Fernando Andrette
It's always interesting to see how the High-End audio market behaves, without pre-
established rules, market trends or passing fads.
When many were holding the opinion that turntable, pick-up cartridges were things of a
long gone past, we see more and more manufacturers launching new models and supplying
a market that stubbornly insists coexisting with the digital products market.
Another example are the launching of sophisticated CD Players like the Linn CD 12, the
Wadia 861 the ZZ Eight and the Acuphase, which, despite the new emergent digital
technologies, like SACD and DVD Audio, keep raising the level of the reproduction of
digital sound in the 16 bits/42Khz PCM established standard.
These products are real objects of desire for many audiophiles. Now, we have a newcomer
to this elite group, a new and impressive Japanese CD Player, by the Japanese
manufacturer Combak Corporation (better known in the Brazilian market for its excellent
cables and accessories). This new player is the CDP-777, which was christened Reimyo,
which, rather liberally, could be translated as "Miracle"...
Since I discovered the Japanese meaning of this name, I dubbed it "The sound Miracle", for
it's exactly a miracle that it does with recordings in 16bits/44KHz format.
But, before talking about the details and results of our subjective assessment of this
product, I would like to talk a little about the design of this refined player.
Actually, this player is the result of the combined efforts of three big Japanese corporations:
the Combak Corporation, Japan Victor Company (JVC) and Kyodo Denshi. Each one
contributed to the design with best they are specialized. Combak contributed with its
devices for resonance's control those intended for tuning, and all employed cabling as well.
JVC contributed its revolutionary converter K 2 Processing 2.0 (the same one developed
by JVC for its audiophile recordings XRCD and also the sophisticated transport
instrumentation mechanism). Finally, Kyodo Denshi, the largest Japanese maker of
measurement instruments designed all the mechanic structure and assembled the CDP-777.
According to Mr. Kazuo Kiuchi (Combak's president), more than 70% of this CD Player's
components were specifically designed for the product, from its transformers up to the PCBs, which employed, instead of the traditional glass fiber, a totally new material called
"Composite Discreet". These boards have zero capacitance and no current leakage.
The CDP-777 is an impressive player even regarding small details, such as: gold plated
screws, 5mm aluminum plates for all the cabinet, and for the front panel, a plate yet thicker,
of 8mm of thickness.
The CDP-777 employs four completely separated and regulated power supplies, each
featuring its own transformer, one intended for the digital electronics, one for the
mechanism and one for each channel. According to the manufacturer, all this circuitry
virtually eliminates interferences between analog and digital, reducing also the noise to
immeasurable levels.
The very complete manual comes with a diagram of the 20 bit K-2 converter which led us
to the conclusion that currently the CDP-777 does the most complete up sampling of any
available CD Player, being not satisfied enough with an up sampling to 176.4 KHz. The
JVC engineers went far beyond, and employed another conversion phase, bringing the total
sampling frequency to an incredible 705.6 KHz (176.4 KHz x 4 = 705.6 KHz).
Thus, any recording played through the CDP-777 is reproduced at 24 bits/705.6 KHz.
In the front panel, from left to right, we have: a big power on/off
button, a mute switch, an
output to pre indicator, stop, pause, back to previous track and forward to next one. The
display of the CDP-777, besides being very beautiful, allows a reasonable visualization up to
a distance of 5 meters.
In the back panel, we have, from left to right: leftmost, analog RCA and balanced outputs,
next a coax digital and BNC outputs and at right end, the terminal for the power cable.
The disc is inserted on the topside of the player in a sliding tray with an acrylic cover that
protects the disc, which is hold in place by a reasonably heavy clamp.
Tested Configuration
The CDP-777 was listened during most of the time through the Coherence pre amplifier
(made by Jeff Rowland), the power amp Sphinx 24, Confidence 4 and 5 speakers, linked
by the balanced interconnects Siltech SQ 88, Silver and Inspiration Van den Hul.
