Our featured product this Summer is the Berendsen CDP 1 CD player.

Berendsen Audioelectronik is a German audio manufacturer whose components are well-known to North American audiophiles - but not under the Berendsen name. That's because Berendsen has traditionally worked as an OEM supplier for some of the most prestigious European high-end audio companies. Recently, however, Berendsen decided to start marketing many of their exceptional designs in North America under their own name – a move that will significantly reduce the price of these components.

Take, for example, the Berendsen CDP 1 CD player. This unit was originally designed for the Danish firm GamuT, who marketed it as the CD1. The GamuT CD1 had a U.S. retail price of $3000, and bowled over a number of high-end audio reviewers, who praised its rich tonality and analog-like smoothness and delicacy.

The new Berendsend CDP 1 is essentially the same player. Granted, it lacks the shiny gold GamuT faceplate, but it does come with some minor improvements to the converter section and a substantially larger power supply, which has resulted in even greater extension and clarity at the frequency extremes. And, with a retail price of $1999, the Berendsen player costs one-third less than the original GamuT CD1.

For more information about the CDP 1, including photos and specs, click here (http://www.berendsen-audio.de/berendsen_audio_englisch/cdp1.htm).

Venus Hi-Fi
www.venushifi.com (http://www.venushifi.com)
812-320-4004

http://www.berendsen-audio.de/bilder_web/cdp.jpg

Well, after posting my new "Product of the Season" this morning, this thread got a little heated. And after some of the posters deleted their replies, the remaining posts didn't seem to make much sense. So, I've decided to remove the entire lot of today's replies to freshen things up a bit.

Still, I'd like to say a couple of things about the earlier posts. First off, I was not the least bit offended by the responses lamenting the cost of the Berendsen CD player. Indeed, I only wish that I had had the time earlier today to reply to these posts - and I would have preferred that they had not been deleted by the original posters. I, too, would have to agree that a $2000 CD player is not exactly cheap. However, given the level of performance of this player (it easily competes with digital sources costing over $10K) - and given the fact that this unit retailed for 50% more when it was marketed under the GamuT name - I feel that it does indeed offer exceptional value. But only if you can afford it, of course...

Secondly, I would like to clarify the purpose of my "Product of the Season" announcements. These posts are not meant to advertise "killer deals". (Such offers will be made in separate posts on this forum.) Rather, I am simply using these announcements to share my enthusiasm for some product that has grabbed my attention and particularly impressed me. More often than not, such products WILL be relatively affordable. But hey, Venus Hi-Fi IS a high-end audio shop, and I tend to gravitate towards products that are out-of-the-ordinary (Almarro, Blue Circle, Shahinian, Yamamoto, etc.) as opposed to run-of-the-mill. Thus, every now and then you may see a "Product of the Season" announcement for a component with a not-so-modest price tag.

However, I will NEVER post a "Product of the Season" whose performance does not, IMO, justify its price!

Cheers,
Brian

However, I will NEVER post a "Product of the Season" whose performance does not, IMO, justify its price!

Cheers,
Brian





Well said Brian :beer: