Soundstage, detail, build quality, incredible value

Umm... well, the remote IS cheesy.

I was in a local book store when I picked up the latest Stereophile issue and noticed a new CD player on the cover. Coincidentally I was looking for a new CD player. After reading the umm ... shall we say 'favorable' review, I decided to call up my friendly neighborhood A/V store to see if any of the 500 units being produced were still unsold. As luck would have it, they had just received their first unit that very day and were in the process of breaking it in. So I very calmly (yea right) asked them to hold on to it so I could have a listen the next day.

I had been entertaining thoughts of purchasing a Linn Ikemi CD player since it sounds exceptional... especially for the price. So I had a chance to listen to a direct Ikemi vs. Nu-vista demonstration. Since the Nu-vista had only been running for about 24hrs, it wasn't fully run in. This was pretty obvious since the top end was muted and the bass was ... well... not really there! But what WAS immediately obvious was the dramatic difference in the size of the soundstage. The Nu-Vista threw a huge detailed soundstage. Impressive to say the least.

I was offered a chance to take the Nu-Vista home to give it a try with the home rig. Needless to say I accepted. By the 48hr mark not only was the top end very much alive and detailed but the bass had grown in spades. Lots of well controlled, defined and deep bass. Deeper then the Linn Ikemi.

As you might imagine, I purchased it. #18 of 500.

About a week later I had a chance to compare it to the Krell KPS-28c ($7500) at the same AV store. I was expecting to be humbled by the Krell. So much for that. Not only did the Nu-Vista sound much more detailed and spacious then the Krell, but so did the Linn Ikemi ($3250?). I wished them luck selling the Krell...

Living with the Nu-Vista for the last few months has been enjoyable. I have purchased many new CDs just to see what sort of magic the Nu-Vista would produce. I've always wondered how people could sit and listen to music for hours without growing bored or needing supplementary entertainment, now I understand.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the remote is a bit lacking. It's right up there with the remotes that come with the el-cheapo bookshelf systems. Who cares tho? Just program your multi-function remote and throw the Nu-Vista remote into the drawer with your other dozen remotes :-)

If I MUST complain about something, then it's the bright glowing display that blinds me during a movie. The display CAN be shut off, but it only remains off when a disc is playing. I know I could simply turn it off (I have to get up for that!), but the Nu-Vista sounds best if you always leave it turned on.

What else can I say except that until SACD/DVD-A gets sorted out, I'm completely satisfied. Ok, I need a new DVD player, but that's an entirely different story...

Equipment from the Home Theater used for 2ch listening:
Linn AV-5103 Surround processor
Linn Espek (Mains) - 3 way Aktiv
Linn Ekwal (Center) - 2 way Aktiv
Linn Katan (Surround) - 2 way Aktiv
Linn Sizmik (Sub)
Two Linn AV-5125 5-channel amps
Linn LK-140 stereo amp (12 channels since everything is Aktiv)
Linn Silver interconnects

Similar Products Used:

Linn Ikemi, Krell KPS-28c

Everything. Looks and oh the sound is incredible

Remote but I use a Pronto anyway so who cares.

I cannot really say anything more than what already has been said. This player is wonderful. I got it on the day of release having ordered it months before. It was everything I had hoped and more. I use it with the matching M3 amplifier. Its as if a fog has been lifted from the music and for the very first time I am actually hear it as intended. Cannot be many left now. Get one while you can. One thing is puzzling though if the reviewer 2 below liked it so much then why has he only given it 3 and 4 stars. It is not a SACD player but is very very close. What MF have achieved is nothing short of magic by getting so much out of a 16 bit technology.

Similar Products Used:

X-Ray

Up-front Musical Warm Suave Luscious almost Analog character. Presence, Soundstage, Definition, wood is almost tangible, brass/copper really shines, like if there was a veil lifted, voices (noteably female) almost embrace you.

Remote, weak as ever. Please MF, finish the job, build a matching Nu-Vista remote. Overall finish seems a bit sloppier than with M3. My unit's display is visibly tilted, and just unacceptable on a $4500 hand-built machine.

