i want a dull, caramel colored cd player any ideas

Get a Blose, I mean Bose system.

Sorry, but we all know that CDs are "perfect sound...forever". You'll have to just get used to the fact that all CD players players produce perfect sound. Maybe you could sing yourself to sleep. It would be cheaper.

I've got an old portable CD player from 1987 around here somewhere and when the rechargable battery runs down (pretty quickly now) it sounds VERY veiled with the highs completely gone. Lows too! It still sounds better then my neighbors Blose though.
Maybe you should just keep what'ya got and wax-impregnate some cotton balls and stick'em in your ears!

Just cover your speakers with socks, pillow cases and the like....too "detailed" add more dirty laundry...

John

Maybe a preamp with tone controls make you happier?

Jolida JD100 should fit the bill quite well, at least the one I owned...

You need an Audio Aero Capitole MK II player, preferably the SE version.

Enjoy.

Most car CD players ought to fit your bill. You can set up an array of drivers like they do in the install-in-one-hour car stereo shops and go to town. Or just camp out in your vehicle of choice.

One of those Philly audio preamps should give you all you need and more..what a piece of junk! It should make you proud of the caramel coated system.:-0 Put any cd player with it ..they'll all sound the same any way.

Your kidding, correct? Sounds like your burned out on stereo gear, just turn the volume down.

Ta da! Behold Mrtennis' first thread and only Agon post (under that moniker anyway). Insincere, yet unfunny. Wonder if there'll ever be another? If so (and you're welcome by all -- even if you're a skeptic/critic), I'd suggest tweaking the approach...

go to the skeet range and fire 200 rounds of 12 gauge without earmuffs....that should turn the sound of any cd player into thick caramel syrup. when the effect runs out, repeat the trip to the range.

Well, you mention the Cal Tempest in your other post, so why not use something you've already recommended?

I suspect the problem is elsewhere, not at your CDP.

Me too!

to zaikesman:

what evidence do you have that i am insincere ?

you have a right to prefer your stereo system to sound anyway you want.

why don't i have that right too ?

is there anything i said which sounds like i don't mean what i say ??

have i offended your sensibility and questioned your standards as to what constitues acceptable and/or good sound ??

i welcome a personal conversation.

perhaps i could learn from you.

another thought:
i suspect i have annuciated a position with which no audiophile would agree.

if so, let people suggest that i turn in my audiophile society membership card and be barred from purchasing so called "high end" equipment.

I think I got it! Mrtennis, are you Sam Tellig from Stereophile magazine doing undercover research?

TROLL ALERT!!!!! this guy could very well be sam tellig. that guy used to post over in AA and he was one of the worst trolls i've ever run across.

i can deal with unprofessional. this guy was just out to cause trouble. (much like the thread-starter)

the beuaty of trolls? - ignore them and they go away.

you guys need a therapist. you are almost as bad as some manufacturers with big egos.

i'm not sam tellig and i'm sorry if i offended anyone.

Listen to diana krall. I know its only a placebo, but it arrives pretty nearly to the same end, and it may hold you oblivious until you can the right sort of player.

Here's an alternative suggestion: buy a bunch of old Jackie Gleason recordings in the "music for lovers" vein that he produced. If that stuff doesn't put you to sleep...

Mrtennis really Mr. Gillette? Nah -- Sam Tellig is funny. Hey, maybe he's really John McEnroe or Jimmy Connors...

I agree with Rwwear...get some Bose. I owned the 901's in the 70's...CD's sounded very bad for the most part back then, the Bose helped a lot because of their upper freq roll off.

You could mate them with a tubed cd player...maybe the one mentioned above, or the CAL you like.

Dave

Now *that's* funny -- a Bose recommendation from a guy who recalls listening to CD's back in the 70's ;^)

Try Vicodin ES or, better yet, morphine with a double-shot chaser. I guarantee ALL your music sources will sound better...

-RW-

Zaikesman

HeHe, I guess was off on the years...a long time ago anyway!

Dave

Dave: Off on the years -- but right on for giving Mrtennis the recommendation he surely deserves ;^)

Mrtennis your request for information on the worlds worst sounding CD player has been duly noted & you have many responses, including Zaikesmans to consider. Your sincerity is only surpassed by your boldness to even post such a thread. A Therapist? If the shoe fits, wear it.

Mrtennis, To give you the benefit of doubt, is your problem with your CDP that it causes your ears to hurt from the sound of your system? May I ask you your age?

Have your tried ferrite beads on the power cord of the CDP? On the ics from the CDP to the preamp?

