I have been asked to write a short review of the latest toy so here it goes:
I won the auction here for the Onix CD-3 a couple weeks back. After reading some good things about the Onix I decided why not bid and see what happens. Well, last night those friendly FEDEX guys had a package sitting on the doorstep when I finally got home.
Lee had the player packaged so I think even a tank could have run over the box and it would have survived. Thanks Lee for being one of the very few I have purchased from that has a clue on how to pack an item.
The Onix is a very well made device. The enclosure is solid aluminum (~3/16 or so) and anodized black which looks fantastic. The front panel looks to be heavy polycarbonate which high quality switches and very nice looking dot matrix display (blue in color). This thing is heavy and not anything like the BPC Sony player which it has now replaced.
Ok, on to the important issue, does this thing sound any good. Being like a kid on C-mas it's lets hear this thing now! The Sansui 9090DB driving some EV S-200 speakers was close and easy to connect to so that will get the first test. Now what CD to try...... The Desert Rose Band is what was fired up and after about 6 measures of the first tune all I could say is wow! The highs sparkle, the mid are very smooth and balanced, and the lows thump! Crank it up (as the NASCAR saying goes) and this thing sounds even better. I have never been a fan of CD's always harsh and brittle sounding but that opinion may soon be changed with the Onix. Most CD's last about 20 minutes before I want to smash them. Last night I had the thing cranked for 3+ hours with various CD's and didn't have the urge to smash anything.
Back to the music..... The first thing that jumped out was that the acoustic instruments sounded, well acoustic. The mandolin just sang, one could hear details and dynamics just not heard before. JD on pedal steel also just jumped out of the speakers, amazing. On to a few other CD's even those which I just could not stand to listen to and again the sound was beautiful. Do I need really need to say that I am impressed, didn't think so.....
Robert
I won the auction here for the Onix CD-3 a couple weeks back. After reading some good things about the Onix I decided why not bid and see what happens. Well, last night those friendly FEDEX guys had a package sitting on the doorstep when I finally got home.
Lee had the player packaged so I think even a tank could have run over the box and it would have survived. Thanks Lee for being one of the very few I have purchased from that has a clue on how to pack an item.
The Onix is a very well made device. The enclosure is solid aluminum (~3/16 or so) and anodized black which looks fantastic. The front panel looks to be heavy polycarbonate which high quality switches and very nice looking dot matrix display (blue in color). This thing is heavy and not anything like the BPC Sony player which it has now replaced.
Ok, on to the important issue, does this thing sound any good. Being like a kid on C-mas it's lets hear this thing now! The Sansui 9090DB driving some EV S-200 speakers was close and easy to connect to so that will get the first test. Now what CD to try...... The Desert Rose Band is what was fired up and after about 6 measures of the first tune all I could say is wow! The highs sparkle, the mid are very smooth and balanced, and the lows thump! Crank it up (as the NASCAR saying goes) and this thing sounds even better. I have never been a fan of CD's always harsh and brittle sounding but that opinion may soon be changed with the Onix. Most CD's last about 20 minutes before I want to smash them. Last night I had the thing cranked for 3+ hours with various CD's and didn't have the urge to smash anything.
Back to the music..... The first thing that jumped out was that the acoustic instruments sounded, well acoustic. The mandolin just sang, one could hear details and dynamics just not heard before. JD on pedal steel also just jumped out of the speakers, amazing. On to a few other CD's even those which I just could not stand to listen to and again the sound was beautiful. Do I need really need to say that I am impressed, didn't think so.....
Robert
that was a compliment right?? 
, I can't believe I just posted that....mark your calendars folks, stu made a funny 6/22/11 5:50 PDT !! 