CD duplicate...

Nutella, Pbowne, would you tell us what 2ch audio Gear you are using for you a/b comparison. CDp, Preamp, Amp, Speakers, cable?

Megasam, First let me say, mighty nice system you have. Given the source, and the object is to duplicate the source. How then can the duplicate be better than the source? Granted a poorly recorded cd thru tweaking a copy can be made to sound better. I read the article, whats with the no SFVs, to be sent for the $5.00 copy offer? Do you have a cd burner? If so have you done a/b comparisons of a good quality cd ,say like, Diana Krall "The Girl In The Other Room", played back on your Musical Fidelity A3 CDP, would the musical presentation be better than the original?

Ttrhp, I have to use cd-r audio disc in my Sony W222ES cdr. The best I have found that will get me the closest to an exact copy of a "DK" cd is the Maxell cd-r audio. Japan "Taiyo Yuden" made. That I learned last week from a few fellow agoners. If you subscribe To "Stereophile" check out Vol 25 No.6 Alesis Master Link ML 9600 hard-disk/CD-R recorder. List $1699. They gave it an "A" rating. It`s a good read.

Thanks Nutella and Pbowne for sharing with us the make up of your systems. It adds a lot of weight to your a/b comparison findings and opinions. Only fair to give you mine.
Arcam Alpha 9 CDP /with Audioquest pc
Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 preamp
Audio Research LS3 preamp
Audio Research VT50 power amp
ProAc Studio 200 speakers
Audioquest Diamond X2 ics
Audioquest Sterling 3 speaker cable.
Megasam I read the article in your last post. Is was very interesting, thanks for the info. I just spent about three hours in my audio room. At the present time I am using the SFL-1 for the preamp. I picked out three cds to copy for an a/b comparison, Eric Clapton "Slowhand", Jackson Browne "For Everyman", and Don Henley`s "Greatest Hits". Not really bad sounding cds, so so. I should mention here if I have a cd That is kinda dead, bassy sounding I spin both sides in the "Bedini ultra Clarifier". I did not do It on these three cds at this time, but I know I have in the past. Also let me say I never a/b ed avg sounding cds, only good sounding cds. I wanted to see how close the copy was to the original.
The a/b comparison,,, I was just amazed, there is defintely a noticeable difference. Clapton`n "Slowhand" track #3 ,Lay Down Sally, the copy is more detailed, cleaner, more stronger toe tapping bass. I a/b ed these two songs back and forth probably 20 times. Copy, more detailed, cleaner, tighter bass! The electric guitar, and bass guitar really sounded good. I Just couldn`t get over that bass. Then I moved my focus from the better detail and tighter bass to Clapton`s voice. I listened to the original cd track "Lay Down Sally" over and over at least 5 times. His voice full,smooth,sounding. Then I loaded the copy, Something was different, Clapton`s voice was a little thin, not quite as smooth. Not bad sounding but different. Some thing else was different also, that great bass was back but seemed to be a little over powering Clapton`s voice.
I moved on to Jackson Browne`s "For everyman". Again I noticed more detail it sounded pretty good. I zeroed in on track #4 "I Thought I Was A child" I played it several times This time concentrating on Browne`s voice And the piano. Then I loaded the original, Again I heard a difference in the vocal and definitely in the piano. The piano had more authority, Just sounded more natural.In regards to Browne`s voice, I think the biggest difference was in the nasal sound of his voice.
By the time I got to Don Henly`s cds I was getting a little tired of the whole thing. Basically I found about the same thing. The copy sounded pretty good. I went back and forth between the two cds. "The Boys Of Summer" and "The End Of The Innocence" Henley`s voice was different. In the original the nasal sound of his voice seemed to be a little fuller and smoother than the copy.
Which is the correct sound of the vocals of these three male singers? And those pianos, I think the original cds sound more natural.
If any of you get the chance will you do an a/b comparison of some cds with vocals and pianos, and just focus in on the vocals and the piano. Share your findings with the rest of us.
I have these albums on vinyl I`ll pull them out and play them and listen...
One other note, when ever I have done an a/b comparison of a really good sounding cd to a cd-r copy Like Diana Krall or Norah Jones, I can always pick up the differences in the vocal and the piano. Maybe I need a new cdr recorder.