Comparing CD transports... (did I delude myself?) (1 Viewer)

[RicP]

That claim never been substantiated,and it's more like an "urban legend" from the land of audiphilia

Define "substantiated". Stereophile and Perfect Vision have pointed out numerous times that DVD players do not sound as good as dedicated CD players.

It stands to reason really...the laser assembly is different, the DACs are not optimized for the best PCM performance, neither are the opamps, filters, resistors, etc...

There's all the video circuitry in the small box that certainly can't help. Frame/Beam Construction and isolation are basically non-existant on all but the highest end DVD players. The transport itself is usually less than top of the line.

All these things come into play. It's only logical that a box that was not built for audio and audio alone will have made some compromises when compared to a dedicated CD player.

 

[Lin Park]

I think RicP is absolutely right here. You can't compare a $500 DVD Player to a $500 CD Player from a pure audio standpoint because it is obvious that an equal amount of money was not spent on the audio for each.
I will say this - my Panny RP-91 may not sound as good as my dedicated Denon CD player but it sure gives a better picture.
Lin

 

[Dzung Pham]

Here is a relevant hypothetical question. Say you have a $300 dvd player hooked up via its digital output to a $200 jitter filter and then to an outboard DAC. Then you have a $1000 cd player hooked up via its digital output directly to the same outboard DAC. Will there be any difference in sound and why?
I've never tried the above experiment but as far as I know, there isn't a rigorous logical explanation that would explain why there would be a difference in sound. I'm not saying that there will not be a difference, just don't know why there would be one.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Define "substantiated".

Like it's objectively proven beyond doubt?
I give you a hint it can't be done!
All the reports are based on subjective listening "tests" and then as you have we were given an "explanation" based on a "sound theory",which in a real world it really boils down to just an opinion.
Before you bend out of shape,I just wanna let you know I'm not leaning either way,so don't read between the lines here!

 

[RicP]

If that's the definition you use of "substantiated" Lewis, then how are the differences between any 2 electronic players -- CD or DVD -- "substantiated"?
I don't know about you but I "listen" to them, not look at the schematic.

 

[Lewis Besze]

If that's the definition you use of "substantiated" Lewis, then how are the differences between any 2 electronic players -- CD or DVD -- "substantiated"? I don't know about you but I "listen" to them, not look at the schematic.

I told you not "read between the lines" because there isn't anything there to "read"

I too listen and look the specs,however my conclusions maybe shared but not "preached"!

 

[John Royster]

That claim never been substantiated,and it's more like an "urban legend" from the land of audiphilia

Funny...I thought the claim of dedicated CD players providing better transports/lasers/dacs than a DVD player at a given price point for PCM has already been quite substantiated. including my own ears. sure this could get into a cable war but perceptions in cables are very subtle. perceptions between DVD players and CD players for audio is quite and most definately slap you in the face pronounced.

Before we get too nasty...Lewis have you ever compared for yourself? Take a look at your posts above and you'll find you are indeed preaching. just as I am. Believe you me I thought a CD player is a CD player is a DVD player...I mean c'mon it is digital right? I'm a damn EE and my brain tells me one thing, but my heart and ears tell me another.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Perhaps the word you guys are reaching for is "consensus", meaning, most knowledgeable people would agree with "such-and-such" assessment of transport preference.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Before we get too nasty...Lewis have you ever compared for yourself? Take a look at your posts above and you'll find you are indeed preaching. just as I am. Believe you me I thought a CD player is a CD player is a DVD player...I mean c'mon it is digital right? I'm a damn EE and my brain tells me one thing, but my heart and ears tell me another.

Oh boy!
Let me try again!
The only thing I advocate is that everyone should listen and "cocnclude" based on that and only on that ,not what magazines and other "experts" tell you!
Yes I have compared my CD player Pioneer Elite PD-54 to the Sony DVP-570 dvd player and found no reportable differences as transports.When used with their internal DAC's then yes I've noticed a slight difference between 'em.Now the Pioneer has the Stable Platter Mechanism,which was adopted by such high end companies as Wadia,and Theta,so it's no slouch right?The Sony on the other hand is your typical DVD player with up to date dacs and avarage built quality,and duall lens to handle cd's,but it won't handle CD'R's or CD-RW's,so yes the laser assembly one could say is not as optimized as the one in the Elite,I agree.Yet the Elite didn't delivered on it's "promise" as a better sounding transport[or any different in that matter],then the Sony.So the consensous isn't as firm as others belive it al least not to me.
It seems that I wasn't the only one in this thread who "concluded" the same way,and interestingly the same people never laid down any "ground rule" with it.
I don't deny your experience,but don't pretend that's the ultimate "truth".
That, kinda sounded preachy huh?

 

[John Royster]

The only thing I advocate is that everyone should listen and "cocnclude" based on that and only on that ,not what magazines and other "experts" tell you!

hehe, guess we both right.
So easy to get caught up in debating what sounds better by whom and when. And to that Lewis is spot on...find out for yourself.