All CD players sound the same........

[Gordon Steadman]

.....not:eyebrows:

A 'friend' very kindly gave me a Sony AV amplifier, five channels, DVD/CD player and radio included, five little cube speakers and a sub-woofer.

I plugged it all together and sat down to listen. Had to listen as I have no TV. 'Friend' knows this!!:mental:

Threw away the speakers. Plugged the amp/player into one of the spare systems just as a CD player and sat once again to listen. And sat.....boring..........thin........no bass......crap.

Just to check, inserted the Marantz and sat and listened for some time. Rather good actually.

Is this really what folk listen to? I know the attention might be on the screen but blurry 'ell. I know one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and all that but even with ears full of woodshavings, I couldn't sit and enjoy this sort of rubbish. Not surprised that hi-fi is a minority sport if people think it sounds like this. Its advertised as HiFi but it sure as hell ain't:doh:

[bobbasrah]

I'm guessing that the Marantz is a CD player, and if so the answer to the subject is probably, all IMHO.
However, the DAC inside the player is a different matter entirely, although some report sonic differences due to the mechanism, DAC family type, tranny size, etc, etc., and don't mention the mains...
Gave up years ago on the CD player and DVD players when I found I could get better from a nicely set up computer and DAC, etc., complete with horrible SMPS.... All quite amusing... Have no illusions over transparency, etc., leave that for others, and of course the views onto the Med....

[Macca]

I've got about 10 CD players of various shapes, sizes and makes and they all sound different, whether used as stand alone or as transports into a DAC. One of the poorest performers, IMO, is a Samsung Blu-Ray player which is quite a recent model and so should have the latest chip sets on board. It's not up to much as a transport either, which was a surprise.

Having said that, Gordon, given that you are used to QUAD ESL and valve amps I am not surprised you found a cheap home cinema box boring to listen to. Whether the boring sound is actually the more accurate sound is a moot point of course.

[Audioman]

DVD/Blue Ray players mostly don't do justice to CD. Converters appear to be better developed with higher resolution and surround sound in mind. Also CD doesn't appear to like general purpose DVD transports. Dedicated player/dac for CD and Universal player for the rest. And yes they all sound different which is to be expected given different chip sets / analogue stages and transport designs.

[The Black Adder]

I've never used a Bluray/dvd as a transport but heard good things about them especially the old Sony ES range. I had the 9000ES which was a great spinner but did have an edge that was a little niggly at times.

So I wonder if they sound any better bypassing the internal dac and video circuits through either optical or Coax?

[Gordon Steadman]

Having said that, Gordon, given that you are used to QUAD ESL and valve amps I am not surprised you found a cheap home cinema box boring to listen to. Whether the boring sound is actually the more accurate sound is a moot point of course.

A good point indeed. I still find that when I sit down and listen to the main system with a CD on, I tend to just listen. With the TT, I can't stop my feet from dancin' as well:)

[Gordon Steadman]

DVD/Blue Ray players mostly don't do justice to CD. Converters appear to be better developed with higher resolution and surround sound in mind. Also CD doesn't appear to like general purpose DVD transports. Dedicated player/dac for CD and Universal player for the rest. And yes they all sound different which is to be expected given different chip sets / analogue stages and transport designs.

I take it that the same basic transport is what is used in computers too. Actually though, the Mac sound loads better than the 'orrible' Sony.

[pjdowns]

Personally I find all CD Players or DVD Transports sound different;

As my signature shows, I predominately use a Naim CDI but also have a Denon something DVD player, which was stupidly expensive when it came out but I got a good second-hand deal :) When I have tried comparing the differences, I find the CD walks all over the Denon from a sound perspective. It is much more engaging and has a deeper more controlled bass and soundstage, whilst the Denon sounds thinner. Adding my Caimen into the mix the sound from the Denon improves remarkably but still overall the sound from the CDI wins.

The same could be said of my Squeezebox and Caimen combination, the CDI is much easier to listen to but for convinence I usually use the SB more often than the CDI.

Personally, I go by my ears... I don't claim to know anything technically around how or why these changes happen. It's like power cables.. I technically haven't got a clue why my system sound improved when I added the TCI 6 Way Powerblock but it did to my ears, admittedly moreso when I was living in a flat than in my current home and again, techincally I haven't got a clue why!

Paul.

[julesd68]

Just for a bit of sport I put a cd into my Sony blu-ray player and was very pleasantly suprised by the results. I have it hooked up to an old QED amp and a decent pair of small Denon / Mission speakers. Good soundstage, potent bass. Doesn't do the air and seperation thing that my main system does of course. Not that I'd ever need to, but for casual listening in the background it would be more than adequate.

[bobbasrah]

I take it that the same basic transport is what is used in computers too. Actually though, the Mac sound loads better than the 'orrible' Sony.

That depends who is making the observation, essentially however it is a digital storage reader, some better made mechanisms than others... Some guys have built some amazing looking CD players using a cheap boom box type mechanism and changing everything else resulting in a very expensive but allegedly brilliant sounding player.... Do not understand it from a data perspective, but each to their own...

I imagine in a few years we will be comparing the musicality of memory sticks....

[DSJR]

With modern gear - and I mean that made in the last five years or thereabouts, you could say the DACs sound the same - I mean the CHIPS! What will affect the sonics is the power supply and any analogue output buffer fitted. The fact that many domestic CD players have in the past been very inferior to pro DACs often costing thousands, makes me wonder if some penny-pinching or just plain incompetance isn't to blame why domestic players of old sound so different?

[Rare Bird]

My early 1st generation machines sound different to the more modern ones i have. 1st gens everytime for me.

[kenworthy100]

Well I have got four players of varying ages and specs, they all sound completely different from each other, so I cannot agree.

[Gordon Steadman]

Well I have got four players of varying ages and specs, they all sound completely different from each other, so I cannot agree.

er.... did you read what I said??:scratch:

[kenworthy100]

Uhm, not my brightest post!!!. Sorry

[bobbasrah]

With modern gear - and I mean that made in the last five years or thereabouts, you could say the DACs sound the same - I mean the CHIPS! What will affect the sonics is the power supply and any analogue output buffer fitted. The fact that many domestic CD players have in the past been very inferior to pro DACs often costing thousands, makes me wonder if some penny-pinching or just plain incompetance isn't to blame why domestic players of old sound so different?

Agreed almost 100% Dave.
If the hobbyists can import a cheap chinese DAC, make a few mods to the board and power supply for a minor sum and produce a high quality player, with no economies of scale to assist, it is rather scary....

[Gordon Steadman]

Uhm, not my brightest post!!!. Sorry

Well I would jolly well think you should be:lol: