Purchased the DCD-1650AR at a local hi-end audio store. After spending a week of continuous burn-in the unit, I've finally got a chance to audition some of my favorite CD's and gosh, I was not disappointed! Details, airy, revealing are the only words I can find to describe its sound. This unit should cost more than what it actually costs based on build quality (like Lexus of the automobile) and sound. The unit would make an excellent transport if one wants a better DAC than it already is.

MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THIS GREAT PRODUCT WAS IN STEREOPHILE WHERE IT WASREVIEWED BY MR. SAM TELLIG, WHOM I ADMIRE & HIGHLY RESPECT FOR HIS UNBIASED
THINKING AND HIS WITTY WRITING STYLE.

MY SECOND ENCOUNTER WAS WHEN I PURCHASED MY UNIT & HOOKED IT UP TO MY BRYSTON
B-60, MIRAGE OM-8 LOUDSPEAKERS & AUDIOQUEST CABLES & INTERCONNECTS(FOREST &
OPAL RESPECTIVELY).

MY FINDINGS:

THIS MACHINE DESERVES ALL THE HIGH ACCLAIMS IT GETS. THE SOUND WAS COHERENT
ACROSS THE FREQUENCY BAND WITH EXCELLENT BASS, WARM MIDRANGE AND VERY SMOOTH
TREBLE. SEPARATION, DYNAMICS AND SOUNDSTAGING WERE SUPERB FOR A $1000.-RETAIL
CD PLAYER. BUILD QUALITY IS FIRST CLASS FOR THIS PRICE RANGE.

IN COMPARISON WITH THE SONY CDP-XA7ES, THE DENON WAS NOT TOO FAR BEHIND.
IN FACT, THE DENON SHARED MOST OF THE SONY'S SONIC ATTRIBUTES,FOR $2000 LESS!!!

HIGHLY,WARMLY,HARTILY..IN FACT STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!!!

I did a direct comparison between the 1650 and the bottom of the line Rotel with HDCD the RCD-951. With the PMD-100 filter the Rotel sounded as good as the Denon on non-HDCD discs and much better on HDCD discs (obviously). The amp was a Krell Kav 300i and Martin logan Aerius speakers (MIT 330 plus interconnects and 750 cables) The dealer was kind enough to leave me alone and only come back when I wanted to switch the interconnects. Consequently, I spent a lot of time listening. Everything from HDCD jazz and classical. to non-HDCD clasical and rock (hard core gothic stuff, very very low bass). I would have easily bought the $500 Rotel ($400 wtih 20% sale) over the $1000 Denon. If Denon added the Pacific Microsonics filter (HDCD decoder) it may make a great improvement. But until then get the Rotel. Personally I waited and got the Rotel RCD-971, with dual 20 bit Burr Brown Dacs, Tordial transfomer (seperately wound for analog and digital) and the HDCD. It is Awesome ($699 retail, $560 on sale, actually a ad match since the first dealer didn't have em in yet, they are hard to find) The only other player I have heard that I like more is the Ultech UCD-100 (retail $895, but $795 most places) It uses the Burr Brown (dual of course) PCM1702 Dacs used in the Krell 300, Classe .3 and .5, Anthem CD1 etc.. The Ultech is as good as the Krell, its power source is nearly the same size as most amplifiers!

I knew the quality of the CD player made a big difference, but I didn't realize how much of a difference until I hooked the DCD 1650AR to my system. For $1000, this was the best CD player I could find. I even auditioned the lower end Krell players and decided that the tiny improvement in sound quality was not worth $2000. Denon bills this CD player as an Audiophile CD player. They were right on the money. The build quality is amazing. If this thing breaks before 2050, I'll be surprised. A CD player that weighs over 30 lbs.!!!! The only gripe I have is the (comparitvly) cheap looking plastic drawer and the slow movement of said drawer. I would prefer a metal drawer of some kind with some speed to it, but it is still very thick and sturdy. I hit my head on it while trying to change CDs after I had put it on a different rack. Thought I had broken the drawer for sure. Nope, not even damaged slightly.
5 stars

I like this CD player ALOT. I don't own it but I've auditioned it several times. The sound is really amazing, especially hooked up to a pair of KEF RDM 2s and a Jolida 502 tube amp. I can only imagine what it sounds like hooked up to a Bryston B60 or a Conrad Johnson. I'm having trouble deciding which CD player to get, the Denon or a Rega Planet. I own the KEFs and I have a Musical Fidelity A2. I'm open to suggestions and/or where I can find the best prices on either of the CD players.
I think everything I would say about the Denon has already been said. Definitely five stars.

