Onix xcd99

Hey Chris, I had the NAD 521....a good cd player and now have the onix cd-5 essentially the xcd-99 just a newer name....I will tell you that the 99 is a better sounding player, especially with analog I/C. Now if you are going to run digital to it, you may want to look at a less expensive option, as you are passing by the 99's dac if used with digital output. I would describe the 99 as being smooth and airy with an openess to it...so to speak. For the price....it is hard to beat. You may be able to find a good deal on a used xcd-99. This is my .02.

My brother has a Music Hall CD25 and I think it sounds pretty good from the analog connections. Allegedly, the Onyx XCD-99 / CD-5 are more or less the same thing as the Music Hall CD25 (but not the 25.2).

I pretty much agree with the "smooth and with an openess" comment from stereojunkie.

I think both the Onyx and MH have the same Philips transport. The newer MH CD25.2 has a different transport, DAC, and OP amps than the earlier CD25 - but it costs more too. I have not heard the newer version.

Chris,

Damn! Sure you don't have dirty discs? It's not vibration induced skipping, is it?

If you want a transport that will stand the test of time, go for a used Teac VRDS/Pioneer stable platter, or Philips pro transport and be done with it. Or PC as a transport....

- Steve O.

The Onix player is the 25.2 which retails for $600,it is significantly better than 521i,you would have to step up to the 542 or the Cambridge 640 Azure to compete with it,Mark is giving a outstanding on it for $399 and even better when he runs a sale.

Are you positive it's the CD25.2?

I believe the Onyx XCD-99/CD-5 is a continuance of the original CD25. If you compare the two, the features and specs of CD25 and XCD-99/CD-5 are nearly identical. However, both of them are quite different than the CD25.2 in the DACs and transport, for example.

What's a long time Chris?

Offhand, I don't know of any studies that speak to the issue of longevity and doubt that there's an enormously strong correlation between price, meaning high end, and mass market players. You might want to look at what professional studios use with the thought that the demands placed on those is far greater than what a consumer would have. OTOH, you could treat them like commodity items like toasters.

Then perhaps find out what transports the better prograde players utilized at stations are using (sony, philips, pioneer) and use that as a guide. Offhand Chris, I think there was some overengineering that went on with the initial CDP's transports. As time went on, using things like statistical quality control (which may be an oxymoron here) they figured out ways to still make them 'reliable' but not last quite so long. After all, they're not considered durable goods like washers or fridges.

And to that point, say MTBF is 10,000 hours for player brand and model "X". AFAIK, MTBF does not mean that every unit will last 10,000 hours. It only means that a failure can be expected every 10,000 hours of cumulative operating time of the fleet population.

For example, if the fleet population was 2, then to achieve 10,000 MTBF, one unit may be operating fine at 19,999 hours and the other failed at 1 hour, or vice versa. Of course, with a population of 2, the confidence of the data IMO is low, but I think it illustrates the point.

Hi,

Long-term reliability boils down to the particular components in the specific player. Look at Philips for example - on one hand you have the CD-PRO2 mechanism, on the other hand there is the Furore/MACE chips in the SACD-1000 player...

I think that's why digital audio workstations are essentially PCs. Disc drives, hard disks, power supplies, I/O cards are all replaceable and upgradeable.

- Steve O.

Hi Guys. First post. I am auditioning a Denon 5 CD changer (DCM 390). It is the warmest sounding player I have ever had with my modest system. I have a Denon PMA 2000 amp and two B&W floorstanding speakers. I have been using an Integra changer for a few years but find it a bit harsh-sounding at times. The Denon is clearly warmer. Most people seem to prefer the single disc player for quality and transport. A few people have recommended the Onix CD-5 which is now the Onix xcd99. Would this player have the warmth of the Denon? The Denon costs $349. I would like to keep in this price range or a little bit more. I would appreciate any help. Thanks everyone. Dennis

I had the opportunity to have the Music Hall CD25.2 and the Onix XCD-5 side by side for a few weeks. I like the larger display and the silver finish of the CD25.2. But, I found the transport to be quieter in the XCD-5. They use the same remote, which I don't care for as all the buttons are too small.

The best bet is to order a modified XCD-5 from Underwood HiFi for $750. The upgrades are stunning in how much more music is revealed. A big plus is that it retains its full 3 year Onix warranty.

I have always hated the MTBF rating. Of course, manufacturers cannot test things for failure for 10 years, but I think this rating is very misleading to the general public.

My experience with modded units is you never even come close to recouping your money when you inevitably trade up or over. Go stock. Try a used Raysonic or the Bada.

The onix xcd-5 has BB 1732 dacs and the
MH CD25.2 has BB 1738 dacs.

They look to be different.

I know this is an old thread, but the new CD-5SE has the 1738 DAC and I opened up my late-model CD-5 today and it also has the 1738 DAC.

thanks for the update Bill! good to see you here too. I suspected this was the case and had a lengthy discussion about it with Jess.

So what did you end up going with, Chris?