Stereophile
rates the Advance Paris X-CD9 as an affordable CD player with an attractive price of $1,399. The unit features a tube buffer stage and a Wolfson WM8762 DAC. The player offers both digital and analog outputs, including RCA and XLR. With a distortion rate of 0.008% and a signal-to-noise ratio of 103 dB, the X-CD9 delivers impressive performance. It measures 73 mm high, 431 mm wide, and 260 mm deep, and weighs 4.1 kg. The design was created in France, and production takes place in China. The warranty period is two years for parts and labor.
ExtremeHiFi
emphasizes that the Advance Paris X-CD9 delivers a sweet and refined sound, even with poorly recorded music. The build quality is described as solid and robust, thanks in part to the high-quality toroidal transformer, which ensures a stable and clean power supply. The player creates a spacious soundstage and offers versatile connection options, including both unbalanced (RCA) and balanced (XLR) analog outputs. A few points to note are the digital output, which may not be the best, and the CD tray mechanism, which feels somewhat fragile. Additionally, the player is limited to CD playback and does not support other formats. The tray closes automatically quite quickly, which can make changing CDs difficult. The bass response isn’t as powerful as with some solid-state digital implementations. Compared to the Audiolab 7000CDT, the X-CD9 feels slightly less substantial. All in all, the X-CD9 is praised for its musical presentation and versatile connectivity options, making it an excellent choice for rediscovering a CD collection with a subtly different sound.
HighEndStudios
notes that the Advance Paris X-CD9 delivers a highly detailed sound with a clear soundstage and excellent channel separation. The included remote control, while aesthetically pleasing with its chrome trim, feels less high-quality due to its light weight compared to the solid build quality of the player itself. Points of criticism include the German translation of the manual, which contains many errors, and the CD tray mechanism that closes too quickly, making it difficult to change CDs without pressing the open button again.
HiFiMART
emphasizes that the Advance Paris X-CD9 delivers tight bass and a detailed, musical sound, which inspires listeners to rediscover their CD collection. The sound quality is described as almost vinyl-like, possibly thanks to the vacuum tubes in the output stage. The player’s build quality is solid, although the remote control feels somewhat plasticky.
