Customer & Dealer Feedback

The following are comments from e-mails and Internet postings given by the owners of our products,
our dealers and people in the trade who use our products:

Here's a testimonial from one of our dealers, regarding the Prestige SACD player/preamp:

I lived with the Capitole II for 1.5 years in my reference (Trio) system.

I thought that I would look around at the latest digital products, due to delivery delays with the AA Capitole. (while they were moving their factory summer 2004)

I listened extensively to the latest Meitner transport and the 2 channel DAC, the Zanden with the 25K transport, the Theta Gen VIII and the Audio Logic 24MXL.

I sold a Cap II and was going to break it in for a customer.  As soon as I heard it after not listening to it for six months I was floored at how much better it sounded than all of the above.  The other DACs do have as great, if not greater in the Meitner's and Theta's case, resolution.  But the body of the instruments and the vocals on the AA are second to none.  In my estimation the Meitner and the Theta sound dry in comparison.  The Zanden is too polite and the Audio Logic just doesn't have quite the drive but it still is a top notch DAC as well as all of the others mentioned.

The Globe Guys:

I received my new Audio Aero Prestige player on Monday October 31 st and started the extended playback on that afternoon.

The first 24 hours you could tell the player was not “charged” as it was dead and lifeless, which was to be expected. The next 4-5 days the player started to show good focus but lacked the soundstage dimension and warmth I heard from the capitole MK2 even though it was a joy at certain intervals along the way but always changing.  During this period I could actually detect some upper midrange glare that was annoying and not the AA sound, but on the 6 th day the player took on the warmth, timbre, and analog balance regarded as the AA sound. Wow, was I glad to hear this, even though I wasn't too worried; sometimes you think the reference is supposed to be so right out of the box……this is not so with digital.

Now going on the 8 th day of break in non-stop 24/7 the player has a wonderful analog balance and the bass and treble have extended on up and the soundstage is starting to show resolution not present the first 5 days of playing. Now I hear the “reference” part not present on my old capitole mk 2 player which I am comparing this to. Compared to my old player the Prestige has more extension and control on both ends, provides more realistic micro dynamics with a much greater “startle” factor, and the soundstage depth, with resolution, are greatly increased within the soundstage. It is much easier to hear the performers and their position on stage…..the plane is no longer as flat and the music is even more present and realistic than before, along with that AA timbre.

I expect that I will document these changes for at least 2 more weeks or longer until I don't hear noticeable differences, but anyone expecting the player to beat the old stand-by capitole right from the box may be sadly disappointed……..give the player at least 6 days and then the fun begins. That is my experience so far…I will let you know how it progresses if things change noticeably from here on out.

This player is destined to be an even bigger winner than the Capitole has been in the past, if my hearing is correct. Thanks again for everything.

G. W.

US Customer

Gentlemen

I am writing about the new special edition (SE upgrade) for the Capitole Mk II AI CD player. To cut to the chase, it has elevated the player to a new level of performance. It has made what was already a stellar performer, even better. The primary change has been to add body and weight to the sound. Where the Mk2 gave the listener a very refined look into the music, the SE goes beyond and adds a solid palpability to the music. It has added a foundation and solidity to the music that brings it some steps closer to the live performance. The original Mk II had an ability to pull a lot of music from the silver disc, while this ability has not been lost, and there is a lot of detail, it now feels as if the music has been has been carved out of granite. Images are rock solid, and there is strong sense of presence of instruments and especially the artist's voice. This has also enhanced the sound staging, as images emanate from their own sphere, and while overlapping, each musical source maintains its original coherent form. Think of Disney's Bambi with the depth that its multi-plane camera gave the image and compare it to the newest offerings from Pixar, where not only do you have the depth, but also a real sense of three dimensions.

With the amount of resolution the Mk2 SE is capable of extracting from a red book cd, I have found even old recordings reveal subtle nuances. Some compilation discs, not known for their refined sonics, are now sources of fabulous performances. Some of my Verve compilations with recordings from the forties have surprised me with their listenability. There is so much more revealed, it is not a matter of the Mk 2 making everything sound the same and colouring everything (as some players are wont to do), but rather extracting as much as possible from every bit and byte of that silver disc. Some of those old discs are maybe not as bad as you thought. However, a poorly produced disc will always be a bad disc, but the good ones will become truly great.  As a former owner of a Mk 1, I found the Mk2 a substantial move forward. I now find the SE to be almost the same level of improvement for a lot less money.

