I recently purchased the PD-65 based on the reviews of my fellow Audioreview goers. I have to say, it is nice to have a site like this where people are honest when reviewing products. I will add that the PD-65 has an excellent DAC inside, the only reason I'll add an outboard is to acquire HDCD compatibility. Thanks, I'm happy.

Pioneer PD-65 sounds smooth. Midrange and treble areas are open, not fatiguing, and a little bit of the bright side. Bass is good, but less control. Overall, it is a very fine player for under $1,000.

When I bought my CD player, I compared the CAL Icon Mk. II with the Pioneer Elite PD-65.
I really wanted to like the PD-65 -- it was built like a tank and had the "ultra-cool" stable platter transport and black/rosewood finish. In the store, it was connected to Aragon amplifiers and KEF speakers. I noticed a "tizzy" quality to the sound -- especially on cymbals and voices. It sounded great with brass instruments, but was too bright for me.

I also tried the PD-65 at home with a Yamaha integrated amp and DBX Soundfield V speakers. The PD-65 wasn't as tizzy as when connected to the Aragon/KEF system. The tone was dark from the bass all the way through the midrange, then very bright at the highest frequencies. Voices were silibant when played back through the PD-65. I then tried the CAL Icon Mk. II, which had a darker, rounder, more pleasing tone. Voices and instruments were much more natural and smoother-sounding. In addition, the CAL resolved more detail and "air" around each instrument, without adding any brightness to the sound. I ended up buying the CAL. However, to the PD-65's credit, it did a better job of tracking some of my scratched-up used CDs.

I would give the PD-65 5 stars for build quality, and 2 stars for its bright tone. I would rate it 3 stars overall.

I've had my Pioneer player for almost two years now, and I still haven't heard another player under $1,000 that makes me happier. Matched with my Rotel amplification and B&W speakers, this CD player sounds wonderful. When I bought the player I was actually looking for an LP player. I was with a friend auditioning players at an audio shop when I heard some really good jazz in the other listening room. It sounded just as good as vinyl. Bought the player that day, and have been happy ever since.

I bought the PD-65 to replace my aging-though-reliable-and-good-sounding Sony changer. The price was only $498 at the local dealer, a real savings
over the original $800 asking price. Is the PD-65 finally being discontinued?

Anyway, I remember wanting this player way back in '94, and it was nice to finally have one. I didn't know what to expect sound-wise, but I was happy with my purchase for the build quality alone.

I hooked the '65 up to my Sony GX-909ES receiver and had a head-to-head
competition with my old player. The first thing I noticed about the Elite was
it's definition - instruments each had their separate space within the recording, and the overall sound had a lush, almost silky feel to it. Nice.

I then A-B'd vs the Sony (using an extra copy of Radiohead's OK Computer)
and, unfortunately, was hard pressed to detect any differences between the two.
However, I've owned that Sony for > 6 years and I know its sound, and the Pioneer was definitely different, and better.

I love this player. Music simply 'flows' out of it, gliding through the room and into my ears. Whether this is a result of the Legato Link D/A conversion, the high quality construction, or a combination of the two, the end result is spectacular - the Sony never revealed all of these details within my CD collection.

I think I finally understand what High End audio is all about, and I'm happy.
I should point out again that my Sony changer was a fine CD player and that direct A-B comparisons revealed little, if any, differences between the two.
Of course, my A-B set up was far from optimal. I'd be willing to bet in a controlled situation I _could_ detect the differences. They were small, but for someone who loves listening to music, they were more than enough.

Pick up this player while you can!

Primarily I listen to vinyl and I have superb front end. But of course I have 100s of CDs for "casual" listening. For years I used a Rotel 855, the one that redefined budget digital. I decided to upgrade when I was offered a Cal Icon Mk III at a great price ($350, as new). I really wanted it: it had prestige, and perceived value. Its sound was rich and large, but I came to feel its midrange was inflated, distorted to produce this "big" effect. Great for Mahler, it bulldozed the subtleties of chamber music, jazz, acoustic. I then tried a PD-65, which I got for $250 mint. No matter what the music, it charmed and seduced, with detail and ambience galore, all in its proper perspective. True musicality. The inverted "stable platter" makes a lot of sense and is used OEM on many kilobuck high end drives. Seeking improvement, I fed the 65's digital out to a Meridian DAC ($1500) and frankly preferred the Pioneer's standard onboard converter.
I listen through Martin Logans, Quad 63 and LS3/5A, with amps and preamps and cables all of a high order. I'm delighted with the PD-65: it even looks the part, smooth and sleek and sexy, with the highest level of construction and cosmetics. In fact, the PD-65 is as pretty as it gets

I know I could spend a year's rent on a "better" player, but differences are so marginal, who cares?

By the way, an ultra-high-end dealer here in town, L.A. Audio, still sells the PD-65 as a stock item, for $800. I don't know if it's old stock, or it's such a classic that it's still in production. Even at retail it's a worthy purchase, Whatever, L.A. Audio can also sell you a Krell for $6000, or a Levinson, or an Audio Research, or ... you get the idea.

Pick up a PD-65 second-hand for $3-500, and never look back. Why invest more when the 24/96 revolution still awaits us?

Be happy, love the music.

bima@earthlink.net

I have been using the PDR-65 in my system for about 4 years, I was fairly happy with the players sound until I upgraded my preamp from an NAD model 1400 to a Classe Audio CP-50. The CP-50 uncovered several flaws that were masked by the NAD. Most noticably the hi end became shrill and thin with the better resolution of the CP-50. After 2 weeks of suffering through recording after recording I purchased a Theata Digital DS ProPrime II D/A (post A Mods) and used the PDR-65 as an transport. WOW! The Theata smoothed the highs out and the bass was much tighter an deper... As a transport the Pioneer is VERY Tough to beat for the cash. Very quiet and the stable platter does wonders for battered CD's...

I had listened other CD player like Marantz 67SE,Rotel 971 and Cambridge Auidio CD4Se.None of these players came close to Pioneer Elite PD-65 CD player.This CD player sound more like musical I means it.The Treble is high and clear,the midis smooth and the bass is so tigh and strong.I would recommend this CD player to the people who is looking for a good CD player for under $1000.I would give this CD player 5 stars for construction quality (it built like a tank),value and sound quality.

Buy it,you'll like it.

One more brief note on this excellent player. I bought it new at a closeout sale for $449 (I don't know whether Pioneer is discontinuing the model). The sound is superb: crisp, solid, excellent highs and lows, not grainy, not too bright, just right.The build quality is also quite something: solid as a rock. Looks like it will easily last a decade or more. The design might be called slightly old-fashioned, but it's also elegant in its way.
This is a true quality item, available at a price that borders on a steal.
I initially bought it as a back-up player, but it is going to become the preferred player in my system.