My son currently has a Musical Fidelity A5 Cd Player and we are considering getting him a Cary 303/300. I am looking for opinions on which one you think is better and if any of you have a/b them.

Please do not post about how all CDP sound the same.

Thanks for your time!

I haven't heard the A5 but to me the Cary 303/300 sounded better than the MF DM25 $10K Transport/DAC system. The build quality of Cary is better than MF IMHO as well. YMMV.

HTH.

Sincerely,
-dollarman

I haven't heard the A5 but to me the Cary 303/300 sounded better than the MF DM25 $10K Transport/DAC system. The build quality of Cary is better than MF IMHO as well. YMMV.

HTH.

Sincerely,
-dollarman

I own the MF Transport/Dac system and have not a/b it to the Cary but I can say I love it. The best CDP I heard under 10k. I thought the 11k Simaudio may have been better but who knows. Thanks for you opinion. I think I will just get him the 303/300 and a/b it to the A5 and tell him to sell which ever one he likes less. I totally agree that the Cary has better build quality than the MF. The KW Transport/Dac system is hand made and has a much better build quality than the mass market equipment.

Diamonds, Hello "over here" !! as you probably know from the M/L site I'm a current owner of the 303/300 and was a previous owner of the Musical Fidelity 3.5. I feel both the A-5 and 303/300 are superb, I for one can't say the build quality is any better one over the other (both are assembled in China !) I like the balanced flexibility of the Cary along with it's tube rolling capabilities as well. The 303/300 does an excellent job of resolving the last bit of detail out of ones redbook CD collection.

I will say that I lucked out to a great deal on the "Gon" when I purchased mine last summer. For when one compares the MSRP of the two pieces ($2500 Musical fidelity A-5 vs. $4000 Cary 303/300) the Musical Fidelity almost looks like a bargain !!

Diamonds, Hello "over here" !! as you probably know from the M/L site I'm a current owner of the 303/300 and was a previous owner of the Musical Fidelity 3.5. I feel both the A-5 and 303/300 are superb, I for one can't say the build quality is any better one over the other (both are assembled in China !) I like the balanced flexibility of the Cary along with it's tube rolling capabilities as well. The 303/300 does an excellent job of resolving the last bit of detail out of ones redbook CD collection.

I will say that I lucked out to a great deal on the "Gon" when I purchased mine last summer. For when one compares the MSRP of the two pieces ($2500 Musical fidelity A-5 vs. $4000 Cary 303/300) the Musical Fidelity almost looks like a bargain !!

He already owns the MF A5 so that is paid for and I have a line on the 303/300 for a very good deal. So price with standing do you think the Cary or the MF is better? What is probably going to end up happening is I will buy the 303/300 and a/b the two.

He already owns the MF A5 so that is paid for and I have a line on the 303/300 for a very good deal. So price with standing do you think the Cary or the MF is better? What is probably going to end up happening is I will buy the 303/300 and a/b the two.


Tough call since I have not had the opportunity to directly compare the two, I'd look forward to your comments should you be able to do so. I must say i love my Cary 303/300 and see nothing on the "redbook" horizon that would make me think about changing !!

I own the MF Transport/Dac system and have not a/b it to the Cary but I can say I love it. The best CDP I heard under 10k. I thought the 11k Simaudio may have been better but who knows. Thanks for you opinion. I think I will just get him the 303/300 and a/b it to the A5 and tell him to sell which ever one he likes less. I totally agree that the Cary has better build quality than the MF. The KW Transport/Dac system is hand made and has a much better build quality than the mass market equipment.


Did you ever do the A/B comparison?

I have owned both. Both have good build quality. Slight edge to the Cary in sex-appeal. Sound-wise, the Cary has so much versatility and better internals, it trounces the MF unit. It's also $1500 more as well.

I have owned both. Both have good build quality. Slight edge to the Cary in sex-appeal. Sound-wise, the Cary has so much versatility and better internals, it trounces the MF unit. It's also $1500 more as well.

CD, there is no comparison, the Cary wins hands down. I have owned both CDs by these manufactures and Int. Amps, on the Int. Amp side I like MF better and still do. But that is very dependent on speakers etc..