Mlsstl,
Jitter only occurs during the actual decoding step, when the digital is transferred to analog. Until then, it is just another data file and you can move it around all you want. (It was certainly transferred multiple times on hard drives at the studio and production plant prior to becoming a CD.)
So, in your opinion, $19.95 Pioneer universal player transport (for example) and $6000 Esoteric VRDS-NEO transport jitter is the same? It is just another data file you can move around? Bits are bits? :-) Please keep in mind that the above mentioned transports are both spinning CD at x4 while filling-up SDRAM, so the laser can go and re-read any missing info if needed. But somehow, those two example transports sound completely different, while both pumping "bit perfect", "jitter-free" and "error-free" data to the digital output. Interesting!
The only issue with a poor drive would be a read error, but that is not jitter. Read errors on CD are mainly an issue only if the CD is damaged or defective. Read errors on a disc in good condition are fairly rare (or no computer program would ever install and run.)
Sure, you are perfectly right about that; even a boombox CD drive doesn't come up with any errors if the CD is clean. But how does it sound?
Most computer drives will read a disc multiple times to get rid of errors. Many CD players differ from computers in they only get one shot to read a disc correctly since the data is delivered in real time.
While you are correct when it comes to some rare old "classic" CD drives, most of the current disc-spinning transports found even in the cheapest universal players, spin the CD at higher speed, buffer data in memory making possible the so called RUR (read until right). But even a "classic" CD player features 512K FIFO memory; otherwise it will not be able to correct errors.
In conclusion, even the most expensive CD/DVD-ROM drive will not give you audiophile sound quality. Not to talk about the million hear-thin traces on a computer mother board, various controllers, HDDs, memory, interfaces, switching mode power supplies, jittery clocks, bunch of PLLs, etc., etc., etc. Each of those inevitably inducing....what?....jitter and noise.
Sadly, Kijanki is right; who cares about the best? Just keep bringing those high-rez MP3s. :-)
Just my 2 cents, as usual.
Best,
Alex Peychev
www.aplhifi.com
