Silky and soft highs II: CD reference tests


I've been in some interesting discussions here recently regarding high end CD players and have heard a couple at dealers recently, including the DCS Puccini which certainly has to be considered one of the best.

I currently own a very modest Denon player/recorder that is sounding the best of any player I've ever owned in my current system at present.

The flaw that I have heard most frequently in CD players over the years that I notice and bothers me when I hear it is what I think is commonly referred to as graininess, often recognizable as sibilance in the high end. I hear it most easily when present in long drawn out violin notes at a certain pitch, for example, possibly a result of jitter in the analog signal due to clock or other issues in recreating high frequencies from the digital stream correctly in the analog waveform. I suspect better CD players do a better job in general of avoiding or perhaps even masking this somehow if in fact it is inherent in the CD formats limitations.

I'd like to know if anyone can suggest a CD recording I might own that I might use as a test for how well my player handles this? Also any info regarding what to listen for to determine sound quality would be appreciated.

General discussion of this topic is also welcome.

Thanks.
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xmapman
Dc,

I'm wondering if some of the enhancement tricks played with digital processing of lesser digital source material can be introduced via separate digital signal processing devices of some sort as opposed to having to change out the entire player to achieve much of the benefit?

I think the big attraction that caught my ears way back when with some of the original digital recordings on vinyl (and CDs once they came out), like those on TelArc,was the large dynamic range encoded. I think I have a few TElArc lps around still...I'll have to give another listen.
Mapman, people are doing things, like adding tubes, to try to enhance "digital sound", but I haven't heard anything like taht that works yet. For now, I think you'll only get it with a high-end DAC.

Dave
I've been doing some critical listening this afternoon with a variety of CDs and vinyl.

I've reached the conclusion that Jaybo was right. The issues when they occur are mainly in the recordings.

Jaybo, you the man!