Parasound CDP-2000 Ultra.

Manufacturer: Parasound Products, Inc., 950 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111; 415/ 397-7100

Price: $1,495

Source: Manufacturer loan

Reviewer: Karl W. Nehring

Three years ago, Parasound introduced a $3,500, two-box CD system consisting of the belt-driven C/BD-2000 CD transport and the D/AC-2000 Ultra digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with HDCD and balanced outputs. The transport was made for Parasound by CEC in Japan, and the DAC was made by UltraAnalog, a San Francisco Bay Area company recognized as a leader in digital audio technology. The new Parasound CDP-2000 Ultra single-chassis CD player is the result of a collaboration among Parasound, CEC, and UltraAnalog, and this time the price is considerably lower.

The CDP-2000 Ultra has balanced analog line outputs with XLR connectors, single-ended line-outputs with gold-plated connectors, and a digital coaxial output. The player is fully programmable and it comes with a full-function infrared remote control with an external infrared repeater input on the rear panel. The rotation of the CD is provided via a belt drive mechanism, as opposed to the direct-drive system found on most units.

Whereas unpacking the similarly priced Arcam Alpha 9 had been something of a disappointment in terms of my initial reaction to the aesthetics and overall "feel" of that unit, when I took the Parasound out of its box, I was impressed. This is a unit that makes a great first impression!

For starters, the CDP-2000 is quite hefty, weighing in at 24 pounds. Rather than a drawer loading system for discs, the Parasound is a front-loading unit. The front left corner of the unit's top panel is given over to a transparent sliding door. To play a disc, you open the door, place the disc on the spindle, and then place a 3/4-1b metal stabilizer puck over the disc. If you do not place the stabilizer on the disc, the CDP-2000 will not play the disc. The top panel also features an indentation for placing the stabilizer when it is not in use. For some folks, this top loading design will be a source of delight; for others, it will be a bit of a nuisance. Personally, I found it annoying at first, but got used to it. Overall, I prefer drawer loading, but I am sure there are plenty of folks with the opposite point of view. In any event, the implementation is first-class.

I inserted the Parasound into a system that comprised the AVA Fet Valve EC preamplifier, AVA Fet Valve 550hc power amplifier, and Legacy Focus loudspeakers. Because my electronics are not set up for balanced operation, I was not able to try those outputs, but for those who have a preamplifier and amplifier with balanced inputs/outputs, the CDP-2000 Ultra would fit right in.

After just letting the unit play for a while, I decided it was time to put it to its first real test, so I dug out the CD-Check disc. I discovered that the CDP-2000 was unable to play Track 2 without audible glitches, and sounded progressively more distressed on Tracks 3-5. Its overall performance on the CD-Check disc was on a par with the Weltronics. Although neither the Parasound nor the Weltronics ever seemed to have any trouble playing any actual music CDs, I must say that at this price level, I had expected the Parasound to do a better job on this test.

As I reported in my review of the Arcam unit, I used several CDs of which I have duplicate copies -- both regular and HDCD-encoded -- to compare the sonics of the Alpha 9 with the Parasound. At this price level, you certainly expect no sonic disappointments, and the Parasound certainly did not display any. On cut after cut, the Parasound sounded excellent, fully the equal of the more-expensive Arcam playing back both HDCD-encoded and standard CDs.

Using non-HDCD discs, I then compared the Parasound with the Weltronics. Having already compared the Weltronics with the Alpha 9, and the Parasound with the Alpha 9, simple sonic logic already told me what to expect, but I performed the exercise anyway. Let it never be said that KWN is not a dutiful reviewer! But once again, as much as I would love to be able to tell you that my golden ears could hear the difference wrought by the more elaborate and expensive circuitry in the Parasound, I can't report any sonic differences between the two units. Using identical discs, and matching levels as carefully as I could, I could not pick one unit over the other on non-HDCD discs.

It is certainly true, however, that for the extra money over the budget Weltronics, the Parasound CDP-2000 Ultra offers HDCD capability, balanced outputs for those who can use them, much heavier-duty construction, belt drive, top-loading, and clearly superior fit and finish. This is truly a unit that will make its owner feel that he or she is getting his or her money's worth in terms of those "intangibles" that separate more expensive units from the run of the mill. For some people, such intangibles are quite important; whereas for other folks, the sonic value represented by a less expensive but technically proficient machine such as Parasound's excellent CDP-1000, which has been highly praised in these pages in previous issues, is a more important factor. In terms of intangibles and uniqueness, the CDP-2000 Ultra has plenty to offer, but whether these intangibles are sufficient to justify the relatively hefty price tag of the unit is, once again, a subjective judgment that the prospective purchaser will have to make for him- or herself. -- KWN