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The difference 'tween 6 and 8
Two CD players from AMC
By Lloyd Macomber
March 2002
AMC CD6b and AMC 8b CD players. $1199 and $899
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| The AMC CD players look exactly the same |
For appraisal over the festive season in my hi-fi system were a pair of mid-priced compact disc players which, apart from the numbers 6 and 8, were identical in appearance. Enter the AMC CD6b and CD8b single disc players ($1195 and $899 respectively) - gun metal grey in colour with uncomplicated fascia design. The twist with this reviewing exercise was to determine just what the difference between players was, as clearly, there was no difference on the outside.
Like most of you readers, I wasn’t familiar with the AMC brand. To enlighten us all I did a little scouting around and came up with a few snippets of information- AMC (Advanced Merit Concept) has been around since 1970 and today produces hi-fi and multimedia components designed in London and Los Angeles and manufactured in the East.
According to their web site, AMC products are sold and serviced in over 50 countries for their H.O.M.E Automation products (hi-fi included) and over 30 countries for multi media products.
As expected, both players operated exactly the same, same noises, same commands, same remote, you get the picture. The only difference to be found between units was the digital outputs on the rear panels- the CD6b includes a BNC connector output while the CD8b includes a phono plug connector.
After some days of casual listening to each player, I settled down to audition each player in turn. My expectations were that I would not hear a great deal of difference in the sonic qualities of these two source components.
My expectations were very quickly, and convincingly, thwarted within the first few minutes of listening! While the cheaper CD8b is a competent sounding, well balanced and easy-to-listen-to player, its bigger brother is musically streets ahead of it!
To put the time spent with both components into perspective, the CD6b was the player plugged in and playing away at least three times more than the CD8b. After further comparison, the result was still the same, the CD6b is simply a much, much more satisfying player.
I found the $899 CD8b to be a very good music maker and, to its credit, I never found it sound strained or harsh. Also, I was always pleasantly surprised at how snappy and alive the music playback from the CD8b was (indeed from both players).
In describing the $1199 CD6b, superlatives such as expressive, dynamic and communicative come to mind. A good example of the expressive quality was heard in Rosanne Cash’s On The Surface track from her Retrospective album. Not only was Cash’s lead vocal part clearly portrayed but the vocal duet part (sung by Rodney Crowell) melded well creating vocal layers which came together and then separated. The Cash/Crowell duet part was also notable for its dynamics in rising above the backing music.
Simon and Garfunkel’s classic The Boxer track was played with commendable verve through the CD6b. I found it easy to listen into the music with the percussive backdrop which swelled about the music with convincing decay from cymbals and lower register drums. Such decay was also present in Nathan Haines’ album Sound Tracks, where crash cymbals possessed not only realistic and natural decay but also a metallic brilliance and sparkle, as they ought.
In summary, one certainly should audition these CD players from the AMC stable as they are both good, spirited performers. Although the spotlight of this review shined for longer on the more expensive CD6b, the less expensive CD8b possessed a good measure of all the sonic ingredients that make a satisfying music making machine and it should not be over looked when auditioning players under $1000.
I found the CD6b remarkable in its ability to exceed the CD8b in every aspect of recorded musical playback. For the dollar difference, the CD6b is worth a lot more than just a $300 premium over the CD8b.
My time with both AMC CD players was both enjoyable and illuminating and the pair are strongly recommended. While the CD8b is a good performer, the CD6b is a great performer!
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