Made me laugh

[daytona600]

Virtually all the top CD players use the same philips / stream CDpro transports just with better PSU & outputs
transports do make a difference with correctly matched Dac
Sacd models from Metronome & DCS essentially use the same Denon/Marantz transport for Sacd reply older models used Esoteric CEC from japan use a belt driven CD transport

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Let's have a blind test and compare it to a Philips CD850 mkII.

are you saying that cd transport and dac technology has not improved since the philips player you mention ?

 

[TrevC]

are you saying that cd transport and dac technology has not improved since the philips player you mention ?

I don't believe I actually said that, no. I doubted anyone could hear a difference in sound between the Philips and that grotesque heap above. The transport in the Philips is top notch. Never ever jumps or skips even on discs that are severely marked. The Philips swinging arm laser assembly has been used in any number of very expensive CD players.

 

[Gray]

are you saying that cd transport and dac technology has not improved since the philips player you mention ?

There are people now, actively seeking out older Philips models in particular because they prefer the sound.

I bought my excellent Marantz CD6000KI new for £300. The Metronome subject of this thread is 53 times more expensive........would it be even 5 times better? No chance.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Not that you could actually define what 5x better sound actually was though - and of course returns diminish. My experience has been that sometimes what might seem like small differences to the casual listener actually make a large difference to me as a 'serious' listener.

 

[TrevC]

Of course in hifi spending more money doesn't necessarily mean better sound at all. Interconnects and mains stuff, no difference in sound quality. The CD player we are discussing is probably another example.

 

[Gray]

My experience has been that sometimes what might seem like small differences to the casual listener actually make a large difference to me as a 'serious' listener.

No more serious than me I can assure you. I never do background music, read books, write posts or anything else. When I listen, I listen.
If I were a casual listener, I wouldn't own a hi-fi.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

No more serious than me I can assure you. I never do background music, read books, write posts or anything else. When I listen, I listen.
If I were a casual listener, I wouldn't own a hi-fi.

I wasn't meaning to imply that you weren't, Gray - merely that most people aren't.

I stand by the point though - that quantifying how much better something sounds and trying to put a price on it is (if not impossible) then extremely difficult.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Of course in hifi spending more money doesn't necessarily mean better sound at all. Interconnects and mains stuff, no difference in sound quality. The CD player we are discussing is probably another example.

where would you say the "sweet spot" is then, regarding cost and performance, when buying a modern (circa 2020) cd player then ?

i understand its a bit of a needle in a hack stack type question but would 1k on a modern machine deliver, say, 90% performance of the cost no object dcs or esoteric multi box set ups ?

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Not that you could actually define what 5x better sound actually was though - and of course returns diminish. My experience has been that sometimes what might seem like small differences to the casual listener actually make a large difference to me as a 'serious' listener.

+1.

 

[Gray]

I wasn't meaning to imply that you weren't, Gray

No, I know you weren't
Neither do I think that 'serious' listeners are superior. After all, casual listeners rarely sit picking things apart, thinking about the aspects of the sound that could be improved.......and there's no doubt they often achieve more musical satisfaction than many of those types willing to spend 16k on a CDP.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Just for the sake of clarity, I wasn't suggesting that either - though I do find it baffling that people who love music can be happy with a bluetooth speaker and their phone. I have friends who see far more live music than me and who are always listening out for something new, but I don't believe that they engage with music on the emotional level that I do. No way of knowing that for sure obviously, but they are people I know very well indeed and it's a feeling I get strongly.

Maybe it's a bit like people who appreciate wine and food - who may feel superior to those who just eat what they fancy, don't think much about it and are perfectly happy that way. I am not a connoisseur in that way - very far from it!

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Of course in hifi spending more money doesn't necessarily mean better sound at all. Interconnects and mains stuff, no difference in sound quality. The CD player we are discussing is probably another example.

interconnects make no difference in sound quality ?!
fluteboy thought so too until he tried these cables...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vofDCIrY6-k

 

[Al ears]

Interconnects make no difference?
Try telling that to someone who has rigged up a system without any....
The English language is a wonderful thing....

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Interconnects make no difference?
Try telling that to someone who has rigged up a system without any....
The English language is a wonderful thing....

thanks for pointing that out - have corrected it !

 

[TrevC]

interconnects make no difference in sound quality ?!
fluteboy thought so too until he tried these cables...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vofDCIrY6-k

Well of course they don't. An interconnect used at line level is an entirely non-critical application for a 1 metre length of screened wire. Twisting it any way you like and spending a ludicrous amount of money on it can only enhance the placebo effect, the signal won't be altered.

 

[rainsoothe]

Well of course they don't. An interconnect used at line level is an entirely non-critical application for a 1 metre length of screened wire. Twisting it any way you like and spending a ludicrous amount of money on it can only enhance the placebo effect, the signal won't be altered.

Again: if you're deaf.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Well of course they don't. An interconnect used at line level is an entirely non-critical application for a 1 metre length of screened wire. Twisting it any way you like and spending a ludicrous amount of money on it can only enhance the placebo effect, the signal won't be altered.

but fluteboy didn't spend anything on this cable as it was given to him !

this is what he thought in a previous video he posted on interconnects :-

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nBz7ll6opQ

 

[Al ears]

Again: if you're deaf.

Tell that to anyone connecting a digital source without a proper75 or 110 ohm interconnect

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Tell that to anyone connecting a digital source without a proper75 or 110 ohm interconnect

may i ask what cables you use al ears ?
(not present in your system equipment list !)

 

[Al ears]

may i ask what cables you use al ears ?
(not present in your system equipment list !)

No you may not as this isn't going to become another cable thread for the usual trolls.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

No you may not as this isn't going to become another cable thread for the usual trolls.

you could always ignore the trolls !

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

but fluteboy didn't spend anything on this cable as it was given to him !

this is what he thought in a previous video he posted on interconnects :-

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nBz7ll6opQ

I got about thirty seconds in and could go no further - he sounds like someone who isn't likely to be fighting off the opposite sex ...

 

[Deleted member 188516]

I got about thirty seconds in and could go no further - he sounds like someone who isn't likely to be fighting off the opposite sex ...

i believe hes a married man !
(the wife is mentioned in his loudspeaker review video)

he basically explains that this interconnect has changed his long held view that they make no difference to a systems performance...

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Well, he says he's married...