Audio Research CD5
Contents
1. Audio Research CD5 4678 Afine balancing act from the CD5 Audio Research is hi fi royalty It was one of the first brands to be associated with the term high end and has consistently produced top class equipment throughout its 40 odd years of audio existence The company s products have a very distinctive look that hasn t really changed Park the highly regarded SP10 preamp from the early 80s next to the new CDS and there would be little in terms of appearance to suggest the CD player is newer For most Audio Research buyers this is a good thing it s traditional and separates the brand from competitors The CD5 s build quality is rugged and suggests this player is in it for the very long run It all feels reassuringly solid and sturdy from the sliding disc lid to the casework though it must be said the haphazard arrangement of the top plate screws leaves a lot to be desired what was the thinking there TECH SPECS Type Integrated Analogue outputs RCA phono XLR Digital outputs Coaxial Headphone No Memory Yes CD text No Finishes Black silver Size hwd 13 x 48 x 31cm Weight 12kg Now we ve got those complaints off our chest from this point on it s all good news As expected the CDS is a careful evolution of the CD3 SE The transport a Philips PRO2M is mounted on a rigid beam which itself is attached to a large metal plate The whole assembly is damped meaning that the transport is protecte2. d from external vibrations and so should be able to do its job of reading the digital data from the disc a whole lot better The CD5 s circuits are all relatively new and combined with beefier power supplies the result is better resolution and dynamics And it s on sonic ability that the CD5 justifies its mighty price tag Forget the outdated style this is one of the best sounding CD players out there Detailed and dynamic This is a wonderfully fluid sounding player that delivers changes of pace and dynamics with ease Listen to Harvey Two Face from The Dark Knight OST and the results tug at the heart while delivering refinement and depth but never at the expense of the drama The balancing act it performs without breaking a sweat is awe inspiring This is simply a brilliant all rounder give it a similarly talented system and it ll wow you over and over again Rating k FOR A brilliant combination of subtlety dynamics and refinement AGAINST Mess of screws on the top panel cheap feeling control buttons VERDICT Audio Research strikes gold again The CDS is a terrific player for the money
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