2. digital
  3. 1233444268

Hopelessly mid fi?

I recently hooked up an 80 gb ipod to my system through an Apple dock and did an A/B with my CD player. I am able to match the db level between the two via the volume control on the CDP, and switch between sources instantaneously for a meaningful comparison. Much to my chagrin, the difference was minimal at best. So I brought in a Squeezebox and hooked a digital IC into the CDP's DAC with similar results using both compressed (AAC 192) and Apple Lossless formats. From what I have read on this site, I assumed that it shouldn't be possible that compressed or streaming digital should rival the sound of, by all accounts, a reputable CDP (name intentionally withheld). But it does.

Is it possible to assemble a digital front-end, for say, less than $2K, that would produce a meaningful improvement over both the ipod and Squeezebox? An external DAC perhaps? Or is my system simply not capable of resolving the differences? I'd prefer not to overhaul the rest of my system if possible which includes an Odyssey Candella preamp and Extreme mono amps, Von Schwiekert VR-4jr speakers and Virtual Dynamic Nite II cables.

Thanks for your thoughts.
sydneysophia

Showing 1 response by mechans

mechans
3,048 posts
 
Computer drives are reportedly superior transport mechanisms. Evidently the data the computer uses must have very very low jitter and a clock that ensures an accurate constant data stream.
I assume all this is not actually the reader but the correction elements.
I have always been surprised how good computer generated music sounds even when burned onto a CD for use in an "audiophile" CDP.
Unless you have a very special CD player the transports invariably fail before any other elelement. An older CD player even a once great player that uses one of the 2 common transports, will start sounding progressively worse over time.
I recommend borrowing your audio nut buddy's almost new but burned in just this week EMM,Meridian, Esoteric etc. player and do the comparison.
If you have an old player that still works lying around compare it to the name intentionally witheld player. Suddenly it will sound fantastic. You will save serious money that way. Then buy the Wadia Dac.
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