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505 Posts
Toy...
Bada HDCD-22SE
Now, I was not planning on purchasing a new player. (My CD player is going to my daughter since she is getting her own place).
What did I give her? My venerable Rotel RDC-955AX. It has never failed me, and it has served me well for many years. I bought it in 1993 for $449.00. I thought it sounded good... until I hit play on the Bada...
I purchased it from http://www.pacificvalve.us/
Let me just state now that I do not work for Pacificvalve or Bada.
I exchanged many emails with their tech support. I liked what they had to say, plus they offer a 1 year parts / (90) days labor warranty with a (30) day trial period.
I ordered it on 1/15/08, and it was at my door in perfect condition double-boxed 1/17/08, with a personally signed quality inspection. (Since these products come from China, they open every product, insert the batteries in the remote, write their own owner's manual, and they test and burn the product in before shipping them out to the customer.)
{IMHO} this player {YMMV} using the tube output (I upgraded the Chinese 6N3 for the JAN GE 5670) reminds me of my old Rega-Grace TT with a Grado cartridge.
In my treated room, listening to music I am intimately familiar with, there is a difference. A difference for the better.
Colored no.
Acurate yes.
Top to bottom it best the Rotel. I am talking meat and potatoes here.
Bass, midrange, air, and dynamic range is what the Bada is all about. I would describe it as everything has more body - a real body whether a person or instrument.
This player wants me to re-listen to all my CD's over again. You know, CD's that lacked bass (body) that made them sound thin or bright (forward sounding) are actually listenable to me.
The thing is built like a brick sh&t house. It weighs 24 lbs. The remote is a solid 1 lb of aluminum. Just to replace the batteries you have to remove (6) phillips screws. (We are talking weapon here).
Did I think that I would hear a difference by just replacing my CD player?
No.
I have been into this too long to not know the difference.
This guy is not going back.
Again this is what I am hearing on my system in my room. There is no other way to do it IMO.
Room:
12.5W 15.5L 8.0H
Spkrs:
7' Apart
30" Center woofer to front wall
36" Center woofer to side wall
Toe-Able to just barely see inside of cabinet
Tweeter height=39"
Distance from listening position=9ft
Equipment:
Pre-amp=Audio Symphonies V2 Tube Line Stage (Upgraded tubes EH 12AX7s)
Amp=Hafler DH-500
Spkrs=Monitor Audio 5i's (mass loaded sand filled / tweeter screen removed)
Interconnects=Kimber Silver Streak
Spkr wires=DH Labs Silver Sonic T-14
Music:
Kip Dobler-Dream Tracks
Sting-All This Time
The Best of Sade
Stanley Clarke-1,2, To The Bass
Supertramp-Brother,Where You Bound
Andreas Vollenweider-White Winds
Roger Waters-Amused To Death
David Gray-White Ladder
Keiko Matsui-Deep Blue
Al DiMeola-Kiss My Axe
Diana Krall-Love Scenes
Simply Red-A New Flame
Pink Floyd-Pulse

Bada HDCD-22SE
Now, I was not planning on purchasing a new player. (My CD player is going to my daughter since she is getting her own place).
What did I give her? My venerable Rotel RDC-955AX. It has never failed me, and it has served me well for many years. I bought it in 1993 for $449.00. I thought it sounded good... until I hit play on the Bada...
I purchased it from http://www.pacificvalve.us/
Let me just state now that I do not work for Pacificvalve or Bada.
I exchanged many emails with their tech support. I liked what they had to say, plus they offer a 1 year parts / (90) days labor warranty with a (30) day trial period.
I ordered it on 1/15/08, and it was at my door in perfect condition double-boxed 1/17/08, with a personally signed quality inspection. (Since these products come from China, they open every product, insert the batteries in the remote, write their own owner's manual, and they test and burn the product in before shipping them out to the customer.)
{IMHO} this player {YMMV} using the tube output (I upgraded the Chinese 6N3 for the JAN GE 5670) reminds me of my old Rega-Grace TT with a Grado cartridge.
In my treated room, listening to music I am intimately familiar with, there is a difference. A difference for the better.
Colored no.
Acurate yes.
Top to bottom it best the Rotel. I am talking meat and potatoes here.
Bass, midrange, air, and dynamic range is what the Bada is all about. I would describe it as everything has more body - a real body whether a person or instrument.
This player wants me to re-listen to all my CD's over again. You know, CD's that lacked bass (body) that made them sound thin or bright (forward sounding) are actually listenable to me.
The thing is built like a brick sh&t house. It weighs 24 lbs. The remote is a solid 1 lb of aluminum. Just to replace the batteries you have to remove (6) phillips screws. (We are talking weapon here).
Did I think that I would hear a difference by just replacing my CD player?
No.
I have been into this too long to not know the difference.
This guy is not going back.
Again this is what I am hearing on my system in my room. There is no other way to do it IMO.
Room:
12.5W 15.5L 8.0H
Spkrs:
7' Apart
30" Center woofer to front wall
36" Center woofer to side wall
Toe-Able to just barely see inside of cabinet
Tweeter height=39"
Distance from listening position=9ft
Equipment:
Pre-amp=Audio Symphonies V2 Tube Line Stage (Upgraded tubes EH 12AX7s)
Amp=Hafler DH-500
Spkrs=Monitor Audio 5i's (mass loaded sand filled / tweeter screen removed)
Interconnects=Kimber Silver Streak
Spkr wires=DH Labs Silver Sonic T-14
Music:
Kip Dobler-Dream Tracks
Sting-All This Time
The Best of Sade
Stanley Clarke-1,2, To The Bass
Supertramp-Brother,Where You Bound
Andreas Vollenweider-White Winds
Roger Waters-Amused To Death
David Gray-White Ladder
Keiko Matsui-Deep Blue
Al DiMeola-Kiss My Axe
Diana Krall-Love Scenes
Simply Red-A New Flame
Pink Floyd-Pulse


