MBL Corona C31 CD Player Review

“If you have an analog system, whether turntable or tape deck, you will not hear any difference if the tape deck is running up to 40K or 80K, which is the same as the sample rate being 96 or 192. The difference in sound you hear in digital systems only has to do with the digital filter. So we have built digital filters in all of our DACs, regardless of the line, that have the timing characteristics of much higher sample rates. This means that even if all our products only go up to 96K, the timing behavior is similar to a typical digital filter that runs at 384K. So it doesn’t make any sense with this type of digital filter to go higher.

“It’s a little difficult to explain. When I have a bit more time, I’ll write it down clearly, because this question arises every month or every other month, and every time I have to explain it.”

Tuning the Sound

Both Reis and famed circuit designer John Curl share the understanding that every resistor has a different sound. “By changing resistors, you can tweak a lot in the preamp section,” Reis claims. “Mostly, the contact point of the resistor has a very high influence on the sound. It matters whether they’re brass, copper, or steel.”

After developing a schematic for the C31and listening to prototypes, he moved on to create, first a pre-production unit, and then a first production unit. After taking it home, he changed resistors until he arrived at the sound he wished.

“When I develop products, I measure them to make sure I don’t make any mistakes,” he explained. “But the final judgment is always done by ear. If I hear something that sounds good but doesn’t measure well, I figure my measurements must be looking at the wrong point, and there are things that I haven’t yet measured.

“I take my time. I’ll have two different preamps, one soldered with one resistor, one with another. I listen to each one for a half hour, but I don’t make the decision immediately. It takes awhile for the sound to grip the bottom of my heart. The next day, without thinking, I go to the living room and turn on the preamp that impressed me the most the day before. I may change a cable, like it for three or four days, and then not spend more time with it. So it’s important for me to listen more and settle down before I make the final decisions.”

My Own Listening

Attempting to settle down as well during multiple listening sessions, I auditioned the Corona C31 CD player in three different equipment configurations. In the first, I connected it via Nordost Odin RCA-terminated interconnects to an MBL 5011 Noble preamplifier ($12,800) supplied by Bryan. I then used Nordost Odin XLR interconnects to feed Pass Laboratories XA 200.5 Class A monoblocks, which in turn sent their signal via Nordost Odin speaker cable to Wilson Audio loudspeakers.