Have been thinking of getting a new CD player for a year or two. Current system - 102/180/hc/napsc, Acoustic Energy AE1 speakers, Meridian CD and DAC (206 and 263 if I remember correctly - late 80s / mid90's vintage), LP12 (needs a new cartridge).

had been thinking of getting a CDX / CDX2, but saw an ex-demo CDS2 at a nice price (2k below list) at a dealer so arranged a demo

Had the demo yesterday.

CDX2 on its own sounded OK but a bit cold and uninvolving. Well OK is probably understating it a bit as I heard stuff on the CD's I used that I'd never heard before. But it didn't really draw me in. the bass sounded rather lazy but that might have been the speakers they were using (myI'd taken my AE1's in for repair so couldn't listen through those)

Add the XPS2 and I didn't notice a massive difference, although the top end harshness had been toned down a bit and the sound was better.

But I was left with the feeling that I wouldn't be spending my money on the CDX2 either with or without XPS2.

Well, on to the CDS2 - it was on a different level. The sound was more "liquid", although I'm not sure exactly what I mean when I say that. The top end harshness had totally gone and I was drawn into the music. All three "combinations" had got my toes tapping immediately the music started but the CDS2 was the only one that made me feel like geting up and dancing (although I somehow managed to resist the temptation).

It was an easy decision to make - ex-demo CDS2 for less than a new CDX2 (in fact, similar to the price of a second hand CDX2).

The salesman had talked about knocking something off the price too - but then it transpired that the price on the dealer's website was already 800 quid less than the list on the shop! The salesman appeared fairly upset by this but agreed to let me have it at the price on the website. So I think I did quite well there!

Result - although I have to hunt down an XPS before I can use it. Not quite sure how I;m going to explain that to my wife

Don't forget that using the XPS2 with the CDS2 brings HUGE improvements over the original power supply. And XPS2's are stopping to pop up s/h now.

Who is the dealer, it sounds like they might have some bargains?

ag

I've read that a CDS2 + XPS2 leaves everything but the CDS3 for dead. Sounds like you hit the jackpot there.

Have fun.

Harry

Oh now look here I've only just got round to confessing the purchase of the CDS2 to my wife - please don't go and start persuading me that I need to get an XPS2 rather than an XPS to make it all work....

For the avoidance of doubt, the XPS would be a short to medium term compromise until I can spend the dosh on an XPS2. The difference is several hundred quid, as far as I can make out.

The dealer is Doug Brady - better if you don't mention my name!

well, I've taken the plunge for an XPS2. In for a penny in for a couple of grand as they (don't) say.

On route to this, I did speak to one dealer about a 2nd hand XPS (which had been sold). They reckoned there must have been something wrong with the CDX2 if it did not sound better than the CDS2.

Anyone got any comments on that?

It is possible that everything was not as warmed up as it should have been (I was told it had all been left on overnight - which is not long enough according to some of the threads I've read on here) but I'm a bit puzzled. OK, maybe I'm slightly depressed about it

I was chatting to the seller of the XPS2 and he said there had been a review by Alvin Gold rating the CDS2/XPS2 ahead of the CDX2/XPS2.

I once read a review of the CDX2/XPS2 written by a journalist who used a CDS2/XPS in his system - may have been the Alvin Gold one. Whilst he preferred the CDX2/XPS2 to the CDS2/XPS the tables were turned when he put the XPS2 on the CDS2. I.e the XPS2 is significantly better than the XPS and puts the CDS2 back ahead of the CDX2. Your own experiences would seem to back this up...

Hmmm, interesting, thanks

I have heard the CDX2/XPS2 at great length.

I kept my CDS2/XPS2.

Not in the same league, IMHO, IME, YMMV etc etc.

ag

As long as I wasn't just imagining it in the interests of getting a "bargain"