The guest who came to dinner
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2255 Registered: Nov-05 | Came back from my dealer yesterday with a Saturn to test drive. I've been living with the SE for 3 mths now and loving it more and more with each passing day. It is a wonderfully smooth, rhythmic, detailed player for which I have no complaints and can only bestow loads of praise upon it for what it delivers for its price. I had both players hooked to the A5 with identical cables, though a new set was connected to the Saturn. I played rock, reggae, jazz and blues and found some identical tracks to synchronize and for switching players without the song missing a beat. To cut to the chase, the SE is so close to the Saturn it's not funny given the price difference. It's almost a Saturn in every respect and it really takes a while listening to the music to understand 'almost'. The Saturn has more bandwidth, it delves deeper into the music, the timbre of instruments are amazingly natural (slightly pipping the SE again), bass is slightly fuller sounding but extremely well controlled, vocals are as natural and lifelike as I've ever heard and of course it's a toe tapper into the bargain. If the two players were glasses of water, the SE would be 90% full and the Saturn - well you'd spill it if you tried to pick it up. Basically, if you can get an SE, you would almost have a Saturn, and the difference in price is not really worth it unless you want to dig every nuance from a recording in an exceptionally smooth, rhythmic and natural Manner. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 603 Registered: Jul-07 | Great roundup MR. I wouldn't mind having a Saturn over for dinner. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 10054 Registered: Feb-05 | Very interesting...wish an SE type model was available to he masses...perhaps in the in future. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12729 Registered: Dec-04 | I still say Rega should have a digital in for the Apollo or SE, and price it near the Saturn(in the case of the SE). |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 607 Registered: Jul-07 | It's not a Rega, but it seems like a relatively reasonably priced swiss army knife of a cdp.....and apparently it sounds good too. http://www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/106quad/ |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2256 Registered: Nov-05 | Oh and by the way - since no one guessed - the dinner guest has found permanent lodgings in our household. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12730 Registered: Dec-04 | Wow, MR, you traded up pretty quick! You must really be enamoured with the Saturn. Cograts on the player, mate! |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2258 Registered: Nov-05 | You must really be enamoured with the Saturn. Completely Nuck! I know I was bad but it couldn't be helped :-) |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2722 Registered: Feb-07 | Wow, very cool M.R. What did you do with the SE? |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 10058 Registered: Feb-05 | Congrats on the Saturn! |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2011 Registered: May-06 | M.R. Did the Saturn have any hours on it before it found itself at your door stoop? |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2611 Registered: Jun-07 | Good stuff M.R. I am sure it will only get better with time too. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2259 Registered: Nov-05 | Thanx guys, The Saturn is new and as Nick says, will only get better - it already has. I got my full investment back on the SE and my amp fixed for free. As I said, the SE is very close to the Saturn, but the Saturn is a little better at everything the SE does. The sheer enjoyment it gives me from the musical point of view and the fact this player is going to have to be the one that I'll be sticking with now for many years and, that I didn't lose on the SE, helped with the decision. Also it has brought such astounding musicality and new life to the entire system, no upgrades for any other components will be necessary. (or affordable :-) Mike, one thing I noticed is that Rega have given the Saturn (and other components) an new bottom plate where the heat sink fins stretch entirely to the rear of the player instead of the half circle type. As you know, it has much more heft than the SE or std Apollo. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3342 Registered: May-05 | Have you heard the Bryston BCD-1, Rantz? I think they're about the same price here. Not sure about down under. If you haven't committed yet, track one down. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2261 Registered: Nov-05 | Stu, the Bryston is about another grand here (and getting my wife to allow me another grand would be like trying to coax a haemophiliac to climb through a barb wire fence). I know they are very, very good from all reports, but there's a line that has to be drawn - there's always something better and it's not about that. It's the musical pleasure as you know. Anyway, I am as happy as a pig in mud. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12732 Registered: Dec-04 | A dealer in Toronto has a small cache of SE's available. I called the guy and he said 1500 CDN$. Thats like 1250 USD. maybe he is reclaiming them from down under? |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 609 Registered: Jul-07 | Congrats MR. Yes, we should have asked if the "guest" became a roommate. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2263 Registered: Nov-05 | Thanx Chris - btw, the Quad is a very decent player I've heard and the digital input is a nice bonus. Nuck - go on and grab an SE - they are very good value. Seriously! |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3668 Registered: Sep-04 | MR, the problem with your original test is that the Saturn takes a full 24 hours of being awake before it starts to really show what it can do as far as I'm concerned. I will refuse to demo a Saturn against an Apollo if they're cold simply because there's almost no difference between the two in that situation. Once the Saturn 'wakes up' it really is in a different league in my opinion. But a lot of people don't like the fact it takes so long to wake up. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3343 Registered: May-05 | Very interesting on the pricing, Rantz. I had no idea the gap was that great where you are. The price difference here is $300. The Saturn is an outstanding player worth every penny (or whatever you guys call it) of its retail price. I wouldn't look forward, backward, or sideways. I mentioned the BCD-1 because I missed the part where you said you were keeping the Saturn. