Stereophile "Recommended Component"
The Absolute Sound "Editors' Choice"
Advanced DAC, Premium Transport, Gorgeous Sound
Music Hall’s low-price, high-value CD25 CD player has long been one of the company’s bestsellers. But Roy Hall saw an opportunity to upgrade the CD25 while keeping the final cost low. The result is the new CD25.2 player, offering true high-end sound at a decidedly low-end price tag.
"For $599, I was expecting okay, bland, ho-hum, not bad for the money. I aw and heard much more. Roy Hall's Music Hall cd25.2 CD player is a fantastic buy," raves Sam Tellig in the April 2006 issue of Stereophile. In fact, the Music Hall earns a "Recommended Components" listing in the same issue.
"Remarkable Sounding" Award Winner
The CD 25.2 won the coveted "Editors' Choice Award" in the October 2006 issue of The Absolute Sound magazine. "A remarkable sounding CD player, this affordable winner from Music Hall offers very good clarity and resolution in the treble and middle registers, with a generally rich musical fabric…"
"With the CD25.2 your $599 will buy gobs of detail and deep, articulate bass, wrapped up in a solid, well-built, attractive chassis - just what some budget-constrained audiophiles are seeking," reports Aaron Weiss in the December 2005 issue of SoundStage! magazine.
"Bold, Big, Brassy, and Dynamic"
"The first words that leap to mind with the Music Hall amp/CD player combo are bold, big, brassy, and dynamic," writes Ken Micallef in his Audio Files review of the a25.2 integrated amp and the CD 25.2 CD player. "Audio Nerds often use an archaic term reeking of stuffy British living rooms (the Brits invented serious audio listening) when they feel their stereo is kicking major butt - PRAT. Defined to normal, non-obsessive folk, PRAT means pace, rhythm, and timing. The Music Hall tag team does the PRAT thing in explosive colors."
High-Resolution Burr-Brown DAC
The CD25.2 easily outperforms CD players priced much higher, and the superb build quality is immediately apparent from its good looks. Its enhancements over the original CD25 begin with a high-resolution Burr-Brown 24-bit, 192 kHz PCM 1738 DAC that will bring out detail that you never thought existed in your favorite CDs.
The excellence of the DAC is matched by the drive system. Housed in a heavyweight chassis with good vibration control is a premium Philips VAM1202 / 19 transport, known for its smoothness, quiet operation, and reliability.
It "Embarrasses" Far More Expensive Players
"This CD player has life, light, air, delicacy, smoothness, and resolution," reports Sam Tellig in Stereophile. "It also has excellent dynamics - something rare among inexpensive CD players, whose manufacturers usually wimp out on power supplies."
"I suspect that it could embarrass - or at least equal - some players that sell for two or three times as much," concludes Sam Tellig.
More Audiophile Upgrades Onboard
On the analog side, the CD25.2 boasts upgraded op amps from the original CD25 along with new audiophile-quality diodes for smooth and extremely low-noise performance. An innovative power supply with an extra transformer helps keep the CD25.2 exceptionally quiet.
Connections consist of one coaxial digital output, one optical digital output, and a standard analog output.
Luxurious Look
The luxurious look of the cd25.2 matches the aesthetics of Music Hall’s flagship products, like the Maven and the Mambo. The solid chassis is complemented by a thick, brushed aluminum faceplate. Other features include a gorgeous slim-line system remote control, easily readable and dimmable front-panel fluorescent display, and a detachable power cord. | 
