Just thought I'd let you guys know....picked one of these up new for $280 on
eBay to replace my C222ES, which is headed into Sony for warranty repair
this week (4 years + ..... thank god for the 5 year warranty).

While it is not as well built as the C222ES, and is slower to find the right
track, my first impression is that it sounds better in the deep bass and
high end, while being perhaps a smidge less transparent and "3-D" in the
mid-range. Overall, though, for the $280 I paid (new) it seems quite a
bargain. Functionally, it has everything and works just like the C222ES.
Seems to have the same Elna caps. Sony DSD chips in the C222ES replaced by
Burr-Brown DSD chips. Twin transformers just like the C222ES. Optical and
SPDIF digital out for CD. Headphone jack with volume control.

I swapped it one-for-one into my system in place of the C222ES. That means
it is sitting on sorbathane Audioquest feet, and has my Pioneer 578 sitting
on top of it, in turn on sorbothane feet. So top and bottom of the case are
damped, which may contribute substantially to the very fine sound. I know
the C222ES sounded better this way, and it had a heavier duty bottom plate
and cover. I mention this only as a caveat, should you care to try. Also
should mention that I run in direct mode through five full-range channels.
Don't know as of yet whether the digital processing of the other modes
degrades the sound as audibly as did the C222ES.

When these first came out a little over a year ago, I know Ooade Bros.
carried them at a substantial discount. Don't know whether or not the still
do. I won a fresh-in-the-box auction on eBay for $242 plus shipping....this
off a $399 list. The previous C222ES listed at $499.

If you want a not-top-of-the-line but not-too-far-from-it in sound quality
SACD player (and a very fine CD player), you might want to give this a try.

"Harry Lavo" wrote in message
...

Some further thoughts based on additional listening added.

Just thought I'd let you guys know....picked one of these up new for $280
on
eBay to replace my C222ES, which is headed into Sony for warranty repair
this week (4 years + ..... thank god for the 5 year warranty).

While it is not as well built as the C222ES, and is slower to find the
right
track, my first impression is that it sounds better in the deep bass and
high end, while being perhaps a smidge less transparent and "3-D" in the
mid-range.

More on this. I've been breaking in the CD playback and comparing it to the
same output via my DTI Pro / Proceed PDP set at 18 bits. The C222ES sounded
almost identical other than slightly more reticent in the upper bass and
slightly less air. The C2000ES sounds "flatter" (less air) but also slightly
recessed and slightly "dirty" in hte midrange / upper midrange, and the
difference is more noticeable between the C2000ES and the DTI Pro/Proceed
combo than is the C222ES under the same circumstances.

It is possible that this may change with more breakin. When I bought the
C222ES, the banter on Audio Asylum was that breakin took about 150-200 hours
with that player. I thought it unlikely, but in reality that is what it
took for the sound to achieve its ultimate sense of dynamics and openness.
While I think the C2000ES sounds better out of the box, it is possible that
additional playing time will improve the sound. Fortunately, with the DTI
Pro/Proceed combo as a reference, I can keep comparing over time.
If things stay as they are, I can only say that I could live with the
Redbook playback if that is all I had, but greatly appreciate the difference
the DTI Pro/Proceed combo makes.

Overall, though, for the $280 I paid (new) it seems quite a
bargain. Functionally, it has everything and works just like the C222ES.
Seems to have the same Elna caps. Sony DSD chips in the C222ES replaced by
Burr-Brown DSD chips. Twin transformers just like the C222ES. Optical and
SPDIF digital out for CD. Headphone jack with volume control.


Nothing I said above changes this.

I swapped it one-for-one into my system in place of the C222ES. That
means
it is sitting on sorbathane Audioquest feet, and has my Pioneer 578
sitting
on top of it, in turn on sorbothane feet. So top and bottom of the case
are
damped, which may contribute substantially to the very fine sound. I know
the C222ES sounded better this way, and it had a heavier duty bottom plate
and cover. I mention this only as a caveat, should you care to try. Also
should mention that I run in direct mode through five full-range channels.
Don't know as of yet whether the digital processing of the other modes
degrades the sound as audibly as did the C222ES.

I highly recommend the sorbathane feet with these units.

When these first came out a little over a year ago, I know Ooade Bros.
carried them at a substantial discount. Don't know whether or not the
still
do. I won a fresh-in-the-box auction on eBay for $242 plus
shipping....this
off a $399 list. The previous C222ES listed at $499.

If you want a not-top-of-the-line but not-too-far-from-it in sound quality
SACD player (and a very fine CD player), you might want to give this a
try.

I'd modify this now to say an "okay" CD player, with the jury still out
awaiting more time on the player.