ATC CDA2 CD/DAC/Pre Reviews

5 Rating 2 Reviews

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“Wow - this is probably the most impressive, simple but expressive system I have ever heard to date. I have treated myself to this CDA MkII along with SCM40As from the AudioBarn as an early 50th birthday present. I’ve left my thoughts about the speakers elsewhere on this site. Jack and Steve helped modify my excellent value Quadraspire table sat on Track Audio footers, they supplied the fantastic Seismic Platforms (Townsend) and Michael from Studio Connections supplied the amazing new best in range North Star cabling, all signal and Carbon Screen power. All comments relate to CDs played (16/44.1Khz) in the TEAC transport and LPs via a Rega RP8 with Apheta II and Rega’s modest little Fono MC. This replaces previously good systems over 20 or so years including but not limited to dCS, Musical Fidelity, Chord Electronics, Marantz, Transparent, Bryston, B&W and ATC passives. The new system sits in a typical UK family living room under a sizeable wall-mounted TV. The room is not acoustically treated. I hope the detail here might help you out if you’re on your own “journey”. Like I was. The CDA MkII itself is sturdy, fairly plain, and feels very well put together. A sourcing/ signal routing glitch in the first supplied machine was immediately exchanged – no questions, no hassles. But please ATC; black as well as silver casework options. It would really help it fit in visually to the rest of the system. The remote is curious though; a generic button-fest, but reasonably easy to learn. I’d first thought it missed track skip (it doesn’t, use the small + and – buttons), and that it had no pause (the logic HAS been programmed in – press PLAY again!). I know; RTFM…. This MkII version all works very well in a pleasing no nonsense fashion but I’m irritated the volume has so little operational travel (And this is an ATC system). Loud to truly deafening is very easy…. This ATC machine really does sound bloody amazing for the money, as a source by itself or 2 digital types/ single ended inputs with volume. I’ve had older top-flight sources and amplifiers (£10k each in today’s money) previously that sounded gently clouded, reticent and slightly very slightly shut-in compared to this ATC integrated source/ DAC/ volume. With both matching ATC speakers and this source coming in at ten thousand pounds domestic UK, let’s be honest here: it’s still a stupefying amount of money for many people. In context though I cannot think how you could get better sound and relative convenience for the money. It honestly has no right to sound this good, this open, with so much detail. As I have said elsewhere, the Townsend platforms under transducers with their built-in electronics really helps (You can feel very subtle vibration of the bases above the springs energised by the loudspeaker, nothing below the springs with music playing). To have 2x line level (RCA) inputs, 1x Coax digital, 1x Optical (Toslink) digital, and the USB input is enough for me. I can listen to vinyl and CDs, but additionally now get the most out of my system with TV and Films off 4K Blue Disc. Everything sounds startlingly good, fresh, clear and really present. Some of my favourite music never seemed that well recorded; vintage Cocteau Twins, UNKLE or Sasha. I had no idea there was actually quite a bit more music hiding somewhere in the replay chain and this system is now finding it and bringing it into the room like I’ve not heard before. Listening to the recent Radio 2 ELO session streamed off the iPlayer or to the audio track of M83’s soundtrack to “Oblivion” from (24/48KHz) BD, the differences are clear as day. The dry, slick, slightly damped BBC production of the ELO, the wide-open gutsy scale and dramatic power in the M83. Try listening to anything by Vangelis, William Orbit or Boris Blank: absolutely drop-dead gorgeous! And these last three are all 16bit CD only, no huge high res’ files. This has to be my own review of the ATC CDA Mk II, but I would like to also mention the final knitting together of the ATC electronics by the new top of range cables from Studio Connections – the North Star - is the absolute clincher: so open, detailed and with almost unhindered “organic” flow. Sound from the CDA is now more like real music than ever. Remove a cable, swap for another brand and the image collapses (We swapped in some seriously high end brands in, expensive stuff. They were NOT as good). The startlingly good ATCs (all of them) need the Townsends in my room and both benefit from Michael’s cabling. Big thanks again to Jack and Steve at The AudioBarn, Townshend’s Seismic Platforms and Studio Connections: Customer Service, Insight, Honesty, passion for getting it done right – and all in the UK! Check them out please; on my experience I cannot recommend them highly enough.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“This CD player / DAC / preamp offers highly engaging sound. It impeccably reproduces sources with both high dynamic range and wide bandwidth. The CD’s operation is smooth, quiet and much quicker than the superseded Mk1. BBC Radio 3 streaming at 320 kbit/s into either the USB or the S/PDIF input sounds sublime. The CDA2 Mk2 is a perfect companion for my SCM50 ASL active loudspeakers. The combination is the simplest and best audio system core I have heard.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago