i want a dull, caramel colored cd player any ideas

Mrtennis, To give you the benefit of doubt, is your problem with your CDP that it causes your ears to hurt from the sound of your system? May I ask you your age?

Have your tried ferrite beads on the power cord of the CDP? On the ics from the CDP to the preamp?

What is the make-up of your system?

Mrtennis,
you did not mention the preamp you are using, I assume tubes. Here is where I would start with the Mullard NOS tubes first. The Mullards will roll of the highs slightly. bass will be a little loose. Midrange lush and sweet.

Up until about three years ago I was using an Audio Research LS3 SS preamp with a Audio Research VT50 tube amp. I have hundreds of early CDs (late 80s early 90s) that just set in the rack. Sound quality was either harsh or bright sounding. At a moderate volume level listener fatique would come quicky after just listening to a couple of tracks. The ARC LS3 is a great SS preamp, problem is it will pass the source material straight through without adding anything or taking anything away. In other words, good in good out... Bad in bad out....

I tried different ics. Tried ferrite beads on the power cords of the CDP and preamp. I even tried an equalizer, didn't like that either. So I just quit listening to badly sounding CDs....

Then about three years ago my Son brought over a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Hybrid preamp for me to listen to. The unit uses a single 12AT7 tube. Two tubes came with the unit one Sovtek and one NOS Mullard. With the Sovtek installed the sound from my system, the preamp pretty much sounded like a SS preamp. Good CDs still sounded good. Bad CDs still sounded bad to me. Pulled the Sovtek and installed the Mullard tube. Right out of the gate I could hear a big difference. Highs were rolled off a tag, bass not quite as tight, midrange, warm, lush, wet. Old CDs, well, they did not sound great but listenable, not bad at all.

About two years ago I move onto a Sonic Frontiers Line One preamp. I have never tried Mullard tubes in the Line One. I do have a few pairs of the early 60s NOS Siemens CCa tubes, great tube but very pricey today. Also a few NOS pairs of Amperex USA PQ white label 6922 tubes, also a great sounding tube. At the present time I am running the PQs in my preamp.
As for the ARC VT50 I am using all EH tubes.

Here is a link to check out,
http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/d.pl?audio/faq/joes-tubes.html
Jim

>>"BTW, he does own a very nice turntable with a Grado cartridge."<<
[Reb1208]
>>>>>>>>>

Well, imho, that would rule out my suggestion of using Mullard tubes in his preamp. The combo of the warm sounding Grado cart and the Mullard tubes would be so soothing he might fall asleep.....

Still might be worth the effort to try the Mullard tube in his CDP.
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Mrtennis, the reason I asked your age was because of what I perceived you were trying to say in your thread. I am glad to hear I am not the only one out there who finds harsh bright high pitch sounds hurts my ears. I guess it is all part of the aging process.
Jim

i like a dull, veiled, laid,back, boring sound capable of putting me to sleep. i hate treble and i don't like detail. i like subtractive coloration to such an extent that all recordings sound the same. you can talk about detail, neutrality all day long.
if you don't tap your foot, it doesn't matter.

Mrtennis (Threads | Answers)
04-10-06
>>>>>>>>>

And here I thought you were just confused in your terminology of words. All the while you were using us for some background work you are doing. Shame on you!

Tvad, take a deep breath........ Mrtennis is trying to push your buttons.
Just remember if this thread gets nasty the moderator will simply press delete and it will be all gone...... I personally think this thread should survive and be left in the archives for all to read.