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Best CDs

I'm new to Audiogon, and know the depth and breadth of the knowledge and experience of the people who post on the Forum, so I apologize for this amateur question.  I'm strictly digital.  I've just upgraded my system with an OPPO 205, Krell Theater 7WD, Krell Foundation 4K, and B & W 804s, 805s, and center speaker.  I've played some CDs (old collection), and they sound awful.  Is there a good brand or brands of CD and/or source that I can rely on for future purchases, or is it more complicated than that.
daj2832
n80
1,227 posts
 
I generally not pursue rare or special CDs. Not that I wouldn’t but just haven’t needed to.

I start at the dr.loudness-war web site:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/

This is a database of all types of media that gives dynamic range measurements by track, album average, low and high.

It is my opinion that if the dynamic range is compressed too much then it doesn’t much matter what’s on the CD or how well it was engineered otherwise. Some may disagree but I think you have to start with dynamic range.

Once you find the best CD on that site in terms of dynamic range then you can go to eBay (or where ever else) and search. You use catalog numbers, dates or bar code numbers to identify the specific CD. I do not recommend Amazon because the CD identifying info is rarely included.

I’ve had excellent success doing this. And CDs on eBay are cheap.

Also, almost all CDs produced lately have awful dynamic range.

Finally, beware of "remastered" CDs. I have found that they are usually worse than the originals and almost always more compressed.
daj2832 OP
1 posts
 
If OPO is not the way to go, is there a CD/DAC combo that would be better for the system that I have?
mental
1,029 posts
 
The OPPO 205 has a digital coax out and your Krell Foundation 4K has digital coax in, are you running it that way? If not definitely give it a try. Not to take away from OPPO but they are not very musical IMHO, blu-ray players were designed for video. I prefer a designated CDP.
milpai's avatar
milpai
1,341 posts
 
@n80,Excellent suggestion!I use that site to search the CDs.
phil9624
84 posts
 
+1 on the comments on the Oppo.  I fail to understand why so many on this forum bought these for audio for $$$.  I have Oppp 105 and also a Cambridge CXU, use for video ss systems.

I play CD's using a transport and running an Audioquest digital cable (Coffee RCA) into a Cambridge 851N.  The 851N is an upsampling player to 384KZ. I also play HD Tracks through this player and the CD's can sound amazing.

The best CD's out there IMO are SHM from Japan, followed by Blu-spec CD2 (also Japanese) followed by MFSL gold.  The very best CD's I have are a couple of Platinum SHM of early Steely Dan.
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