NAD C541i CD-player
Daily, somewhere on the planet, someone reads a report about the departure in the hands of SACD of CD, DVD-A, and MP3, typically in a slick magazine having a pretty girl on the cover.
It is nothing short of astonishing that such completed sound should come from a carton costing this small.
So, yes, I love the C541i, particularly the 'i' for 'improved'. I am a frequent user of NAD defunct C541, the hands down winner in its budget until now. As soon as I powered up the upgraded 'i' variant, using its new transportation and revised Burr Brown 24-bit DACs, I expected much the exact same sound I had been used to, with perhaps a touch more treble refinement.
After 48 hours warm up, I got better bass, plus improved resolution, that all right, and greater rate.
This NAD understands that music is finally about feeling, plus it does a great job of conveying the emotion in everything to Elgar's Lark Ascending from Bjork's Hyperballad.
I had been especially impressed with all the treatment of vocal inflexion of the NAD and instrumental timbre, so essential in creating a link between the listener as well as the music.
The C541i has two attributes which will be to the majority of users of academic edge. Primarily, it could be incorporated into the full NAD-established hifi system through the NAD link connectors round rear.
Do not ask me how I understand this.
On the latter, HDCD clearly shows the distinct acoustic spaces in which backing bands and the vocalists were recorded.
Great though it's, a certain second into a qualified vinyl replay system is still come by the C541i. My first US pressing of the Rumours of Fleetwood Mac stayed the favored medium with a current CD version despite the 541i's sterling attempts. But let us play honest - this machine is not assumed to be finish and the beginning of CD duplication.
Whichever way you view it, the NAD stays an uninspiring gray can. It's a specific businesslike quality, but a bit more structural solidity would not go amiss.
It will likewise be noticed the nasty end of your CD selection, the screechy, low-fi, turned up to 11 items, may be more difficult to endure through the NAD than via budget players that were showing. Group members usually have restricted hearing above 8kHz thanks to all those hours spent before their PA systems, so that they should not be permitted near the mixing desk when records are recorded. The outcomes may be a little harrowing when they may be: the C541i however made me wish for tone controls on my amp as much as I like the Chemical Brothers as well as 808 State.
And let us not forget that NAD isn't alone in this market segment. New CD players are appearing from the likes of Denon, Arcam and Rotel, any of which might offer penetration, sophistication, or more energy. If it is managed by them for anything like the exact same cost is not the same matter entirely.
You can purchase a comprehensive variety of amp and speaker blends to the C541i understanding that it does its work good, whatever your musical preferences, and should partner in the event you can not audition its competitors.