I must admit that I never pr-order anything, especially when I haven't heard teh product yet. My dealer, however, guaranteed full refund if I would not be happy. Slowly but surely reviews of pre-releases and demo-machines started to trickle in, and my curiosity grew accordingly.

I'm 1 month down in the break-in period now, and I noticed a few things during this first month. After rushing home and unwrapping my unit, #218, an A/B comparison with my beaultiful Bow Wizard immediately gave the impression of a veil being lifted, or a curtain being drawn away when listening to Miles Davis: Kind of Blue, and Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (Rudy van Gelder Edition). Miles's Trumpet really started singing! Also, the stage was wider and deeper, but more in front rather than between the speakers. The Bow provided more or less the same depth, but more backward. Overall, the unit sounded reasonably well out of the box, but still a bit superficial. However, the clarity and detail on trumpets and horns, as well as the immediate warmth of voices (Billy Holiday, Songs for Distingue Lovers as well as some other vocalists) made me decide to keep it for a while and let it run in. Over the weeks, the magic started develop. With the Bass in Thelonious Monks Columbia Years '62 '68 you could really hear and feel the wood of the Bass in the musical picture.

At this point it was clear that this baby is for keeps!

I am now gradually starting to move to other types of music that I like to see how this instrument handles with various types of blues, pop, rock, folk and classical music, but until now, I have not been disappointed. My advise would be: audition this one while supplies last, again only 500 will be built, and it would be sad if you would realise it could be the CD-Player you're looking for when it's too late.

I found one annoying thing though, and that is a very annoying soft sounding "Ping" at the start of every track. This only occurs when skipping from track to track, manually or programmed, and is almost not audible when playing through speakers. When using a pair of headphones, however, it can grow very annoying, because it's much better audible.

Anyway, I'm quite happy until now, and I'll post a second review a few more months down the road or so.

Cheers,

Willem

(relevant) Equipment used:
Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D CD-Player
Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista M3 Amplifier
Bow Technologies Wizard CD-Player
Sony XB770 SACD-Player
Kef Reference Three~Two speakers
Musical Fidelity X-Cans V2 Tube Headphone amp
Sennheiser HD600 Headphones
Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway interlinks
Harmonic Technology Pro-9 Plus bi-wired speakercable
Harmonic Technology Pro AC3 powerchords

Similar Products Used:

Bow Technologies ZZ Eight, Bow Technologies Wizard, Musical Fidelity A3, Sony XB770 SACD-Player; Sony 555ES SACD Player

Build quality, amazing ability to reveal details on your favorite disks which you never knew existed.

Cheap (if still perfectly functional) remote, suspect use of gold detailing.

What can I say, having been taken by the charms, performance and value of the M3 amp I just had to be top of the list to get hold of the matching CD player (No.29 of the 500). My dealer reserved one for me, subject to me reviewing it and making sure it delivered the goods of course, and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed.

I'm not going to harp on about all the 3D's strong points (read the Stereophile review if you want all that), I'm just going to say that if you want to be reintroduced to all you favorite CDs all over again and don't want to spend completely crazy money then you should hear this machine.

Similar Products Used:

Sony SACD 777ES, Mark Levinson No.39

System is Nu-vista 3D cd, Nu-vista M3 amp, Sonus Faber Extrema speakers and Kimbre cables.

Sounds better than SACD, period!

Plastic remote control
Noisy internal relay

The amazing thing - it DOES make CDs sound better than SACDs.

I could go on and on about transparency, air, definition, sound stage, etc., etc., etc. until I was blue in the face and my description would not do this CD player justice.

Five stars for value at a price of $4500 gives you an idea of how good this machine is.

Associated equipment:

Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista M3 amp
Apogee Duetta Signature speakers
Wilson Benesch Full Circle turntable
Wilson Benesch Act Two arm
Ortofon Jubilee cartridge
BAT VK-P10 phono stage
Wilson Benesch Triptych turntable support
Nordost Blue Heaven interconnects
Aureos vibration control

Similar Products Used:

Up to now I have used a Musical Fidelity X-Ray with MF Nuvista pre-amp and Nuvista 300 power amp, with excellent full-range loudspeakers (typical cost $8000) not available in the US.

