Simple, uncluttered, just makes great music.

None so far.

I added the Ikemi to my system about 3 weeks ago, replacing the Creek CD43. It was an immediate, night and day improvement. The sound is smooth and sweet - it just gets out of the way and lets the music come through. I highly recommend this player to anyone looking for a top quality one-box CD player in the $2 - $3.5K range.

Similar Products Used:

Creek CD43

It plays CDs.

BORING.

COmpetent at all of the usual audiophool requisites: imaging, smoothness, warmth. But ultimately fails to enthrall because it's BORING. BORING BORING BORING.

It plays CDs, it makes sounds, but it ain't music. Do yourself a favor and listen to a Naim CD player.

Similar Products Used:

Naim CD3.5, Naim CDX, Naim CDS2

Little black box performing MUSIC

Besides the price to pay none whatsoever

Looking for a new CD player to more or less match the sound of my LP12 and upgrading from a Mimik there were three possible contenders:
# Genki
# Karik/Numerik
# Ikemi
The Genki fell off because of the net so great difference compared to the Mimik (kick into an open door??) The Karik/Numerik combo made a good impression but was rather expensive for a 7+8 years old combination. ($1700) Within a not to long period you might have to change the laser-unit. Even the K/N was clearly outperformed by the Ikemi and came a whole lot closer to my LP12 just making what it's all about: MUSIC MUSIK MUZIEK
Iff you don't have the bucks, go for a K/N but look for a low price!

Similar Products Used:

Mimik and Karik/Numerik
Home system
#Ikemi
#LP 12/Lingo/K18
#Kairn
#Kudos
#2LK140
#Keilidhs aktiv, soon to be replaced by Ninka's

I have had my new Ikemi for 2 weeks now, so it's gotten nicely broken in...
First off it's the little brother to the Sondek, with the CD-12's Power supply, and transport.

It's DACs are better than the old Karik and external Numerik combined! At a $3600 pricetag.

Voices are clear, instruments are full bodied, synth is very well controlled.

Complex music never gets muddied on this unit.

It does HDCD perfectly, Keb' Mo' was in the room with me...You could hear him breath, the buzz of him running down the guitar strings and the pluck when he strummed.

The drum solos on Dave Brubeck are outstanding with a terrific sound stage. I know for a fact that the drummer was about 10' from the mike and to the far left. It is almost scary how real the stage is, if you close your eyes. You could hear Paul Desmond breath though his sax, and click his instrument keys.

Only bad thing I could say about this player is how harsh it can be with mediocre recordings, it doesn't forgive anything. It's detail is so good that any flaw in the recording comes across very clear. I suppose that's a compliment in the end...:)

I compared against Theta, Arcam and Rega...nothing else comes close...in it's price range it is the reference that everything else will be compared to.

It is the 2nd best player in the world (it's big brother the CD12 is still the best), but price/performance brought into the equation...this might be the best player of all.

Excellent in every aspect and you must audition it once.

Steve

Great front loading tray.

Price.

It is a fast player, but not one for audiophiles and lovers of great tone. Dynamics were somewhat reined in, not free, not like a bird. A caged bird that can't or won't sing so freely.

I had the player in my house for close to 3 months. I tried
every wire at my disposal, including the pricey Cardas' in all points of the chain and wires that are as distant from the Cardas sound - Goertz TQ1. I really wanted to like this player more than I did.

People here must have been seduced by the Linn legend more than the unit itself. The LP12 Sondek record player is still one of the very best vinyl players.

But Linn has not much talent in designing CD players- and that includes the very over hyped CD 12.

I would give the performance itself 3 stars out of 5, and a value for dollar rating at 1 1/2.

This was not the player for me.

Similar Products Used:

Sony 777.

Musical and emotional, with great dynamics

This player is one of the few handfull of players that can really make digital cd enjoyable.

I just don't understand how anybody thinks this player does not sing like a bird. But then again, anybody (like the chap below) that thinks the CD12 is over hyped must have lost his hearing listening to those zippy & bright players that litter the market.

