Critiques of Equipment


As I do some homework regarding CD & DVD players it continues to bug me that folks praise or slam, specific units without declaring whether they are using the DAC in the player (and analog pass through on the their pre/pro's) or using them as a transport (connecting through the coax).

I'm assuming the music will sound different, especially since most of the arguments here are over incremental changes in sound anyway.

Additionally, whether you believe in synergy or not, associated equipment groupings have an effect too.

My sense is there is very little "blind" side-by-side analysis that is done. Yet... there is no shortage of authoritative commentary!
quicke
Newbee, I do agree with you,you are so right.I do read
your post, and I do learn from them.
The term I'm eliminating from by audiophile decscriptive vocabulary is: "best" I've used the term and, although it is one my tympanics relate to, it is not user friendly when someone has the cdp that I'm saying my "cdp is better than." The word I use now is: "preferred" User friendly, and real. We're all a bunch of audiophools trying to get the sound we love (prefer) for the $$ we're comfortable spending or our wives (significant others) allow us...peace, warren
Quick correction. I never heard the IPod/Wilson combo. I believe it was in something written by Robert Harley. If memory serves me correctly, he said it was one of the best sounding set-ups at the show and it was a shocker when the IPod was revealed.
Hey Warren - Good attempt at the P.C. audiophool vocabulary. Unfortunately
you'll probably get get folks misusing your fine suggestions in ways such as
this:

"We (that is me, my entire family, all my audiophile friends, and
everyone else who's been blessed with hearing our rig) PREFERRED the sound
of the Zandocker-Modified Audio Integrity Supreme Righteousness above any
other front end we've ever heard, including vinyl rigs costing eight times the
price of the ZAISR! We cannot conceive of the sad and sorry monkey-assed
boob who might think otherwise after hearing the ZAISR and would possibly
PREFER any other front-end component. The ZAISR changed our lives and
brought happiness and prosperity in its wake, as we've no doubt it may
bestow upon those enlightened audiophiles who are able to discriminate
between, say, sh!t and shinola. So profound is our PREFERENCE for this front
end over all other front-ends that we are making it our personal mission to
illuminate the audiophile community with the virtues of this god-sent front-
end that we so PREFER. To that end we've establised the First Unitarian
Church of Zandocker right here in Ottumwa, Iowa, where others who've been
as blessed as we may come and worship and go out to spread the word
among the heathen who have yet to hear the good words I am sharing with all
of you here. Praise Zandocker!"

Marco