COPLAND CDA 823
Digital sources
The music is full of spark and energy through the CDA 823. Different percussive, ringing and rattling instruments are the right food for this player that also excels with voices. There are players that are more emotional than the Copland but only few can provide such rhythmic drive.
Function and form
Upon the previous model the CDA 823 uses 192kHz oversampling that should - according to Copland - prevent energy and transparency losses in the process of analogue filtering. 24-bit DACs and the clock are identical with the previous model. Copland is an amplifier company so there is strong belief in class A topology that is applied also in this device.
The silvery aluminum fascia is precisely machined including the logo carved into it. The CDA 823's design is minimalistic and clean in Scandinavian fashion. The player uses green lights & letters and to reacch most functions the remote controller is needed. The rear panel offers single-ended and symetrical outputs, digital S/PDIF output (75ohm), IEC connector and a 12V connector for communication with a Copland amplifier.
Bass management
The CDA823 flawless look is spoilt a bit by the simple CD transport that - I suspect - was sourced from TEAC. It is quite slow in reading initial data and quite noisy, more on the PC side than on a high-end side. However, when the disc is loaded and ready, everything works fine. The player also reads CD-R which may be bonus for many.
The Copland uses a green "progress bar" on its display to inform the listener about the progress throughout a music track.
Clarity & delicacy
I had an impression that tthe music plays faster through the CDA823. The player spits bit by bit with great timing precision, there is very little of relaxing sound of some other players. The Copland is on the colder side of neutrality, similarly to Esoteric players. If you cherish tubed sound than it may not be a good partner for you.
Tonal accuracy
Despite its speed the CDA 823 exhibits in midrange that is resolved, informative and natural. The player had no issue to decode musical layers of the big band in Set The Controls at Heart of Pelvis (Barry Adamson) and the sound was effortless and saturated. Moving towards the bass the colour palette of the Copland gets lighter so I wanted to say that the player was bass shy, but then I heard big drums with cellos in Ketila Bjornstad and Terje Rypdal's The Sea and it was like detonations in my room.
Spatial resolution
Perhaps it was just a coincidence but the Copland made a perfect match with scandinavian ECM label's sound style. I loved aforementioned The Sea, but I also loved saxophone artistry of Jan Garbarek or myriads of different sounds that were used by Stephan Micus. I would not recommend the CDA 823 to heavy metal or orchestral music lovers but if you are more into intimate jazz numbers then the Copland was just made for you.
Recommended resellers
High-End Audio Studio, Praha, tel. +420 224 256 844
Manufacturer's website: http://www.copland.dk
Associated components
- Amplifiers: Yamaha A-S2000, Accuphase E-210A
- Interconnects and speaker cables: Cardas Cross, Nordost Flatline, Nordost SPM Reference, Dynaudio OCOS
- Loudspeakers: B&W 703DM, Dynaudio Contour C1.1
- Power conditioning: Monster Power HTS2600
Gallery
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