What is the make-up of your system?

gentlemen:

what right does anyone have to question my sincerity ?

it is your opinion that i want the worst sound. perhaps, you are listening to the worst sound, and i want the best sound. it's all a matter of opinion.

i'm sorry you are all taking it so personally.

evryone has the right to statisfy his/her sonic preferences without being judged by others.

remember, those who question my sincerity may at some future time have their integrity or sincerity questioned.

look in the mirror before questioning anyone's sincerity.

watch out someone may put a pin in your big ego.

hi jea48:

i have tried ferrite beads, they do more harm than good. i am 64 years old. i have an all tube system with quad 63 speakers.

my preference runs toward a vvary dark and veiled sound. that is my taste.

i am really surprised so many people are reacting angrily, as if i have insulted them for prefrring a sound they don't liek and perhaps implying i am questioning their judgment as to the criteria ofr good sound.

if people just used logic and took my request literally at face value and tried to answer the question seriously with respect, i don't think we would be going back and forth on this.

an obvious answer to my question, which i am aware of is to use an equalizer and forget about the cd player.

i am surprised nobody has suggested that.

another answer/opinion would be that such a component does not exist as an amp, preamp, cd player or speaker.

i am slowly coming to that conclusion.

the reason for asking the question is the hope that i am wrong and there is a cd player that is consitent with my sonic preference, but i guess insecure audiophiles have their own agendas.

mrtennis,

Once, using CAL Audio's Delta and Alpha player, I used a Cardas Golden Cross interconnect as digital cable. That combo had one of the most veiled and syrupy sound I've heard yet from digital.

if people just used logic and took my request literally at face value

Members using logic and taking your words at face value is what got us here in the first place Mrtennis. Let's revisit some of those words for a moment, shall we?

"i like a dull, veiled, laid,back, boring sound capable of putting me to sleep. i hate treble and i don't like detail. i like subtractive coloration to such an extent that all recordings sound the same...veil the sound and cut off the highs. darkness and dullsville is my motto"

Followed up by this evergreen gem,

"what evidence do you have that i am insincere ?...is there anything i said which sounds like i don't mean what i say ??"

Uhh, only everything?

[if people] tried to answer the question seriously with respect, i don't think we would be going back and forth on this

If your post seemed either serious or respectful I might agree -- as it is, going back and forth appears to be what you wanted (it's called a troll, and yes I'm indulging you)

i am really surprised so many people are reacting angrily, as if i have insulted them

Doubt anybody's actually angry or insulted. But surprised you shouldn't be if you waste people's time

an obvious answer to my question, which i am aware of is to use an equalizer and forget about the cd player.

i am surprised nobody has suggested that.

Velo62 did just that in the fifth response (now you can be surprised)

another answer/opinion would be that such a component does not exist as an amp, preamp, cd player or speaker.

Hmm, ya think?

i am slowly coming to that conclusion.

At 64? That is slow.

the reason for asking the question is the hope that i am wrong and there is a cd player that is consitent with my sonic preference, but i guess insecure audiophiles have their own agendas

Well Mrtennis, when you have an agenda of 1 -- however secure -- you really can't expect an industry to cater to it

this can't be tellig....he loves everything.

You could try a fullrange driver loudspeaker some of the affordable models roll off highs a bit so you get more of the dark side in your sound.

thank you mr z. for yor analysis.

you assume on the basis of my original post that i wasn't serious and therefore insincere and waisting peoples time. when you assume... you know the rest.

in the future it would be wise not to assume anything. it is certainly a nicer way to behave as a human being.

since i can in no way be responsible for your behavior, i question why you are so rude ?

Mrtennis: Go back and reread my first post. If you were sincere, your seemingly highly satirical method of communicating it -- especially in light of your total lack of Audiogon history -- was completely out of whack. Sincere contributors, while they may joke around at times, aren't in the habit of posting threads that look for all the world like a troll. Personally, I'll stand by my very reasonable -- based on the evidence -- interpretation, and continue to think you might just be changing your tune now to wiggle out of a jam, or more likely still having your fun with a troll, until you acquire a track record around here to prove otherwise. It's nothing personal, just based on experience and what you wrote. I note I'm not the only one to take what you wrote the way I did. If I was wrong, I regret the misunderstanding, but don't feel I'm to blame for it. If you're not trying to have us on, then it's up to you not to come across like it.

thank you again mr. z for a thorough explanation.

ket me see if i understand the issue you raise.

i have indicated a desire to achieve a sonic presentation which lacks credibility with some individuals. i am allegedly desiring to attain the worst sound as phd staes and that position is not believable. it would then appear to some that i am disingenuous, or insincere in my request and have other agendas.

ok, you and others are entitled to your opinion.

you are implying that i am looking for a reaction and enjoying the result, so it seems.

if i say again that i dislike high frquencies and actually enjoy listening to a presentation devoid of clarity, will you now believe me or is such a position so unlikely that you still doubt the veracity of words.

