Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site
In the Forum: Didital Things
In the Thread: CEC TL0-X: by no means an in-depth review
Post Subject: Re: CEC TL0-X: another view.Posted by Romy the Cat on: 3/2/2006
An email from a visitor:
"I read with interest your views on Linnmann's "preview" of the CEC TL0x. Funnily enough, this "preview" has been around for a while (late 2005), and the full review is still (eagerly?) awaited as of early March 2006. I sent an e-mail to "Linnmann" early January 2006 regarding my strong disagreement with his views, and have to date never received a reply. I can't comment on his speakers, as you have, since I have never heard them, but I believe his cables (Argento) and his amplification (Vitus), which I have heard (in Hong Kong), to be too bright and analytical. Additionally, the Zanden front end to which he compares the CEC TL0x is completely lacking in dynamics (I heard them at, among several other occasions, Zanden's Yamada San's place in Osaka, Japan, together with the then prototype 9500 power amplifiers), so there I agree with your opinion. Perhaps the Argento and Vitus are meant to balance his Zandens (two wrongs making a right)?
I own the CEC TL0x (since late 2005). I had no choice in the matter, since the TL0 Mk. II was by then out of production. As far as I can determine, there were several factors behind the decision to market a TL0x. First, CEC celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the TL0x is therefore silver, as opposed to the black TL0 Mk. II. Second, the maker of the laser pickup for the Mk. II had apparently stopped making this model. CEC was therefore forced to use another laser pickup model, and this meant two things: (a) the CEC now reads CDRs, and (b) a new servo board was needed. Third, there are apparently tweaks and changes to the suspension. Like you, I don't (sonically) understand the decision to replace an ST output by an inferior TOSLINK output, but I guess this was simply a practical decision: the ST interface hasn't exactly taken the digital world by storm since ten years ago, and the TOSLINK interface is much more common. Anyway, I use the AES interface (XLO Limited Edition). As far as I can judge, not being an owner of the Mk. II, the x version is the same otherwise, and (judging from your comments on the Mk. II's sound) sounds very much the same as the Mk. II"
From one of my replies: “…the level of TL0’s performance is higher then a capacity of an average high-end and therefore this transport will be hugely misunderstood in reviewing press.”
Rgs,
Romy the Cat
Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site