Ive got me the Digital Nasties


Not counting buying a turntable or going SACD, what tips , tweaks or products have you had success with , that lessens the harshness of the cd format? Thanks!
darrylhifi
Cleaning up AC power definitely helped my problems in that regard. The JPS Digital AC cord is one popluar remedy here on the 'Gon, in the filtered AC cord area. An AC power input balancing transformer or other line conditioning has reportedly been successfully implemented (although I did not require them - just the filtered cord).
RF stoppers on the output interconnects may be a useful troubleshooting tool, but should not be left installed permanently (they excessively round off the HF's & transients). Ferrite filtering ring &/or Highwire Powerwrap on the AC cord may do well for you however.
I also realized improvement with Nordost Pulsar Points placed in between the CDP's baseplate & whatever type of shelf that you're using (if any). In my case that would be a Zoethecus Z-Slab, (Mapleshade or Black Diamond are some other popular shelf options). But you'll need to experiment in order to to determine what works best with your own unique combination of player, cabling, & equipment rack in any case.

Darryl --

What is your set-up, how long have you had it, and
what sort of digital nasties are you experiencing?

A few weeks ago, I added Krell FPB 350 MCX monos
to my system and started experiencing some harsh-ness in the high end.

I've done a few things and it has largely disappeared.

I ran my Krells non-stop for a few days, started leaving
them on all the time, never turning them off. I bought
them used so I thought they were broken in, but they
are still improving.

My speakers have two upper and two lower binding
posts. I was plugging my speaker cables into the
top posts, but I switched to the bottoms.

I towed my speakers in a few inches.

I added a Blue Circle Noise Hound to the circuit
to which my CD player and pre-amp are connected.

Not sure which of these caused the most improvement, but the harshness is gone and the system is sounding great.

Hifirush, hope you're not using the Blu-Tack anywhere near heat. Mine turned to blue goo, still trying to get rid of it.
Audio Alchemy DTI 2.0 or higher coupled with a Micromega dac. MIT 330 or PC squared or Harmonic Tech cables.
I'll chime in with my story too. First I had my CDP modified w/Blackgates & Schottkys & after many PC's settled on a TG Audio 688. Also using Luminous Audio Synchestra Sigs (XLR) and Herbie's footers. Sounds excellent to me & anybody else who's had a listen.

Also have dedicated lines & Porter ports, so hopefully everything connected with the CDP is just allowing the signal to get through w/o additions/restrictions. Of course that's not really possible but if you surround your CDP with the best ancillary equipment (for your ears) then you should be able to extract what your CDP is capable of. If it's still harsh, try another CDP. Oh, mine is a Meridian 508.20. Not the most expensive nor the least but able to do a fine job with the right combination of gear.