For the comparison tests, we employed the MSB converter, which has an up sampling rate
of 24 bits/176.4KHz.
Employed power cables were: Combak, Siltech and Van den Hul.
After more than 72 hours of uninterrupted burn-in, we placed the CDP-777 on the new
three legged Airon stands (see in this issue First Impressions) and, running through all our
methodology procedures, we connected the CDP-777 to the AC Organizer (see test 4 in
this issue).
The Miracle Of An Up Sampling So High
There is a rumor in the audiophile community that up sampling deteriorates the treble,
turning it very extended and aggressive. I can assure you that in the most sophisticated
equipment already tested by us, such as the MBS, DCS and now the Combak, that is not
true.
But, as I've heard this "theory" in the corridors of the Hi-Fi Show, I became attentive (still
more) to listening something like during the Combak tests, since this player is 4 times
higher than my digital reference.
Contrary to this "theory", the Combak treble is the closest we've heard in a PCM recording
from the treble in a DSD one (Super Audio CD).
For the first time, in a direct comparison with our recording "Canto das Aguas" first
played by the Combak and afterwards through Sony SACD player, the 777 model, the
perceived differences, besides being very minor, became subtle ones. The harmonics of the
guitar solo became much closer (in terms of extension and decay), as well the cymbals in
track 10.
We tested also Telarc hybrid releases recordings just to "make a more stringent proof" and
again, one needed to very attentive to notice that the SACD recordings had just a tiny bit
more "air" between the instruments.
I'm talking about this subject since is very common in the audiophile community
(particularly amongst the most orthodox people) that mere suppositions, or assessments
hastily made after only 15 minutes, become accepted truths.
Usually these comments come from people who heard these opinions voiced second hand,
quoting somebody they no longer remember, or read it somewhere they also no longer can
remember, or else, a close friend heard "that", etc... etc... etc.
The sad thing about the Web is that there we can find everything in the same site, the wheat
and the chaff mixed up in the same place.
Going back to the Combak CDP-777, his tonal equilibrium is fascinating. As I've told
before, the treble is very precise and extended and clean as well. Bells, cymbals, ambience
echoes keep sounding until they reach a black background. Such blackness we can only
find in the truly great Players and converters of the very last generation.
We can literally state that the sound blossoms from the silence, a silence almost absolute
between the music notes, as can be perceived in the José Cura recording employed in our
methodology. The sensation we experience listening to this track is that we are hearing the
same silence heard by the singer in the recording room. In all recordings, it was possible to
experience this magnificent effect. This perceived psychoacoustics phenomenon certainly
influenced our assessment of the quality of the product in the Organicity item of our
methodology, as will be seen in the scores of our final evaluation of this product.
Back to our description of the tonal equilibrium of this player: we surely must speak highly
of its mid range. I've heard until now such a refined mid range only in the DCS Elgar and
the Krell KPS 25 products.
The mid range not only has a liquid and natural quality, but it also possesses a very rich
harmonic content, so much so that the listener get into the music almost unconsciously.
You simply are led to the music, then, when you became aware, it seems that you are right
there in the middle of the musical performance. This is quite something. The bass are very
closer to those found in a SACD recording, being relaxed and with plenty of extension and
definition.
In the initial listening sessions, that bass seems to be less than we came to expect from the
now almost defunct PCM 16 bit/ 44 KHz format, but actually is more, much more than we
got accustomed.
Tchaikovsky's famous 1812 Overture (Telarc SACD recording 60 541) when played in
DSD mode let us perceive precisely the impact and extension of the canon shots. In PCM,
the same thing seems more constrained and with lesser extension. We notice less detail and
the decay becomes shorter.
This same recording reproduced by the CDP-777 is much closer to DSD. Thus, at first
impression a layman could be left undecided regarding the bass reproduction quality of this
CD Player, since everything will sound more relaxed and more detailed.
This is without question the great ingenuity and benefit behind up sampling: allowing for a
more natural reproduction of 16/44 recordings.