And the customer also praises the Capitole AI player's ability as a preamp:

Something else I'd like to address is the fact that the Mk 2 AI SE is an excellent pre-amp. While the unit is not low priced, if you consider that it in its AI (analog input) form, it's a superb pre-amp. It represents a value in high end when you compare it to line stages selling for multiple thousands of dollars (that are now no longer required). The three analog inputs should prove sufficient for most people, as I actually have a spare one. I find as a pre-amp it is an excellent unit. I am seriously into analogue, so I use one input for my tuner, the other for my turntable and the third is still spare since the cd is built in. I have to confess that my first listening and evaluations of the Mk2 SE, were actually done in the analog domain. I run an Avid Acutus turntable, with a Wilson Benesch Act 2 tonearm, and a Benz LP Ebony cartridge into a Foundation Research V5 phono stage. All the attributes I gave to the Mk 2 SE, discussed previously were actually determined in my analog evaluations. The benefits from the analog source as described previously, maintained in the digital domain. Patience is required as it took over 200 hours for the unit to break in, and at first listen I wasn't sure about the wisdom of what I just done, but once broken in it certainly delivers. My strongest advice is don't think of the Mk 2 AI SE as a stand alone cd player, but consider it strongly as a quality pre-amp (I replaced my MFA Luminescence an excellent unit in its own right), and use the savings for a good phono stage, and analog front end.

Overall, the Capitole Mk.II AI is a most impressive and flexible product. Your current SE upgrade, as a distributor-authorized change, is certainly worthwhile getting, and in the crazy world of high end audio it represents a good deal.

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I still love my Capitole MKII and would not part with it. I probably was in a very unique position in being able to do extensive home listening tests between the two. I actually had the Wadia 861SE with the GNSC Statement Mod. It ran 24/7 for two months to break it in. It has great positive attributes but I kept going back to the Audio Aero . In my view, it's not even close between the two. The Wadia was too analytical for me. I love low level details, usually the more the better, but the Wadia was just too sterile sounding with the other components I had. There was something about the AA that gripped me and kept me coming back. I lost a bunch on the Wadia but I just could not keep it over the AA.

I lived with the Capitole II for 1.5 years in my reference (Trio) system. I thought that I would look around at the latest digital products, due to delivery delays with the AA Capitole (while they were moving their factory - summery 2004). I listened extensively to the latest Meitner transport and the 2 channel DAC, the Zanden with the 25K transport, the Theta Gen VIII and the Audio Logic 24MXL.

I sold a Cap II and was going to break it in for a customer. As soon as I heard it after not listening to it for six months I was floored at how much better it sounded than all of the above. The other DACs do have as great, if not greater in the Meitner's and Theta's case, resolution. But the body of the instruments and the vocals on the AA are second to none. In my estimation the Meitner and the Theta sound dry in comparison. The Zanden is too polite and the Audio Logic just doesn't have quite the drive but it still is a top notch DAC as well as all of the others mentioned.

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I have said to many times as has (another Audio Aero owner) that the Prima is one killer player. I've compared it to and own some high dollar players and for the money I would imagine it would be very hard to beat

You don't really need to audition a Prima. Just order one. I had mine for about 1 1/2 years and I had a real problem letting it go. I became very attached to it like an affair if you will. But I did manage to live without it after I fell in love with the Capitole. Now for the full retail difference between the Prima and the Cap., the Prima is the way to go. I however picked up the Cap for a good price used and well.... it is more than I expected ,way more.

I currently own an Audio Aero Capitole MKII with a ( A brand) Pre-amp the result of which is Audio Heaven. I cannot think of anything else which I can add/change which will improve the sound significantly.

Go with the Capitole, as it's truly the best sounding CD player I've heard to date without going completely ballistic. I suppose one might find a similar sounding unit at 3 times the asking price.

Furthermore, I've found the Capitole actually sounded a lot more 3-dimensional with better sound staging when running direct using it's built-in volume.... if there are two things which I'll definitely take with me when I pass on, it will be the Capitole MKII CD Player (and his amplifier)...

My friend with the (expensive turntable) sold it, and is listening solely to an audio aero capitole mkII actually- which is kind of funny... he seems to have given up on analog and now has 10k+ LP's that he has no clue what to do with!

I recently upgraded my (competitor) with the Audio Aero Prima CD player. The differences on a very modest system are staggering, the Prima makes the (competitor) sound dull and congested extremely lacking in space and detail. I think the Prima is a real "sleeper"...

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