2. misc-audio
  3. 1237138105

Trade offs?

As I have improved my system the quality of the CD recordings has become more and more obvious; unfortunately poor quality and harsh sounding discs seem to bother me more as the reproduction becomes clearer.
Having recently started using Ultrabit Platinum I find it sustantially improves the sound of better recordings but also reveals the harsness in poor recordings.
This all gets me wondering,on this quiet Sunday morning, if perhaps I'm reaching the end of the line on further upgrades to my Spectral/MIT based system?
For example will a better CD player simply reveal that the quality of the recordings are already the limiting factor in my enjoyment, better Cd players won't provide more enjoyment?
psacanli
dfwmediagroup
45 posts
 
Get a quality turntable, stylus and phono stage. You won't like the CD's after listening to it.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Get a quality turntable, stylus and phono stage. You
won't like the CD's after listening to it.
Dfwmediagroup (Threads | Answers)

Let's look at the reality. Is someone supposed to jettison their digital source
and hundreds or thousands of CDs, and buy an analog front end and also re-
buy all their music on vinyl?

Of course not. Anyone other than someone financially independent without
any personal fiscal responsibility would replace their entire CD collection with
records. And please don't come back with the nonsensical "If they cared
about music they would" reply. Music lovers are not divided between
those with digital sources and those with analog sources.

There are as many badly recorded LPs as there are badly recorded CDs, and a
resolving analog front end will reveal it just as will a resolving digital front
end.

Let's try to provide advice within reasonable parameters that are workable by
the original poster.
sns
653 posts
 
Thank you Tvad! Psacanli, there is absolutely no reason to give up on digital sound, you just need to find the proper synergy.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
03-15-09: Tvad
Anyone other than someone financially independent without
any personal fiscal responsibility would replace their entire CD collection with
records.

"Anyone" should be replaced with "No one" in this sentence.

Sns, after reading your post (and Aball's post), I have to agree with you. I have also noticed my system going from highly resolving and exposing all warts, to highly resolving with less grain and less harshness.

However, in my case, phase two has come with a substantially higher investment in components. Is that your case, as well?

The higher cost (from my experience), is why I suggested going in reverse to a less resolving system, which could make more CDs sound listenable while also not breaking the bank.
sns
653 posts
 
Tvad, refinement for me has come with parts upgrades. Duelund, Jantzen and VH Audio V-Cap capacitors have made all the difference. Vishay nude resistors are nice as well. Power supply mods are the latest upgrades.

This kind of refinement doesn't have to cost a lot, DIY saves a whole lot. Parts upgrades also allow for a multitude of voicing adjustments, much greater than cables and various isolation schemes, even some wholesale equipment changes IME.

I can't believe how few modders are out there, equipment recycling is relatively boring, endless and costly, I'm done with it.
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