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What to do with bad recorded CDs

When I upgraded to Mcintosh and Accuphase - Kef speaker system, I am in heaven for the first time I started this hobby a decade ago.

I found my-self not even breathing, to capture every bit of nuance of the music... It was a great moment for me - and I am a professional musician. Rarely do I encounter such moments in live music !

Good Hifi can equal if not better live performance - for me.

But alas, heaven turned into he-- when I put on badly recorded materials. It revealed bad CDs to the point of me wanting to throw them away.

What do audiophiles do about that ? Go back to a lesser system to play these ? Or should I throw away great portion of my collection ?
gonglee3
mapman's avatar
mapman
15,679 posts
 
I added a Pangea AC14SE power cord for my DAC recently.

The biggest difference I seem to notice with this is that my worst loudness wars CDs that had some edge to them prior are no longer fatiguing to listen to. A good example is Accelerate by REM and Death Magnetic by Metallica.

This cord is designed for use in source and line level gear to reduce noise and distortion, and I think that is what I am hearing overall and is most noticeable with the edgiest CDs I own that now seem to be more pleasant.

SO yeah, if you still do not know what to do with your bad recordings, seriously, send them to me. I might be able to wean some enjoyment out of them. :^)
gonglee3 OP
289 posts
 
Beewax, you gave a brilliant suggestion - why didn't I think of that ? The wind and engine noise + speakers no in a proper enclosure all adds up to an idealistic condition for music listening - so I might as well listen there...

Thanks for the idea !

Mapman - you have a good sense of humor - I wish you lived near so we can hang around - like most people, I love a good sense of humor...
ptss
1,649 posts
 
I wouldn't throw them out. You haven't heard all them at their best yet! It's great you're enjoying your excellent system--but there is more!! First question--do you have a "phase reverse" switch on your preamp - and if so have you experimented with it? The better your system the more difference correct phase makes. It can definitely be the difference between poor versus involving sound.. There's more... hang on to your discs
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
2,850 posts
 
Get a VCR tape demagnetizer from Radio Shack. Demag your CDs after using any cleaning fluid. This makes CDs sound more analog. It reduces grain and glare. If that doesn't work, then toss them into your "trade box." and when full, take them down to your local used record store and trade them in for store credit. Then hit that store's record bins and pick up some great vinyl.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
Agree with Oregon Papa, degaussing is a good idea, so is ionizing the CD, so is degaussing the interconnects. In fact, can I say that almost all CDs are well recorded, it's just that there are a great number of problems in the playing of the CDs that make it appear the CDs suck. I have gone on record for many years saying that out of the box CDs by and large sound thin, unnatural, tizzy, boomy, threadbare, congealed, airless, unfocused, very distorted, two dimensional, boring and amateurish.
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