Thanks for the responses and I also have just remembered a problem that is inherent to the Pioneer DVD players. When you place a cd in this transport and close the drawer you need to let the player find and indicate the cd format. If you push play prior to this ritual the sound is often similar to what I heard the other day. I can only guess that the dvd format is the default setting and thus the sound is deteriorated. I need to go try this agian for fun and I'll try to use my RS sound meter to make sure there isn't too large of a disparity in the volume.
Digital vs. Analog sonics
I had an incident occur this weekend that surprized me. I was playing Tracy Chapman on my Pioneer modded DVD transport with the Bel Canto DAC2 for a friend of mine. I wanted her to hear the Digital vs. Analog for herself and make her own conclusion. The analog rig is a VPI 19 MKIV with a ETII arm and Benz Gold cartridge. The preamp is the AI Modulus 3A Gold board, Bel Canto EVO4 amp NHT 3.3 speakers.
The differance was huge but different in a sense that doesn't seem to be reasonable unless one was wrong.
The digital seemed slow and dark compared to the open transparent and detailed Analog. Switching back and forth seemed to indicate a faulty speed, they were sonically too far part to have both be accurate. My understanding of the digital technology is it has to play and spin correctly to work therefore pointing to the analog as having to be too fast. The problem is the analog seemed correct. Could the Cd have been reproduced that poorly? How can I verify the VPI's speed? The VPI seemed more pace oriented than "too fast." I've not noticed any other deficiencies in my digital system and wonder if I would have noticed anything if I had not heard a direct comparison! Ideas?
The differance was huge but different in a sense that doesn't seem to be reasonable unless one was wrong.
The digital seemed slow and dark compared to the open transparent and detailed Analog. Switching back and forth seemed to indicate a faulty speed, they were sonically too far part to have both be accurate. My understanding of the digital technology is it has to play and spin correctly to work therefore pointing to the analog as having to be too fast. The problem is the analog seemed correct. Could the Cd have been reproduced that poorly? How can I verify the VPI's speed? The VPI seemed more pace oriented than "too fast." I've not noticed any other deficiencies in my digital system and wonder if I would have noticed anything if I had not heard a direct comparison! Ideas?