2. digital
  3. 1092346290

Why is Sony Digital sound more like vinyl?

I have had Levinson, BAT, ARC, Wadia, Meridian, Denon etc...players..and the top ones, yet when I purchased a Sony scd-XA777Es I was touched in a way none of the others could! The one thing in common with the other gear was Burr Brown DAC's. Also, I have come to believe that RCA (single ended)connections are more musical. Most of my gear has been balanced...when I went all single ended...ah!!!...music like when audio was new!! Lastly, I have found that if CD playback levels on a preamp rise quikly with low volume settings...musicality and low level detail is lost. Perhaps others out there in Audiogon land have pondered my musings...or maybe I've got way to much time on my hands!!
dave_b

Showing 2 responses by aroc

aroc
760 posts
 
but piano is hard sounding. it's a percussive instrument. little hammers hitting little strings.
aroc
760 posts
 
I only have a lowly sony, the scd-xe670, the single-disc version of the ($400 list/$200 street) scd-ce775 sacd/cd carousel. I've read that most of the sony's share the same "house sound." My impressions echo those of Jdaniel. I found mine "OK" over all.

It is laid back, sort of recessed and muddy. It's most noticable on redbook CDs of classical music. Much so much so on other types of music - acoustic and electronic - IMO. And especially when A/B'ing it again my EVS Millennium DAC or Panasonic RP82 DVDA player. Truth be told, except for classical SACDs, I much prefer listening to redbook on EVS or the panasonic. The bass on the Sony (xe670) is also softer and less tuneful and taunt that compared to my other players.

But given the (what I'm calling) Sony house sound,I could see how someone could prefer it and call it more like vinyl. It's just too recessed and colored (muddy?) for me. Again this was the Xe670, I'm not sure how much of this extrapolates to it's bigger ES brethern. YMMV. My $0.02
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