Quad cog rot

[Filterlab]

Equal qualitatively, but a different presentation.

[Filterlab]

Oh, and I love Orwell's work.

[Marco]

Ash - interesting post. Let's break it down a bit...

I realise that it's a controversial statement to fanatics like you lot

LOL. Fanatic? I guess that I could be described as such by 'normal' people who buy all-in-one systems from Dixons, and the like, but not by the standards set here and on other specialist audio forums populated by similar enthusiasts, and also most importantly by many of my friends in real life. I see myself as an 'enthusiast' (one with purist audio principles) rather than a "fanatic".

However, that doesn't mean I don't rate what new technology such as computer audio can do. I've heard some excellent set-ups and fully intend to integrate computer audio into my system in the very near future, probably with the purchase of a media player, as I want to be able to stream music from the internet via my laptop and also watch movies on DVD in conjunction with a projector/screen set-up. But I will still keep my very nice Sony CD player - mainly because it's a classic and CD players are no longer made like it, but also because it sounds bloody amazing!

but a Shuffle costs £32 and sounds as good as the best CD players

Depends what you mean by "best" CD players. It would frankly be a joke comparing it to my modified Sony or other players of that ilk. It might be as good as some of the mass-market machines up to £1k, though.

I have the advantage over you lot

You lot? I'll "you lot" you!

The CD67 was a good player, there are worse now, but a Shuffle will be better. Trust me, computers (Apple ones) are the future of hi fi and it'll be better for it.

What was the CD67 - an AVI machine? I've not heard it, so can't comment.

I don't doubt you're right about the future of hi-fi and the role of computers within it, as far as the mass-market is concerned and also a significant percentage of audiophiles looking for fantastic sound quality and convenience, too (count me in!)

However there will always be a specialist market for enthusiast products, such as valve amplifiers and vinyl, which is something as an enthusiast and purist I will always embrace together with the undoubted benefits of the computer route.

I can say without a shadow of a doubt, though, that the best sound I've ever heard in my system is with top-notch vinyl pressings through my turntable and a really good valve amp. As such, I am looking into the valve power amp situation to find a suitable partner for my Croft valve preamp, which will be hand-built to my specifications. There's no doubt in my mind that embracing both the old and the new in a system is the key to musical nirvana. Absolutist approaches in one or the other create compromises that I personally could not live with.

Marco.

[Filterlab]

What was the CD67 - an AVI machine? I've not heard it, so can't comment...

I think he means the Quad CD67 which is the subject of this thread (which has gone a long way off topic).

[Marco]

Ah yes, silly me, I forgot all about the original thread topic, such was the entertainment value of the ensuing contretempts!

If the CD67 is that little Quad CDP that costs about £1k, I've heard it before. It's ok, but hardly state-of-the art.

I get the feeling that the ADM9 set-up Ashley is promoting is not really aimed at the most discerning listeners or real enthusiasts looking for the ultimate in performance. I would only consider it for a second system, perhaps in a bedroom or dining room.

That's not to denigrate AVI's product in any way but it would certainly not replace what I'm used to listening to. These people that Ashley is referring to who have given up £40k systems to buy an ADM9 set-up - all I can say is that those systems must have been badly put together and full of underperforming components (or maybe they just wanted to downsize) because as good as the ADM9 computer set-up is at its price point it would not outperform any £40k 'conventional' system that I or anyone else with similar audio experience put together..!

Marco.

[Filterlab]

Ah yes, silly me, I forgot all about the original thread topic, such was the entertainment value of the ensuing contretempts!

Yes, I feel we've strayed somewhat from the original topic.

[Marco]

Indeed, but sometimes a bit of thread drift doesn't do any harm!

Marco.

[Filterlab]

Very true my friend, gets folk talking anyway.

[Nick]

I realise that it's a controversial statement to fanatics like you lot but a Shuffle costs £32 and sounds as good as the best CD players, so it'd be worth trying and reporting back to the Forum. I've got one and an older iPod too, I use an Apple TV as my source in the TV room and an Airport Express in the sitting room that I stream to from my Macbook Pro.

I have the advantage over you lot of having heard and compared manufacturers dem DAC boards, so know how good CD can sound. The CD67 was a good player, there are worse now, but a Shuffle will be better. Trust me, computers (Apple ones) are the future of hi fi and it'll be better for it.
Ashley

Pound for pound the iPod is undoubtedly a fine value. Comparing it to the world's best CD players is frankly extending the realms of believability a little IMO. Have you compared for instance the Shuffle to a Wadia 861 ??

I will nail my colours to the mast and state I'm an Apple user and fan myself. But let's face it Apple aren't going to be the future of computers let alone hi-fi for quite a while.

At this point I'm more than happy to sit back and see how things pan out in this arena. I feel however that where ever it goes we will still end up with two different streams and solutions for music replay. On the one hand the "average" user who will still trot into Dixons for the latest one box solution (not an Apple in most cases I would dare to venture) and the audio guys who, I feel, will still strive for the best sound via mix and match systems.

I'm a relative newcomer to this forum but I do detect a little bit of self hype in some of your replys. In this particular case totally straying from the original and very specific question in order to preach the "new way" which coincidentally is the way your company is heading. I don't find that kind of thing that cool personally.

[Marco]

If the CD67 is that little Quad CDP that costs about £1k, I've heard it before.

Doing some research, I see that it's not. The CD67 is a classic and looks pretty decent, actually. I was referring to the Quad 99 CDP-2, which is good but nothing special.

Marco.