this price point in CD players. This player is a steal at its now reduced price of $800.. Musical with excellent detail and pretty good imaging. I feel that I am at the jumping off point between mid and hi fidelity components. I like it here and the CAL Ikon is the reason I am staying put. Nice Job CAL!!!

I boughta used Icon MKII with the Power Boss upgrade 3 weeks ago. Since thattime I have been critically listening for at one hour per day, and often a lot
more. I like this player very much. It is very transparent and certainly
lets the quality of the CD speak for itself. The Soundstage and imaging are
wide and very detailed with a lot of depth---if the recording is well done.
If the recording is poorly done, then it doesn't create a false Soundstage or
imagining, as I noticed some CD players are prone to do. I've listened to some
HDCD recordings that are just stunning--notes that I never heard before jump
out with a clarity that is thrilling. However, I can't say that I have found
all HDCDs to be superior to 16bit recorded CDs. Again, it all depends on how
well the original recording was done. But, I will say, without reservation, that on some HDCDs(that were well recorded), it is absolutely amazing....more like mesmerizing. I would have no problem recommending the Cal Audio Icon MKII with the HDCD Power Boss upgrade to anyone considering buying a used unit. I think one would get a lot of player for the money and it would be hard to be disappointed.
Lew

musical, clarity, live, upbeat

too many buttons and functions which are not used

I bought a used MKII HDCD from a guy (who had it for about 2 years) sometime last July. So I have been listening to it for almost 9 months now. I must say that when I bought it, even though it had been with the previous owner for about 2 years, it had not been run-in yet. And I only discovered it recently last week. When I was auditioning it with a company some friends, the sound warmed up immensely! From the initial acceptable level of listening pleasure, to something so vibrant, live and captivating. It got me suddenly hooked for hours and days. I have been re-listening to all my CDs again and every single one seems to sound so lively. It is so musical you can't believe your ears! And the other thing I noted was its timing, enthusiastic, upbeat and captivating. The bass is so very well controlled and rhythmic, it really gets you dancing! Well, done CAL! For about US$1500,you have produced an enchanting system that impresses with time.
Used with:
Musical Fidelity X-A1
Mordaunt Short MS3.3
Audioquest Type 4 speaker cables
Silver Spiral interconnects

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EAD UltraDisc 2000

This is the BEST player I've heard for under $1,000.00. Quite oftenbettering units that are in a less modest price range. Very detailed
with a huge soundstage. The front panel layout and remote are very well
designed and the construction is first rate!
Products like the California Audio Labs Icon Mk II make life difficult
for the high admission price competition. Well done, CAL!

SOUNd BIG` STAGE

none

I have a Mcintosh MC275 with a C22 Pre Amplifier and I use for interconnects the Harmonic Tech TruthLink. The speaker cable is Monster 2.4 biwire with SilverLine Sonata speakers. I have had a couple of CD players within the last year and the California Sudio Icon MK11 is great, the soundstage is big, the lows are great, the highs are great and the high mids are great.
The sound seems to be real, not forced. I hear alot of JAZZ, but with GOSPEL, the sound really seems to be full and sounds live.
The base is so round and real I would recommend a try to anyone. I did an A/B test with the REVOX and there was no sound difference at all, not a single octave.
Well, I give it 5 stars
PAID 300.00 USED

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marantz