The Ikemi is excellent, and the CD12 is the best cdp ever built. This has been confirmed by every magazine and informed audiophile on the planet.

Which leads me to ask, what planet is the chap below me from?

Give this player a listen, and don't believe everything your read, especially from the deaf and dumb.

Similar Products Used:

I have heard most of them, including sacd and dvd-a.

"Listenability" "musicality" "tunefulness"
tactile feedback. Build Quality

can't take it to bed

To first set the rather skewed scene. My recently purchased (in special silver finish) system comprises Ikemi Cd, Wakonda Pre amp, 3 LK140's, Aktiv Ninkas in American Cherry, LK600 and Ninka Polymer Stands.
It's a good thing therefore that I don't dislike the sound the Glasgow boys would have us hear.
On the contrary. I have owned systems that were able to image holographically and/or soothe me with warmth and gentlness. The downside to these systems is their entirely self limiting nature- they tend only to be smooth, warm or "imagey"- and if the recording fails to provide sufficiently I was required to do without. But ahh - on those three discs with the stands level, the polygosilver cable, the power conditioner and my right foot in a bucket of unleavened goats milk it would all come magically together...

This system plays music.
It is good enough. Most systems are simply not good enough and therefore probably not worth owning. This is also in the context of the Kaber system it replaces.
The Ikemi is good enough for the system. Certainly until I can afford the CD12 (which is probably what I should have bought and will) it provides such pleasure and fun that I have again taken to expensive CD purchasing sprees and am all too often seen creeping in to work bleary eyed but deleriously happy. No guys, its not a woman - it really is that system I had to wait 5 weeks for. The worries my dealer had about the quality of the silver paint finish were all unfounded- believe me, these five silver boxes stacked look magnificent.

By the way, I still have those 3 magical discs- but now they image AND play music.
And the goat went long ago.

Similar Products Used:

mimik

I own an SFCD-1. I listened to the Ikema recently in a much more expensive (though not necessarily better sounding) system than my own - Levinson power/pre, Wilson Audio, MIT Oracle. Please keep in mind that my opinion is based on living with the SFCD-1 for two years, and listening to the Linn for about 40 minutes. In comparison, I found the Linn more rolled-off in the high-frequencies and deeper in the bass. Nothing else about it was particularly distinctive. I find the SFCD-1 (w/ NOS Valvos)a much more refined sounding player.
I am curious about the prices I see quoted in the other reviews; my local dealer quoted $5000. Now, I know this is MSRP, but $3300 seems like a pretty damn good discount for a relatively new product. I consider my SFCD-1 to be easily five stars. At $5000, the Linn rates about 3.5 stars. At $3300, it is 4.5.

It's just so damn musical! Relaxed, unfatiguing, analog-like sound; excellent frequency extension; clarity of: detail, musical line, and attack/decay.

None at this price.

Simply a wonderful cd player. Combines the best audiophile attributes with that Linn "rythm and pace" thing. Completely musical, involving, and non-fatiguing.

My (digital) system:

Ikemi
Alpha Core TQ2 (balanced) to preamp
Sim P-5 preamp
Linn Silver to amp
Linn Klout amp
Linn K600 tri-wire to speakers
Linn AV5140 speakers

Similar Products Used:

Linn Genki; Krell KPS

Build quality

remote,price

I've been searching for a new cd player to upgrade my current system.My current system consists of a Bryston B-60
integrated amp,Marantz cd67se,Snell D speakers,cardass interconnects and monster 2.4 biwire cable. I always wondered if this all was a good match, however all hifi stores that i've visited seem to feel that my cd player was a weak link.Doing much research, i went to audition the Genki but instead decided to try the Ikemi. After 3 days
of constant listening, back forth and sideways, i really hear little to no difference between the 67se(400) and the
Ikemi(3300).I'm puzzled as if I and a few friends need hearing adjustment or if relegated by the confines of my modest system this is indeed normal.Difficult for me to evaluate the Ikemi since I do love the build and it sounded
great,however sadly not any improvement. Any feedback or advice is welcomed.
Also any experience with the idea of biamping my B-60with a 3bst. Thank you.