2. digital
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Cd's released up to 95' not remastered - DAC?

Is there any hope for these CD's? I have many great bands I'd like to listen to but unless I find vinyl I can't tolerate it.. not to mention I have some of this media and would like to protect my investment.. not to mention they are cheap to buy used..

I just upgraded my Onix XCD-88 OpAmps and it was a wonderful upgrade.. but short of canning that player and spending $2k min. on a new player I am about out of ideas.. While my Onix has digital outs I would not be adverse to using a PC to send to a DAC if that is an option.. but I dont want to waste my time and money..

I am sorry of this was covered.. I just spent 3 hours scouring forums and while there is tons of DAC info I did not find a thread that addressed this directly.

Inevitibly someone will ask so:

Onix XCD-88 Op amp mod
Harmon Kardon 825 and Eico HF85 Preamps
Threshold 400a amplifier (and another on the way)
Vandersteen 2ce biwired with RCA 12 gauge (scouring for a wire upgrade)
B&O beogram RX MMC3 cartridge
jprinz

Showing 3 responses by metralla

metralla
945 posts
 
You must listen to different bands to me.

I'm looking for non-remastered CDs. Those originally made in Japan and Germany before the US plant came on line (1982-1983) were pretty good (although levels are low, which is easy to remedy). I also like early US CDs (up to 1988 or so), and international CDs up to 1992 or so.

Regards,
metralla
945 posts
 
OK, I'll have another crack at this.

Jprinz writes:

While my Onix has digital outs I would not be adverse to using a PC to send to a DAC if that is an option.. but I dont want to waste my time and money.
I don't quite understand. How would you use a "PC"?

If you connect a high quality DAC to the digital outs, you may get better sound. Or you may not. The Onix has Burr-Brown 1732 24-bit/96kHz DACs and HDCD decoding, so it's probably doing a pretty fair job for a $300 player. It's weakness is probably the output stage.

I am sorry of this was covered.. I just spent 3 hours scouring forums and while there is tons of DAC info I did not find a thread that addressed this directly.

Sorry, what exactly is "this"?

I'm a little confused as to what you are asking. Are you thinking of switching over to computer-based digital playback?

Regards,
metralla
945 posts
 
"Questioning my musical taste" - not me mate. As far as Ratt go, I have a great copy of "Out of the Cellar" - it's the original Atlantic "target" made in West Germany. Sounds good here.

Can you describe what you mean by:
Can old annoying CD's be "fixed"

What are you hearing that makes them sound broken? What aspects of the reproduction makes them different from modern CDs? Or from good remasters? Try to write down where you feel improvements can be made in what you hear.

I'm guessing I am going to be waiting for the master tapes to be dusted off some day but I thought I'd ask

That depends on who is holding the duster.

Regards,
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