⭕ The particular product we have for sale was specially commissioned by the original owner to marry the peerless beauty of the Oracle CD-Player with the beneficial properties of Shun Mook Audio acoustic resonance control devices; it is an incontrovertible fact that this particular example represents a pairing of audiophile exotica. The result of this work is presented here: the component is in absolutely first class visual condition and works brilliantly. Furthermore, it comes complete with the external power supply and the high-calibre Oracle Audio Technologies milled aluminium remote control which in itself is a work of art.



We have estimated, from the serial number that this unit was originally from around 2002. The current Mark Two version of the CD 2500 currently retails for £11,495.00 GBP (basically, it is virtually identical to this model save for the addition of XLR analogue outputs and a few other less significant features). The Shun Mook Ultra Diamond Resonators featured on this player cost around £300.00 GBP each and there are four of them featured -- the ebony top caps were custom designed and manufactured for this example by Shun Mook. As a consequence, this unit would have originally cost considerably more than the retail price for the standard product. All in all, this unique product represents an outstandingly attractive proposition for someone that values what Oracle Audio Technologies and Shun Mook Audio Inc together have to offer.



As this is, in effect, a dual-brand product it seems the most sensible approach is to document the benefits of each brand separately.



Dealing first with the stunningly attractive Oracle CD player: when this model was originally launched in 1998 during the world Consumer Electronics Show (CES) apparently (according to Brian Damkroger of Stereophile magazine): jaws dropped, crowds gathered, and breathless word of its beauty spread like wildfire. It was probably the most photographed piece at the show, but photos dont do it justice, and a verbal description doesnt come close. Imagine something thats equal thirds Buck Rogers, James Bond, and MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), with an attention to detail and fitnfinish that scream exquisite hand craftsmanship.



Brian Damkroger captures it well -- it is arguably the most visually compelling piece of audio electronics that there is -- unless it is a pair of John Bowers Nautilus loudspeakers you are talking about, of course! Sometimes seminal components come along - a manufacturer employs a designer that excels and exceeds everything else. No-one else, in the intervening years since its launch has even come close.



Oracle Audio Technologies is a Canadian company best known for designing and manufacturing analogue turntables. Those too are stunningly attractive pieces and over the years the success of these has spawned a whole range of audio electronics, all sharing the same inimitable family resemblance.



The Oracle CD-Player incorporates an on-board digital/analogue converter. Furthermore, it is not just a pretty face, there is some really clever and innovative engineering incorporated in the design:



· CD coupling system: Traditionally, compact discs microscopically chatter as they spin due to the high rotational speeds of the mechanism. The laser cannot focus properly and so error correction circuits have to be employed to interpolate and extrapolate data which can lead to misread information. Oracle Audio Technologies have addressed this problem by designing a special magnet/vacuum clamp which sits atop the CD and helps ensure the laser has a much more stable environment to operate within and this helps to ensure accurate information retrieval.

· Suspension: To help isolate the CD mechanism from vibrations the main chassis assembly is isolated from air-borne vibrations via four substantial suspension towers. These are highly sophisticated devices using springs, rubber bushings, Delrin ®, sorborthane and felt to control unwanted vibrations.

· Main chassis craftsmanship: The main chassis is manufactured from aluminium and the exquisite shape cut using special diamond cutting tools. The chassis is coated with a high gloss polyester lacquer, which means it has an enduring just-like-new appearance. The chassis itself has been designed to achieve maximum rigidity, minimal surface area and energy control.



The Shun Mook Ultra Diamond Resonators have a patent (US patent Number: D364168) and they represent an interesting and novel approach to mechanical grounding. Shun Mook Audio Inc has discovered through extensive research that the special qualities of black African ebony actually help to filter audible and inaudible distortions away from the acoustic spectrum. The relatively large size of the ebony in these Resonator discs (each measuring 4 diameter x 1 ½ high) provides a significant reservoir to maximise the beneficial effect of this special wood. The ¼ steel shanks running through the centre of each disc carry a ¼ carat natural diamond one the base which allows for the instantaneous escape of unwanted vibrations. Shun Mook claim that these Ultra Diamond Resonators will instantly expand the sound staging and increased separation. Tonal balance of the music will be much richer and hence a major step of improvement. These four Ultra Diamond Resonators have been matched and tuned for optimum performance and harnessed to complement the existing Oracle Audio Technology suspension pillars.



What does the Oracle Audio/Shun Mook CD-Player sound like?



Well, it is probably the most sublime compact disc player that we have ever experienced, and we sell some of the worlds finest so we get to hear lots. It tackles all genres of music with equal aplomb. Every detail is revealed with absolute clarity; and we have tried it with all sorts of systems and it always betters whatever player it replaced. It is hard to describe, but it is probably the nearest thing we have heard to an analogue record deck -- digital artefacts and signatures are apparently absent. This manifestation was not easy to attribute; was it the Oracle Audio heritage of producing fantastic turntables or was it the alchemy of the Shun Mook components conspiring to deliver such an amazing performance? We cannot be sure; but what we do know is that this is one example where a component sounds every bit as good as it looks!



Technical Specification of the Oracle Audio Technologies CD-Player with Shun Mook acoustic resonance control devices



Type
Remote-controlled Red Book compact disc player with outboard power supply and 128 times over-sampling digital analogue converter using 24 bit delta-sigma DACs (Crystal Logic CS4390)

Analogue outputs (fixed level)
One pair single-ended (RCA) analogue Cardas Rhodium plated connectors

Analogue load impedance
5k Ohms minimum, 50k Ohms maximum

Analogue output impedance
<100 Ohms

Analogue Output level
2.4 Volts effective

Signal to noise ratio
115dB

Dynamic range
106dB

Digital output
Single-ended SP/DIF digital audio signal

Format
BNC

Digital load impedance
75 Ohms

Digital Output impedance
75 Ohms

Digital output level
0.5 Volts, peak to peak @75 Ohms

Dimensions (player: W x H x D)
440mm x 210mm x 370mm

Dimensions (power supply: W x H x D)
230mm x 95mm x 290mm

Weight
18kg

Shipping weight (two crates)
31kg