CD transport vs.streaming

I always imagine others following a discussion, and what relates to the subject that might be relevant to someone, that's why I shared my recent quest here, and this and that elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

Play Hard Copy SACD’s and CD’s? (I’ve got a whole hellofa lot of them).

Beyond the digital source, after content and recording: it’s a recipe of various: Processor(s); Over clocking, Over sampling; Anti-Jitter, .... that you hear.

I think of ’Preferred’ and ’BETTER’.

1. BETTER: Get thee a Sony xa5400ES (SACD and CD).

Improves the sound of Every CD and processes SACD DSD without PCM conversion.

me: "FUNDAMENTALS. I think there is a tighter, firmer, more solid, ... start to the fundamental of Each and Every Note. Improved overtones, volume and time decay all follow that BETTER start. I have never heard a CD sound so good anywhere.

before I found the Sony:

Preferred: CD

2. Onkyo Integra CDC-3.4 Mark II Changer

I highly recommend the sound of this with it’s dual Wolfson processors and all of Onkyo/Integra’s tricks applied.

How to describe the difference: Like my AT33PTG/II cartridge, compared to any cartridge with less tight channel balance, EVERYTHING is a speck more distinct. Not bright, not sharp, a very thin veil removed allowing refined clarity. Imaging is the same width, but within that, main vocal, backup singers, specific musicians, simultaneously more precise.

A small improvement to EVERYTHING, is a LOT!!!

3. Preferred SACD and CD, I chose Yamaha DVD-C961 DVD Changer

me: "The DVD-C961 has four two-channel Burr Brown 192kHz/24-bit DACs for the stereo and 5.1-channel output sections to provide absolute sonic transparency."

It sounds terrific, as good as the former winner, Integra CDC-3.4 mark II which I will now sell. Different Processors, Different OEM Bag-O-Tricks whatever they are."

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the quest

Sony xa5400ES

 

DSD converted to PCM???

 

Better CD Sound

 

 

rvpiano

another reason I posted my ’better player quest’ is because many people have gotten rid of or stopped using their CD players, stopped playing their actual CDs. Your subject implies re-discovery to people who stream. Even though I don’t stream, I had to re-discover my CDs. I suppose there is a category who have never actually owned/played CDs.

Like me, those people are not inclined to spend a heck of a lotta money to rediscover actual CD’s.

After spending 2 years exclusively LPs, I decided to try for a better sounding CD player. It can be done I found, now I don’t hesitate to enjoy my CDs as well as my LPs. To the point that I buy used LPs or used CDs now, expecting the CD to sound really good. Or not, content/engineering is always an issue.

So much technology is involved, either can sound superior, yet a few changes, the other could be superior, either ’preferred’ or ’better’.