my point is that in life one assumes innocent until proven otherwise.

you are assuming the opposite, i.e, accusing me and then saying the burdrn is on me to demonstrate the opposite.

i would hope a man of your education and intelligence, which by now i have great respect would take the opposite approach, namely, not a troll, or not an instigator, or not a churl until other facts are in.

as it stands now, i have gotten a few useful suggestions, accusations and the rest, sillyness.

just as you said, i don't take it seriously, audio is just a hobby.

i don't think that i am trying to extricate myself from a situation, because there is insufficient information to justify the attribute.

i bear no ill will to anyone.

you can see my other post which asks for information about cd players under construction which are not 24/192.

you made a valid point. will most likely not find the cd player of my dreams.

i may find one which does not irritate my ears, so if you have any constructive suggestions i would be glad to hear them.

my point is that in life one assumes innocent until proven otherwise

That's life (or really only the platonic ideal of the justice system) -- this is the internet. Also, on the internet as in life, one should try to be cognizant of the rules of the game if one does not want to feel cheated by the experience. But we all have to start somewhere with every new venture.

if you have any constructive suggestions i would be glad to hear them

If what you're claiming is literally true, then I would guess you should probably go to an ear doctor, get tested, and maybe get fitted for a set of custom-tailored in-ear filters to make life, or at least listening, tolerable.

Rather than change the source, your target would be a FR that dips at 3kHz & falls over 10kHz, with no midbass coupling b/ween the spkrs (i.e. minimise "dynamics).
What you want can easily be achieved with some room padding (1st reflections for sure) and bad spkr positioning (this will help compromise dynamics). Also, you may try padding the spkrs' tweet. Use a +5W, 8-10ohm resistor across the tweets. Proceed carefully!

OTOH, why on earth would you do that??

Maybe you could try down grading your cables since everyone knows cables are the most important part of the system, and change the sound more than anything else!~

I do understand what are you talking about. since day one of CD, i was thinking of them as sharp as hell medium. during the years every generation of CD players have better sharpness, resolution, details and so on, which makes them up until now pretty unlistenable and harsh. when I read reviews which have spoken about 'clear sound' of a certain CD player I know it is a signal to avoid such thing. CD's are too much clear in nature, so i don't understand why people even today are chasing clearer and more detailed sound. return of tubes is a sign of something is gone wrong with that sound.

well, i can tell how slow, soft, warm, boring, and rolled off sound has Audio Analogue Primo CD. it is 18-bit machine and it will not offend you in any way.

Mrtennis - Can you let us know what players are in the running in your quest for dullness? Yes, this is an unsual request. Good Luck.

Mr Tennis -

Do Try a Jolida CD Player. I have one. It is a very warm sounding player. Even moreso if you put a mair of Mullards in it. I would also try a Rega cd player, as they have a quite warm "house sound," which is strange to me, because their turntables are very different.

However - given your taste, I wonder why you are not an analog guy? A VPI table with a Koetsu or even Grado cartridge sounds right up your alley.

hi tubemiser:

i am considering a granite audio 657, a unison unico and someone suggested a jolida.

i'm beginning to realize that the best i can get, is a cd player that is balanced, without any undue emphasis upon any part of the frequency spectrum.

i am focusing on tubed cd players because there is a chance that finding a nos tube might create some subtractive coloration, especially with respect to high frequencies.

my experience at CES and Stereophile shows, tells me that 24/192 players with up sampling will only highlight the flaws of bad recordings.

most cd players today are 24/192, including the jolida, so i have to hope that the right tube can partially compensate for the high resolution of current cd players.

i also realize that most audiophiles like the high resolution format, so i ahev been criticized somewaht for taking a very unpopular position.

hopefully, as i explain myself and people get to hear some of my comments they will realize i not trying to a non conformist for its own sake.

Mr Tennis - The Jolida is actually 24/92.

Though to be honest, I don't think less "resolution" is the sound that you're looking for.

I think you are looking for a sound that is warm, with ample midbass and lowermidrange, and subdued upper frequencies that is as non offensive as possible.

The thing is - you can have this sound while still maintaining the resolution in the frequency spectrum EQ'd with equipment and room the way you want it.

More resolution means more "real," a step closer to what actual acoustic music performed in front of you right in front of you.

You sound like someone who needs a turntable.??? All of this will be moot, because there won't be any sampling or bits.

But anyway, to pursue your sound, start with any high quality, warmish cd player, and use the room and your speakers to tune to your sound. Fight that right preamp that sounds just right to you.

I would suggest draping blankets, of varying degrees of thickness, over your speakers until you reach the desired effect.

I'm glad to read some constructive posts aimed at helping out Mr. Tennis. I happen to know this person and can assure you he is sincere. BTW, he does own a very nice turntable with a Grado cartridge.