Can Redbook CD Be Saved

I'm reading the various comments with great interest. I'm not sure if the comment about wanting better CD requires better CDP was directed to me or if was just a general comment. If directed to me, I think my CDP is very good quality. As to the comment that redbook CD "sound has improved so much the last few years i've dumped my analog rig," is not where I hold. IME, in a comparison of recording to recording, my analog set up leaves my CD rig behind in a puff of smoke.

IMHO, I agree with Nonoise's comment that QC may be the key:

"Taking care to improve the quality of a CD recording and mastering would go a long way towards keeping it alive and well. Wasn't there a kind of HD series of CDs some years back that used the extra, unused portion of that last bit that went some ways to improving the sound of the CD? What happened to that?

"As I've stated elsewhere, there are some damn fine CDs out there and they should all be made to the same standards.

"Another thing: has there been any attempt to improve the encoding of redbook CDs that could be read by the current lenses? It seems to be a matter of QC on the part of the labels."

I hope the comments continue. Personally, I've made a significant investment in my CDP and CDs and I would very much like to see the redbook CD format stick around, but with higher level of QC being maintained. One of the reasons I've started this OP is because it anecdotally seems that DACs are taking off and who knows what format (if any) will become the inductry standard in the future.

Thanks all.

Tmsorosk, my CDP is an ARC Ref CD-7. My vinyl rig is a VPI Classic (w/Classic 3 arm upgrade), VPI Zephyr cartridge, custom low capacitance phono cables, and ARC PH-7 phono pre. Let me clarify my comment a little. I do have a few CDs that sound really good, e.g., Jean Yve Thibadeux (sp?) selection of piano cuts (London/Decca). Norah Jones latest CD is pretty good too. The bass shakes the sh*t out of the house. I can only play the CD when no one is home or else I get the sh*t shaken out of me.

I guess my comment goes more to the generic case where one picks up a CD, drops it in the CDP, sits back and relaxes. I just bought a CD at Starbucks. I could remove the tweeters from my speakers, it wouldn't make a difference. Whoever or whatever mixed it just left off sound information north of 500 Hz (exagerating a little). Yes, some vinyl sh*ts too. I picked up an old record, turned out it was mono and it sucked.

My point is that I wish the music industry would standardize the QC recording and mixing quality of CDs. It sounds like many of the comments take the view that redbook CD could be, and many times is, pretty good, if it's recorded and mixed well, with minimal loss of information.

So, in short, I'm not against redbook CD. To the contrary, I'm for it. As I said, I've sunk some serious bucks into my CD rig and would like to keep it around. I just hope the music industry doesn't snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory.

Cheers

Rgs92, I'm not familiar with the EMM XDS1. Does it utilize a different type of technology? Any reason it should sound better than the typical CDP? How much does it cost to buy?

Rrog, thanks for the advice. Actually, it's the other way around. My mains are Paradigm Signature 8 v2 (beryllium)speakers, which many find to be thin in the base. In the case of the CD I bought at Starbucks, it just sucked.

Rrog: "Bifwynne, I have heard some models of Paradigm speakers can sound thin. Have you considered looking into a REL to compliment your main speakers?"

The S8s are not so much thin as much as they start to peter out at around 45-50Hz. In most cases, there's not a lot of info down there, but when there's deep bass info in the source material, e.g., symphony orchestra (tympani, basses) or rock (some Nora Jones, etc), a sub woofer is nice to have.

I bought the Paradigm Signature Servo a couple of years ago. I set the low end cut-off at about 60-80 Hz and adjust the loudness as it suits my ears. I know that the Paradigm Signature line don't get a lot of attention on Audiogon, but the new ones with the beryllium tweeters are actually quite impressive.

Thanks