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2264 Registered: Nov-05 | Frank, I tested the player over a long period. I knew the Saturn took some warming to open up and it still certainly sounds better each time I listen - which is several hours after power up. And yes, the difference may be even greater than my previous estimate, but this doesn't take away the fact that the SE isn't a stand out player itself - comparing apples with apples it is extremely good value for the money. The extra cost for the Saturn is worth it for me but maybe not for others, although if they have the money and give it good listen it would be difficult not to take it. My music is being rediscovered. I'm ecstatic! Stu - we call them cents here too, only Frank spends a penny on this forum :-) |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12741 Registered: Dec-04 | pence |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 818 Registered: Jun-08 | Wonderful news M.R. It's so nice to hear about someone finding something they really love, being able to get it and enjoy the pleasure. Sounds like the Saturn is worth it all in your system. Happy listening. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2266 Registered: Nov-05 | It is, George - it really is. Thanks. |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2016 Registered: May-06 | Have you hit 200 hours yet? That's the usual number bantered around these parts. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2268 Registered: Nov-05 | Mike, it's not been a week yet, I gotta sleep too :-) But, as someone famous once sang: "It's getting better all the time." And not that it really needs too. There's a lot of superlatives that could be used to describe this player, but why tell someone who knows? |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2019 Registered: May-06 | M.R. She will burn in while you sleep. Just throw in some Black Sabbath and hit "Replay DIsc", then turn the A5 off or all the way down . She also likes to get good and warmed up to do what she does best. Normally I would have used "It" but "She" seemed to work better in this post. LOL |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12779 Registered: Dec-04 | You bought a boat, MR? |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12780 Registered: Dec-04 | If i buy a SE , what do i do with the Apollo with no remote? |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2022 Registered: May-06 | the Apollo came with a remote... |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12784 Registered: Dec-04 | It's that whole 'get out in a hurry' thing Mike... |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2269 Registered: Nov-05 | Mike, you mean have 'her' turned on while I sleep? Get outa here! Seriously, I'm happy to have her run in over due course especially as she sounds so good now. Probably has about 20 hrs now. Thnx for pm - funny to horrific! Nuck, the remotes are not that expensive. Boat? What boat? Another good thing to know is that replacing the lasers in the Apollos and Saturns isn't expensive according to my dealer - as they are a Sanyo product. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3676 Registered: Sep-04 | You should only ever turn her on.  Turn her on, slip something in and press her buttons for some serious playtime, even when you're not there. That's how she likes to be treated and when you treat her that way she responds to you in kind.. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2270 Registered: Nov-05 | Ooooooookay then, now I can throw away the books. Thanks Frank I left her playing alone yesterday and will continue with that for a while. She is sounding very nice though! |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2025 Registered: May-06 | Oh sure I tell you to leave her turned on and you want to break her in gently, Frank tells you to leave her turned on and you decide to slap her a$S and call her Sally. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2272 Registered: Nov-05 | LOL! EDIT: Sally Saturn - the sexy cdp. Yep, that works okay Mike, seeing I have to lift her top to make her play. Oh boy! |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 10093 Registered: Feb-05 | XXX |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2274 Registered: Nov-05 | Just shut your eyes Art.  |
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Silver Member Username: NmytreePost Number: 258 Registered: Aug-04 | Congrats on the Saturn, M.K.!!! She sure is a tempting mistress. I find the Apollo and Saturn both very addictive, in terms of their musicality. Once you get that Saturn singing, you're probably not going to want to go to work  If I didn't work from home, I'd be fighting off the temptation to stay home, lay back and let my Saturn seduce me with it's velvet hands. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2275 Registered: Nov-05 | NMy, Thanks. I know what you mean. It's hard to stop listening to the music and get on with other things. But alas, we must. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 10097 Registered: Feb-05 | Couldn't help it MR...lol! |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3685 Registered: Sep-04 | Sorry for lowering the tone of the conversation there, but it was just too tempting... |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2288 Registered: Nov-05 | Think nothing of it, Frank. I leave her turned on most of the time now, so she's ready, willing and able whenever I'm ready. And does she know how to play! |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3694 Registered: Sep-04 | Isn't it great when she's like that? (For God's sake Frank, Stop it STOP IT!!) |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2297 Registered: Nov-05 | Yes Frank, a little bit of control LOL! I picked up a new pair of Chord Cobra 3 interconnects for a good price on Ebay to try. I really like the Vdh D102 Mk3 hybrids so it will be interesting to compare. I have 2 pair of the latter, one with factory fitted plugs and the other with another type of gold plated plugs. Strangely the factory fitted ones aren't a tight connection, so they'll be resold if the Chord wins out. I'll use the other Vdh for SACD stereo if that's the case. I don't like to have to wrestle with interconnects but a relatively firm connection is optimum I would think. Anyhow, a little more run in time and I'll give more of my thoughts of the Saturn. Needless to say I already love it. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3697 Registered: Sep-04 | Hmmm, interesting. Art would prefer the vdh. I might prefer the Cobra. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 10166 Registered: Feb-05 | I had the D102 mkIII and liked 'em, however I like "The Well Hybrid" a bit better. I use "The Waterfall" in my main system and really like what they do. I would love to hear the Cobra's in my second system because they fit the gear in there pretty well I think. |
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