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657 TUBE CD
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650 REVIEWS

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Dear Don and Stephen,
I just received the #650 CD Player this morning, please allow some time to burn-in before I can tell you how it performs. However, the out-of-box performance already exceeded the Theta Chroma DAC that I was using, and the Audio Refinement CD Complete as well.    Thanks!   Ying

Don,
After seeing the spec.'s on your CD player and hearing about your "In home demonstration program" my curiosity was really fueled, what's inside that granite mystery box that has no controls on the front of it? Well, just one lyric into the first track of my Diana Krall CD and shivers were traveling up my spine, by the second track I was holding my wallet in hand and calling you all sorts of names for exposing me to the Granite Audio #650 CD Player. I have auditioned numerous high end CD players ($5,000 +) the #650 CD will run circles around most of them, this one is definitely a keeper, your not getting it back-no way! It's so refreshing to see this kind of quality and value delivered at such a reasonable price. And, the Granite Audio Model 555 AC Power Cable that you conveniently included in my demonstration program. All I can say is "wow" just hard to believe what an increased dimension it adds to the overall experience, your not getting it back either-no way!    Thanks,    Don G.

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Dear Don:   
I believe it is time to give my feed back to you regarding Model #650 player.  I burnt in the CD player enough.  I compare the sound from Granite CD player with the sound from the Meridian CD player 206. The CD players hooked up to Quad 33 and 405 pre and power amplifier. The speakers are Goodman Maxim 2. The interconnecting cables between CDs and preamplifier are same. The cables are made by silver. I did the comparison for several days. The Granite CD player has been aging for 1 month.

1) Design: The image of the CD is very neat. However, I thought the logo of Granite is too big in the front panel.   

2) Function: There is no problem to use. It functions silently after the closure of tray-I loved this. If you can close the tray more silently, it would be fantastic. One minor thing, it should be cautious to point well to function the CD by a remote control. Compare to a Wadia, I use at my home, the receiving area of the pointer beam is narrow. I can agree it when considering the price difference between two.  If you can make it to function to close by pressing tray, it would be better. I frequently felt to press the tray to close.
( Note from Granite Audio Factory:  The tray can be closed by gently pushing on it.)

3) Sound Quality: The overall quality of the sound from the Granite CD player is very musical in every genre. Transparency is very excellent. The sound from Granite CD player is clearer and more solid in the Chopin's Polonaise-Fantaisie played by Maurizio Pollini. In the Brahms lied issued by Orfeo, the Margaret Price's voice become more musical compared with that of Meridian. Szigeti's violin tone in Bach's violin unaccompanied is more audible in the Granite CD player, which was recorded as mono (Joseph Szigeti, J.S. Bach Six sonatas & Partitas for violin unaccompanied, Vanguard).  In "A time for love" performed by Philip Catherine trio (Criss Cross Jazz), the fingering of the guitar is more vivid and sticky in Granite CD player. Coleman Hawkins' blowing is rather dry and cool in the "Like a someone in love."(Ultimate Coleman Hawkins, Verve). Personally, I liked the sound from the Meridian CD player in this CD.  The sound from the Geomungo, which is a popular traditional string instrument in Korea, is more vivid and discriminate at the Granite CD player.

As whole, I like the # 650 CD player. I will keep the CD player for long time. If you are going to upgrade the player, please let me know. 
With my warmest regards, Younsuck K., M.D. 

Bob, my longtime standby was my McIntosh 7007 (which I just sold after listening to the #650 CD player) the other units I auditioned starting from the bottom (price$) and going up were the Cambridge Audio CD6, Arcam FMJCD23, Wadia 830, Krell 250 and the 300, and last the Mark Levinson #39.  You can't believe how this #650 coupled with their #555 power cable "sings"!  The depth, dimension and clarity is unbelievable for a CD player in this price range. I really believe after the big show in January (Las Vegas) where this unit will be introduced that it will take off and you will see many professional reviews singing it's praise. You really can't go wrong using their in home demo program.  D.G.