Recent content by Covenanter

You really have to listen to speakers before you buy! I have Kef R700s with my Marantz PM8005. I bought them in 2014 after lengthy auditioning and they are still going strong 11 years later. I mainly listen to classical music to which they bring great clarity. PS I am waiting, 11 years on...

Humming is usually a symptom of an "earth loop" (ground loop). You get an "earth loop" when one or more components aren't properly connected to the same earth. This can be just a loose wire or if the connections are soldered to a "dry joint" - a joint where the solder isn't electrically...

Listening is, I agree, the only way to judge any hifi component. However, A/B testing is susceptible to human foibles unless it is double blind. This is why all scientific tests are carried out double blind. You can't trust human perceptions! One of the key issues is "expectation bias". If...

My first degree was in Electronics, albeit that was before most people here were born (or even their parents were born :) ). In the 3rd year (1971) I took a module on "Communications Systems" and we studied the "Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem" which is the maths behind digital-analogue...

I suspect the differences people claim to hear are in direct proportion to the amount of money they have spent on their DAC. ;)

I'd be willing to bet that in a properly conducted double-blind trial nobody could tell the difference between any properly constructed DACs. :)

It's subjective!!! People don't like being told that what they experience isn't an accurate reflection of reality. Moreover, there is confirmation bias - people who have spent a small fortune on a piece of kit or indeed have "signed up" to a particular belief, hear what the expect to hear...

I've auditioned a number of CD player over the years. I've always bought Marantz. I've not heard the CD6007 but it gets excellent reviews and is in your price range. I don't think you can get wrong by buying it.

I agree to a certain extent. I mainly listen to classical music and a lot of it is recorded live or in a concert hall where a live performance would take place. Of course with classical you rarely get to hear the same performers live and on a recording. Nevertheless the best recordings are in...

I have the SA8005 and used to have the 6004. The SA8005 is a big step up in quality in my view. Mine is 10 years old now and is still producing great sounding music. (I mainly listen to classical music.) As for SADC versus CD, to be frank the difference is minimal.

It has always been my view that when you listen to equipment the judgement that you make should be on the basis of whether what comes out of the speakers is close to what you would hear at a live performance (taking into account listening conditions etc.). Hi-fi is short for high fidelity and...

There is no substitute for auditioning! People will tell you all type of things but it is all subjective. Get out there and listen. If it sounds good to you then it is good.

I didn't (bother replying). :)

Gesualdo "First Book of Madrigals" - Les Arts Florissants, Paul Agnew, Harmonia Mundi A real test of your hifi. If it can present 16th century polyphony in a believable form then you have a good hifi. Do the voices present clearly and separately? When you close your eyes can you imagine you...

I buy very few recording now as I mainly listen to classical music and I have one or more versions of everything I need. I couldn't be bothered with all the faff that does with vinyl and technically I know that vinyl comes with built in distortion (I'm not willing to argue about that. We did...