Differences between the best 5 Star Ipod Dock and best 5 Star CD Player?

[ontheline]

I have just bought a b&w zeppellin air which got a 5 star review, i do think the sound quality is great however what is the differences between a £500 Ipod Dock and a CD Player costing £3,000 upwards also with a 5 star review. I can't see how on audio terms only that a CD Player worth thousands of pounds can sound that much better than my Ipod Zeppellin Air. Can someone list the main diffrences betwwen a zeppellin air for example and a 4 figure sum 5 star CD Player?

 

[relocated]

I have just bought a b&w zeppellin air which got a 5 star review, i do think the sound quality is great however what is the differences between a £500 Ipod Dock and a CD Player costing £3,000 upwards also with a 5 star review. I can't see how on audio terms only that a CD Player worth thousands of pounds can sound that much better than my Ipod Zeppellin Air. Can someone list the main diffrences betwwen a zeppellin air for example and a 4 figure sum 5 star CD Player?

The thing is that you can't hear anything from a cd player. Not without other boxes of tricks [or headphones], most notably speakers, that give you 'the sound'. The 'sound'of a cd player is all in the dac and if dacs are implemented properly they should all sound similar. Music delivery is moving on, even if a large number of äudiophools" cling the beliefs and sham of old.

If you enjoy the sound of your Zeppelin, then that is all that counts.

 

[bigboss]

You're comparing apples with oranges. For a start, a CD player does not have any amplification or speakers built in. It can play CDs, which your Zeppelin cannot. Your Zeppelin can play music off your iPod, which the CD player cannot. Both cater to very different needs.

 

[Al ears]

bigboss is correct with his apples and oranges analogy but there is one small correction to make. Some CD players will play music from an iPod.

However, that's really beside the point.

 

[Jota180]

I think the rating they give are relative in certain respects. Giving 5 stars to a £200 CD player doesn't mean they rate it better or that it sounds better than 4 stars for a 5 grand CD player. Price comes into it as does class of product.

So if they made a toothbrush that played music as you brushed and it sounded good (for a toothbrush) they might chuck a few stars at it but if you got that sound from a CD player the player would owe What HIFI some stars.

 

[MajorFubar]

^^^WHS not only are you comparing apples and oranges you're looking at products at exponentially different prices. The star-rating system shows how well a product compares against its peers at the same price.

 

[ontheline]

ok thanks for your replys, good points.

comparing apples with oranges...your funny.LOL