LP sound from CDs

[Haselsh1]

I've been told before now that kit I really like is cr*p - I just ignore 'em!

I couldn't agree more

[synsei]

If I'd listened to those who have told me the stuff I've bought is crap I'd probably have given up by now and I'd be languishing in my dotage listening to a 1980's Amstrad tower system...

I will say that a jump from a Thorens TD160mkII to a Technics SL1210 fitted with a Series III was a huge step up in sound quality for me. I recently fitted a Denon DL160 to this combination with gobsmacking results. Incidentally a DL160/SME Series III combo is not supposed to work either...

[Haselsh1]

If I'd listened to those who have told me the stuff I've bought is crap I'd probably have given up by now and I'd be languishing in my dotage listening to a 1980's Amstrad tower system...

I will say that a jump from a Thorens TD160mkII to a Technics SL1210 fitted with a Series III was a huge step up in sound quality for me. I recently fitted a Denon DL160 to this combination with gobsmacking results. Incidentally a DL160/SME Series III combo is not supposed to work either...

Tizz my goal to get back to a 1210 at some point in the future.

[Marco]

'LP sound' from CDs?

Trust me, from someone who knows, and has achieved exactly that, the most effective way is to buy a quality CD player from the 'heyday' of CD (late 80s to mid 90s), which uses a top-notch transport mechanism, including Philips TDA-1541 chips in the DAC section, and then, in order to upgrade aging internal components (such as caps and resistors), have the CDP modified (as lightly or extensively, as you wish), by someone like Audiocom International, see here: http://www.audiocominternational.com/content/8-about-us

Mark (from AI) modified my own Sony CDP and DAC (as listed in my signature). He is an expert in CDP and DAC modifications, and the results of his work on the best vintage CDPs are truly mind-blowing. Forget valves in CDPs or DACs, as IME, unless a significant amount of money is spent, they don't work properly in source components and simply act as rather poor sticking plaster.

However, the advice I've given only applies if by 'LP sound' you mean LP sound, when done properly, i.e. devoid of artificial euphony. If you're after a 'warm and cosy', rose-tinted, sound from CD or vinyl, then I can't help you, as that's not something I seek from my own T/T - or indeed my CDP and DAC.

I've always said that the best vinyl replay systems should sound like good digital - and that's free from euphonic artifice (and clicks and pops, if you use a good record cleaning machine).

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Marco.

[Andrew B]

Thumbs up from me for the TDA1541 although it is notoriously hard to implement successfully. The best incarnations for me are Naim CDI and CDS. They both "drive" a system in a similar way to vinyl. That's the best way I can describe it but you will know when you hear them.

If you can't stretch to them, look at CD3 or original Rega Planet.

[twickers]

'LP sound' from CDs?

Trust me, from someone who knows, and has achieved exactly that, the most effective way is to buy a quality CD player from the 'heyday' of CD (late 80s to mid 90s), which uses a top-notch transport mechanism, including Philips TDA-1541 chips in the DAC section, and then, in order to upgrade aging internal components (such as caps and resistors), have the CDP modified (as lightly or extensively, as you wish), by someone like Audiocom International, see here: http://www.audiocominternational.com/content/8-about-us

Mark (from AI) modified my own Sony CDP and DAC (as listed in my signature). He is an expert in CDP and DAC modifications, and the results of his work on the best vintage CDPs are truly mind-blowing. Forget valves in CDPs or DACs, as IME, unless a significant amount of money is spent, they don't work properly in source components and simply act as rather poor sticking plaster.

However, the advice I've given only applies if by 'LP sound' you mean LP sound, when done properly, i.e. devoid of artificial euphony. If you're after a 'warm and cosy', rose-tinted, sound from CD or vinyl, then I can't help you, as that's not something I seek from my own T/T - or indeed my CDP and DAC.

I've always said that the best vinyl replay systems should sound like good digital - and that's free from euphonic artifice (and clicks and pops, if you use a good record cleaning machine).

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Marco.

Good stuff Marco

[Marco]

Cheers, chaps. Quite simply, I know that it works!

There's no doubt that properly implemented 1541s sound as 'analogue' (in the right way), as you're going to get with digital. Multi-bit, done properly, IMO, has always outperformed bitstream, in the musicality stakes.

Unfortunately, it was technology that became 'forgotten' by the materialistic ravages of commercialism, back in the day, (much like Betamax did with VHS), despite the former being superior. However, Andrew is right, it takes experience and know-how to fully exploit TDA-1541s, but once done, and you hear just what they're capable of sonically and musically, there's no going back to 'frigid' sounding bitstream....

Marco.

[Yomanze]

'LP sound' from CDs?

Trust me, from someone who knows, and has achieved exactly that, the most effective way is to buy a quality CD player from the 'heyday' of CD (late 80s to mid 90s), which uses a top-notch transport mechanism, including Philips TDA-1541 chips in the DAC section, and then, in order to upgrade aging internal components (such as caps and resistors), have the CDP modified (as lightly or extensively, as you wish), by someone like Audiocom International, see here: http://www.audiocominternational.com/content/8-about-us

Mark (from AI) modified my own Sony CDP and DAC (as listed in my signature). He is an expert in CDP and DAC modifications, and the results of his work on the best vintage CDPs are truly mind-blowing. Forget valves in CDPs or DACs, as IME, unless a significant amount of money is spent, they don't work properly in source components and simply act as rather poor sticking plaster.

However, the advice I've given only applies if by 'LP sound' you mean LP sound, when done properly, i.e. devoid of artificial euphony. If you're after a 'warm and cosy', rose-tinted, sound from CD or vinyl, then I can't help you, as that's not something I seek from my own T/T - or indeed my CDP and DAC.

I've always said that the best vinyl replay systems should sound like good digital - and that's free from euphonic artifice (and clicks and pops, if you use a good record cleaning machine).

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Marco.

Totally agree Marco. Not a fan of valves to 'gloss over' digital, nor a fan of delta/sigma DACs with their 'sheen' especially noticeable on piano and vocals, preferring old multibit chipsets as my DAC uses (TDA1541A).

[clap]

I tried using that pioneer pdr into a dacmagic and it sounded terrible. My ps3 as a transport was loads better. Get rid of the pioneer.

[DSJR]

Martin, if you like what your vinyl front end does don't let self-appointed "experts" put you off it!

I've been told before now that kit I really like is cr*p - I just ignore 'em!

'Self Appointed "experts"' indeed!!! - Pot & kettle mister

Easy on the ears all day long means summat's afoot IMO AND IME - SO THERE

First thing with the Thorens is maybe to replace the cartridge with something with better bass. Not sure how well the 2M Bronze would go in the SME III, but a 540 or better, an OM40, would be a significant update for the excellent diamond the VMS30 came with, with similar clarity but FAR less turgid bass - in my experience.. The TD160 Super should have a new Thorens belt if it hasn't been changed for a good few hundred hours. Just checking to see if the deck changes speed unaided to 45 is indicative of a belt WAY past its best by the way, not an indication that it's due for a change... I still feel the lid should be totally removed for playing too...

Getting the bass sorted and the sonics from records livened up a little will be an excellent first stage into integrating tonally neutral sources into the system and hopefully bring the best each formsat can offer closer together. ideally, you should be able to play both formats without either being sent to sleep by one, or having your head bitten off by the other.

Good luck