rega apollo or CA 840c?

szymek1976
szymek1976 Posts: 4
edited April 2008 in 2 Channel Audio
ive been running my klipsch rf7(deanG mods) with rotel's rb1090 for year and a half and im very very happy with that combo,recently i upgraded my pre from rc 1070 to rc 1090 and all i can say WOW nice improvement,bass, detail,soundstage in few words im set for now,(maybe tube pre later on possibly JM merlin or peach) however from the beginning of my journey i used marantz dv6500 as my source.SAcds and DVD-As sound great but regular cd i dont know could there be something else that im missing?long story short those are my leaders which one i should bring home ?thanks for your help.
Post edited by szymek1976 on
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited March 2008
    The Jolida would be my pick.

    Then the Rega.

    RT1
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  • szymek1976
    szymek1976 Posts: 4
    edited March 2008
    tubes and klipsch ive heard that before :)thanks man
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  • venomclan
    venomclan Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2008
    A member here owned both and he felt the CA840 was better in every regard. Another option would be to add an outboard Dac like the Benchmark Dac1.
    Venom
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61489&highlight=Rega+Apollo

    I wrote a humble review in the thread above regarding both these players. The 840C is hands down better.
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited March 2008
    I've seen the 840C for as low as $850 on A'gon. They can't seem to give away the Jolida's lately over there. You could easily find one for $500, maybe even shipped.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • W WALDECKER
    W WALDECKER Posts: 900
    edited March 2008
    I own both the CA 840C ,Rega Apollo and the Hram Stage 3+Jolida JD100A .Despite rave reviews The Apollo went back into its box after a few weeks :(. I am still burning in the CA 840C with a pair of Silver Serpent II silver over copper XLR cables right now and it is a very nice CD player. The Stage 3+JD100A is a full tilt modded unit that sounds excellent.good luck and if you can audition several players in your system before you purchase by all means do so.thanks....WCW III
    Rogue Audio stereo 100 tube amplifier - Lector Zoe preamplifier with 6H30 pi's
    .Audience AU24SE speaker and ic cables- Chord Qutest DAC - Black Cat Silverstar II 75ohm digital cable-Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature system with large bass cabinets to accommodate 10" Seas magnesium woofers.2xhmpsuownoj.jpg
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2008
    Running the CA 840C fully balanced along with my amp & preamp...the result is absolutely phenominal to say the least. No need for me to look any further as far as I'm concerned.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    Despite my praise for the 840C I did just sell it for a Raysonic CD 128. But, I also completely overhauled my system and the 840C no longer sounded perfect in it.
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  • W WALDECKER
    W WALDECKER Posts: 900
    edited March 2008
    I am running the CA 840C in a fully Balanced System with a BAT tube pre and power amp. this is the second day since i switched to all XLR's and the noise floor is super quiet :cool: this is the first time i have owned a Balanced CD player so i had never bothered to run my amps balanced before.I dont think i will go back to single ended any time soon!:D
    Rogue Audio stereo 100 tube amplifier - Lector Zoe preamplifier with 6H30 pi's
    .Audience AU24SE speaker and ic cables- Chord Qutest DAC - Black Cat Silverstar II 75ohm digital cable-Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature system with large bass cabinets to accommodate 10" Seas magnesium woofers.2xhmpsuownoj.jpg
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2008
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Despite my praise for the 840C I did just sell it for a Raysonic CD 128. But, I also completely overhauled my system and the 840C no longer sounded perfect in it.

    Sellers remorse will set in shortly. :D Maybe you overhauled with the wrong stuff? You already had the source nailed down. Just a thought.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    pearsall001 wrote: »
    Sellers remorse will set in shortly. :D Maybe you overhauled with the wrong stuff? You already had the source nailed down. Just a thought.

    Come over and take a listen any time. I'll let you be the judge :D
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2008
    W WALDECKER wrote: »
    I am running the CA 840C in a fully Balanced System with a BAT tube pre and power amp. this is the second day since i switched to all XLR's and the noise floor is super quiet :cool: this is the first time i have owned a Balanced CD player so i had never bothered to run my amps balanced before.I dont think i will go back to single ended any time soon!:D

    Once you've experienced a fully balanced system, there's absolutely no reason to go back to single ended.

    Nice gear you have there! Now you're hearing the true sound of balanced gear. BAT is 110% on board with the superior results obtained over single ended. No contest.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited March 2008
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Despite my praise for the 840C I did just sell it for a Raysonic CD 128. But, I also completely overhauled my system and the 840C no longer sounded perfect in it.

    WARNING: THREAD JACK

    What is your system nowadays? I am still in love with those Adagios I heard in the store the other day. There is something about a MTM that just appeals to me. The coherence and 3d soundstage was very, very good. However, I am not sure what was in fact responsible for the soundstage....the Mac gear, Simaudio Moon source or the speakers......not to mention the room, or even a "special demo recording"

    Mike
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2008
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Come over and take a listen any time. I'll let you be the judge :D

    I don't know what it sounded like from the start. You're not second guessing yourself now are you? :)
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    pearsall001 wrote: »
    I don't know what it sounded like from the start. You're not second guessing yourself now are you? :)

    Not a chance. I made a perfect decision.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    Cambridge Audio 840.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    dorokusai wrote: »
    Cambridge Audio 840.

    Is this an opinion?
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    The question is which one correct?
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    dorokusai wrote: »
    The question is which one correct?

    Right . . . I would say the 840C is likely to sound better than the apollo, but the 840C is not the end all be all in its price range.

    I agree with dorokusai. Go 840C or go home.
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  • venomclan
    venomclan Posts: 2,467
    edited March 2008
    pearsall001 wrote: »
    Once you've experienced a fully balanced system, there's absolutely no reason to go back to single ended.

    I can't say I agree with that fully, because there are far too many great pieces without balanced connections. It is the debate that will not rest. But every room and system is different so it is truely subjective.
    Midnite Mick wrote: »
    WARNING: THREAD JACK
    What is your system nowadays? I am still in love with those Adagios I heard in the store the other day.
    Mike

    LOL, he now has a couple of plywood sheets with drivers hangin out the back of them. :D
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  • wizzy
    wizzy Posts: 867
    edited March 2008
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Is this an opinion?

    What else would it be?
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    wizzy wrote: »
    What else would it be?

    Sounds like a fact me. Pun intended.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    venomclan wrote: »
    I can't say I agree with that fully, because there are far too many great pieces without balanced connections.

    I concur. Most "converts" to balanced systems never heard one in the first place. I celebrate the idea but don't fall over myself to follow the trail. There's way too much gear that love single ended outputs to lose sleep over it.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited March 2008
    dorokusai wrote: »
    I concur. Most "converts" to balanced systems never heard one in the first place. I celebrate the idea but don't fall over myself to follow the trail. There's way too much gear that love single ended outputs to lose sleep over it.

    I just moved to balanced connections. I'm not sure I am sold. It is quieter than my last system, but then again my friends system is unbalanced and just as quiet as mine.

    The sound of my new system is way better than my old unbalanced system, but I doubt much of that has to do with balanced connections and more with better more synergistic components.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    It's the gear.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,243
    edited March 2008
    I'd take the 840c over a Benchmark DAC1. The Benchmark was damn near identical sounding to the Bel Canto DAC2 I recently sold.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Sony 75" Bravia 4K | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Rotel Michi P5 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    The Benchmark DAC was overshadowed by the hype bestowed on it by the reviews. It's a nice DAC, not a groundbreaker.....like most of them.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • szymek1976
    szymek1976 Posts: 4
    edited March 2008
    what about new dac by musical fiedelity x-dac v8 got very nice review in one of the last stereophile
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    The v8 headphone amp is on my short list.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited March 2008
    dorokusai wrote: »
    I concur. Most "converts" to balanced systems never heard one in the first place. I celebrate the idea but don't fall over myself to follow the trail. There's way too much gear that love single ended outputs to lose sleep over it.

    stop putting labels on me, I am deeply offended.

    Balanced convict I mean convert.

    RT1--oh yea, balanced trumps unbalanced and that is that, who said that, I said that and I am RT1. never mind that unbalanced gear you see in my sig.
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