With the Nuvista CD player I have improved the system at a stroke in a way which is quite hard to define. Compared with the X-Ray (which I still have) the sound is now somehow bigger, clearer, more detailed, just more realistic. Switching between X-Ray and Nuvista just makes it more alive.

To illustrate: I love to get from any system the sense that real live people are putting real physical effort into their art. With the X-Ray, the little clues that tell you real musicians are playing (finger action on guitar, pedal action on piano, breath sounds with singers) are certainly there but are a little bit of an irritation. With the Nuvista, the clues are still there but the music somehow takes over. Result: simply more relaxed and engaging listening, whatever the vintage of the recording. Bernstein's recording of the Rhapsody in Blue etc. on Sony dates from 1959/60: but there he is, sitting at the piano, conducting the orchestra, with the fingerwork clearly audible. You hear what he is doing that makes it a great performance. To get the bass, just listen to Dutoit in Respighi's Pines of Rome (Decca) or Sting on track one of the "Brand New Day" album. For more detailed finger work, try any Martin Taylor guitar track.

I don't go for all the SACD comparisons simply because I have about 700 CDs and can buy any number any time anywhere - including obscure items. Listeners of my age (late 50s) may well take the view that waiting for the next miracle is not worth it, especially when one has built up a collection of the previous technology. This will do me very nicely, thanks! But you certainly need an amplifier/speaker system which will show the differences: I just don't know what the lowest standard of accompanying equipment is.

I'm not worried about the remote: the money has clearly gone into the machine. Get one if you can!

Dynamics... Midrange.....Smoothness..Upsampling

Price.....AVAILABILITY...Upsampling should have been 24/192

This Nu Vista Cd Player is built to last & has excellent if not upfront dynamics. This does not really sound like SACD but has it's similarities.
I compared it to my A3cd upsampled through a Bel-Canto DAC-1 & the Nu Vista wins big time with a much wider soundstage. I then compared it with My SCD-777es playing Spyro Gyra's In Modern Times SACD & the sony still won out. SACD & DVD-A software is mastered in the higher resolution format...Trying to get 16/44 upsampled to 24/96 still can't reach the liquidity of SACD. I wish the 3D had a choice of 24/96 & 24/192. The availablity of this unit in the US is...? I wish that Musical Fidelity didn't leave Audio Advisor.
With only 500 to go around finding one will be difficult. Frank's Sound Room 2002....

Similar Products Used:

Musical Fidelity X-24k...X-Ray ...A3cd...

Soundstage, Midrange, Detail without harshness

None

This product is nothing short of amazing. It's that moment when you're in the dem room and you hear the very first notes of music and all you can do is smile...Because you never believed that hi-fi could sound THIS good. It solidly trounced the Levinson No.39 that I previously had. System:

Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D
Chord 3200 Pre-Amp
Chord 1400E Monoblocks
Sonus Faber Amati Homages
Nordost Quattrofil I/C and Speaker Cabling

The difference the 3D makes is that you can listen to music for long periods of time without becoming fatigued. Achieving the sonic pay-off between detail and listener fatigue is a hard one. The Nu-Vista has done this perfectly IMHO. The soundstage that it throws is enormous..What really grabs me with this player is the up-front presentation with absolutely awesome transient attack..The music sounds so very fresh and alive. And the mid-range...Oh my....Simply to die for...So airy and sweet...

The factor that really won me over though is that it sounds great with all CD's. Even Now 50...What's the point in spending thousands and then having half of your CD collection unlistenable? The Levinson fell down in this respect because it was analytical to a fault...The use of valves in the Nu-Vista also means that artists and instruments have real palpable presence. You can place exactly where all the various rounds are coming from.

If you can still get your hands on one these babies I thoroughly reccomend it. It will sit in your system long after the SACD and DVD war has been fought on. SACD's cost roughly $30...Most more..A CD will set you back sub-$15....When you have a player that is as good as this and comes SO close to the top flight CD players (costing 3-5 times as much), you have a bargain on your hands in terms of format and performance.

Did I mention that it looks great too? BUY BUY BUY!!!!