Concerning the Sound Stage item of our methodology, we can say that the CDP-777 is
extremely generous. Its sound stage is excellent, whether in terms of depth, width or height.
It's a real pleasure to be able to discover each layer of a symphonic orchestra, and notice
that with such focus quality and "etching" of individual instruments nothing get fuzzy or
messy.
Regarding its dynamics this player's behavior is somehow opposite to the Wadia 861 or
the Krell KPS 25. Is it impetuous? Yes.
Does it handle the most complex signal authoritatively?
Yes, but perhaps due to the very high up sampling rate, it presents everything in a more
relaxed way and with less impact. Should we not have the DSD recordings to help us as
references, we certainly would say that the CDP-777 has less ‘vigor” regarding this item
than its closest competitors.
Luckily for the CDP-777, the arrival of the SACD let us say confidently that the dynamics
is treated by the CDP-777 in a closer way to the DSD technology. Of course this player
sounds different regarding impetus, but just that.
Everything is there: it's authoritative, has grip, punch and speed, only al these in a more
relaxed presentation, one without abrupt or unexplainable sudden changes.
And all these qualities are not achieved at the expense of signs of compression, or
hardening, or yet, a flattening of the musical performance.
As with DSD reproduction, you will experience kind of an adaptation process. After
becoming accustomed,, the difficult thing is to go back, for your system and ears (and the
neighbors as well) will thank you.
Now, if some purists are willing a direct comparison with the real thing, I'm sorry, but no
system - even a state of art, diamond category system - is able to reproduce not even 20%
of the real dynamics present between a fortissimo and a pianissimo of a real symphonic
orchestra.
And I don't know how long yet will be our way towards this goal...
As I have already said back in this article, having such refinement in the tonal equilibrium
and textures, it's obvious that the Organicity and transparency of the CDP-777 would be at
minimum brilliant. And surely they are. Few times did I experience such a materialization
of the musicians in my listening room.
This is something so real and life like that you can get carried away by your emotions.
However, if you are of the fainthearted type, you won't resist such impact.
The result is a visceral one with high quality recordings.
Well, at last, what to say about the musicality of this heavy weight? Put simply, this a CD
Player that is able to take you to "other side of the river."
Concluding Remarks
The CDP-777 is the definitive proof that there are no limits for man. Man will be able to go
further (if he so wishes), it doesn't matter how long this journey takes. That's why I
maintain an unfailing faith in man's abilities. If we wish, we can turn this planet a paradise
and end up with everything that plagues us: hunger, deep poverty and unjust social
inequalities. All that is possible: it takes only that everybody is willing to do so.
This CD Player is a technology's example that, if we put together the best in each one of
us, it will be possible to create works and products that we can only dream of.
This is the great merit of the CDP-777. It is incomparable (I don't know if it's better or
worse than the other great reference CD Players and converters). It's totally different from
everything I heard in this performance plateau. Its sonic signature is a symbiosis of the
PCM and DSD technologies. And the result of that goes much further than we could
imagine (and expect) from a technology that is about to be replaced by new ones.
The CDP-777 is playing, in the "digital battlefront", the same role that continues to be
played by turntables and pick up cartridges in the analog territory: show to the audiophile
world that there will be always room for great products, and that always will exist
consumers willing to buy these outstanding products.
It's not every day that we can come across signal sources (whether digital or analog) that
propitiate us such pleasure in the listening of "our blessed music of every day". This "Sonic
Miracle" doesn't happen so often.
Thus, my friendly reader, if your "wallet" is stuffed with "dosh" enough to afford this
product, go and buy it, when it lasts.
Reimyo CDP-777
| Tonal Equilibrium | 10.0 |
| Sound Stage | 10.0 |
| Textures | 10.0 |
| Dynamics | 9.0 |
| Transients | 10.0 |
| Harmonic Body | 10.0 |
| Organicity | 10.0 |
| Musicality | 10.0 |
| Total | 79.0 |