I bought this cd player about two months ago. The restof my equipment is:
Vandersteen 2Ce
Audio by Van Alstine mosfet Delta 240 (120 Watts/channel)
Audio by Van Alstine Super Pas 3i (tube hybrid)
Jon Risch DIY cables (Belden twisted pair interconnects and
Teflon insulated cat 5 network cable for speaker cable).

I'm really happy with this cd player. I auditioned
the Rega Planet, the Arcam Alpha 7, and the Musical Concepts
CD1 players, and this was my clear favorite. The player
gives a very full body sound, with prominent bass, both
dynamically and tonally. Mids are very smooth, and highs
are clear and pronounced, but not edgy. The overall mix
is very balanced (I thought the Arcam didn't have enough
low end even though it was punchy-and the highs were piercing
and too clinical). The best way I can describe this
player is it is engaging. I liked the Rega in terms of
the mix, but it was too laid back for my taste (and speakers).
Construction appears very solid, and all cds are being tracked
with no problems. I have no complaints about this player. Denon
really surprised me with this component!

This is the one! I spent 4 months reading reviews and auditioning players. It lists for $999 but is available from Reference Audio in California for $730, anyone who buys anything else must have either a tin ear, or has been "sold" by other reviews. I compared Cambridge CD4SE--ok for a cheap unit, the CD6 was supposed to be better, but it failed out of the box. Rega Planet sounded the best of the units auditioned but lacked "something" and the top loader added height requirements. The Rotel 971, Marantz CD67 and the Alpha 9 all seemed to be compromises. Each of us likes/dislikes certain types of reproduction; the best way to describe it is "it sounds live" with nuances never heard from other units. The build quality is phenominal. I won't go into the specs, but compare them yourself and then go listen. I'm using NAD 1600 preamp, 2600 amp, Dahlquist 12's, and an MK subwoofer. This is not high end stuff but the results are fantastic. If it has one shortcoming, I'd say it's because it's not British!

This is a real cd-player, i had it up against Musical Fidelity's X-Ray and Harman/Kardon's 740, but the Denon sounded way more detailed than these two. I use Transparent Audio's Link 100 interconnect and Dynaudio Audience 70 speakers together with Harman/Kardon 650 amp. This combination sounds really good and the Denon gives me all the details I want. But the best of it all the Denon plays bass, not this fat thick bass but detailed and deep.

Thank you Greg Siegfried for the hearty endorcement of this fine CD Player. I couldn't have put it better myself. I think of this player as a $2,000.00 player that sells for $1,000.00. I too own this player. I have upgraded to this player from a Pioneer Elite PD-65 and I have no regrets.
Five Stars and then some: *****+

Approximate Price: $1,000.00.

I TRIED TO DO QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH AND LISTENING BEFORE DECIDING ON THIS PLAYER. WITH THE LIKELY CHANGE IN THE CD FORMAT COMING I DIDN'T WANT TO INVEST SEVERAL THOUSAND IN A SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE OUTDATED IN A YEAR. WITH THAT IN MIND I LISTENED TO THE ADCOM 750...THE CLASSE .3...AND THE DENON. ALL THREE WERE VERY GOOD...BUT I OPTED TO FOR GO THE HDCD CAPABILITY AND GET A PLAYER THAT COULD BE USED AS A TRANSPORT LATER. THE DECISION WAS THE RIGHT ONE. THIS PLAYER THAT RETAILS FOR A GRAND HAS GRAIN FREE HIGHS...AND AN ABSOLUTE INCREDIBLE LOW END RESOLUTION. AND THE BUILD QUALITY IS FAR BETTER THAN THE ADCOM...AND AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN THE CLASSE FOR LESS MONEY. IT HAS TRUE 20 BIT D/A CONVERTERS...DUAL TRANSFORMERS...AND AN EXTREMELY HEAVY-WEIGHT CHASSIS. THE BUILD QUALITY IS MORE LIKE A $2000 PLAYER...AND THE SOUND IS VERY SMOOTH. NO GRIT...GRAIN...AND VERY GOOD BALANCE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. THE STEREOHILE REVIEW WAS ON THE MONEY. I RECOMMEND THIS PLAYER HEARTILY.