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| The CDP-8A is a remote controlled balanced & single-ended player that also allows solid-state output through one of the two sets of RCA outputs. In one player you get both transistor and tube sonics. You can have them both hooked up at the same time and switch back and forth. The 8A plays HDCDs and has an upsampling 24-bit/96kHz Burr Brown DAC. Build quality is excellent and sonics rival far more expensive players. The metal remote is solid. The player features a premium Philips VAM 1202/12 CD transport; Burr-Brown PCM 1732 chips with
24/96 upsampling;
HDCD decoding; single-ended RCA tube and transistor outputs;
balanced XLR tube output; high-quality chassis and components; premium remote control; one toroidal transformer.
We love the stock player and now have a modification that takes it to the next level. The following details our Level-1 modification [$880 + freight retrofit; $1.490 + freight preinstalled for limited time]: • 1 x dual Burr-Brown OPA-627AU op amp module (using two single op amps mounted on a custom DIP adapter) • 2 x Mundorf M-Cap metalized polypropylene output coupling caps • 1 x Russian E-H 12AX7 tube • 2 feet of DH Labs 23 gauge pure 99.99% pure silver solid-core hook-up wire with foamed Teflon tape wrap dielectric • 4 x MUR860 ultra fast soft recover Hexfred-style rectifying diodes • 10 x BlackGate C, FK and N-Series electrolytic caps + 2 x Nichicon KZ Muse PS caps • 9 x Takman Japanese-made audio-grade carbon film 1% signal resistors • 2 x audio-grade PRP 1% metal film resistors • 1 x 6” x 12” sheet of Soundcoat to damp chassis resonances • 4 x small EAR compliant sorbothane isolation feet • 1 x pair of Vampire direct-gold over copper Teflon dielectric machined RCA jacks • WBT 4% silver solder used throughout • 5 hours of installation labor Sonic improvements are across the board. The player is now quieter. Blacks are blacker, resolving more low-level detail for better ambiance retrieval. The tube stage now has greater inner detail while at the same time being more dynamic. Transparency is improved and you can now look farther into the soundstage. Images are sized better and more defined. Stage width and depth are both improved. Bass slam and extension are dramatically improved, with fuller weight and authority. The tube output stage sounds more like solid state in this area now. Options: A new Burson clock is available for $350 installed. We have the Level 1 modified player w/clock on sale for $1750+ frt. Specifications: Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz +/-0.5dB Signal-to-noise ratio: >102dB (solid state), >93dB (tube) Output voltage: 2V single ended RCA, 4V balanced XLR Dynamic range: 104dB Channel separation: >96dB Total harmonic distortion: <0.002% Vacuum tubes: 3 x 12AX7/ECC83 Dimensions: 385 x 94 x 337mm Net weight: 18 pounds The following details the Level-2 modification [$1.100 + freight retrofit, $1.790 + freight preinstalled]: • We replace the inexpensive monolithic opamp with one dual Burson Audio discrete op-amp module (2 modules on one board) on custom circuit board assemblies terminated with DIP-spaced flying leads. There are over 68 parts per module. • 2 x Mundorf M-Cap metalized polypropylene output coupling caps • 3 x Russian E-H 12AX7 tubes • 10 x Black-Gate C, FK and N-Series electrolytic caps + 2 x Nichicon KZ Muse PS caps • 9 x Takman Japanese-made audio-grade carbon film 1% signal resistors and 2 x audio-grade PRP 1% metal film resistors • 2 feet of DH Labs 23 gauge pure 99.99% pure silver solid-core hook-up wire with foamed Teflon tape wrap dielectric • 4 x MUR860 ultra fast soft recover Hexfred-style rectifying diodes • 1 x 6” x 12” sheet of Soundcoat to damp chassis resonances • 4 x small EAR compliant Sorbothane isolation feet kill vibration • 1 pair of Vampire direct-gold over copper Teflon dielectric machined RCA jacks • WBT 4% silver solder throughout • 6.5 hours of installation labor |
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