Better CD Sound: The Search
Oh Happy Day, Integra CDC-3.4 6 disc changer arrived, like new, perfect, and, despite my ’doubtful’ expectation bias: FINALLY one that sounds preferable to my Sony. I highly recommend the sound of this with it’s dual Wolfson processors and all of Onkyo/Integra’s tricks applied. How to describe the difference: Like my AT33PTG/II cartridge, compared to any cartridge with less tight channel balance, EVERYTHING is a speck more distinct. Not bright, not sharp, a very thin veil removed allowing refined clarity. Imaging is the same width, but within that, main vocal, backup singers, specific musicians, simultaneously more precise. A small improvement to EVERYTHING, is a LOT!!! ................................................. I’ve been refining my speaker’s L-Pads with a tripod/sound meter the last 2 weeks, listening to and actively aware of dozens of favorite and revealing CD’s. Getting the L to match the R, and juicing the mid horn and tweeter horn up/dn for +/- db working together is not easy but a great tool to adjust for their current listening position. Refined my toe-in also with the meter. The improvements clearly heard via the existing Sony right up to comparison yesterday. Copies of CD’s, pre-adjust volume match, remote switching of inputs made comparison nearly instant. .................................... Kate Wolf, Give Yourself to Love, volume 2, track 8: Pacheco/Redtail Hawk. They get going, then 3 strings l/c/r. (something like mandolin/guitar/fiddle). The more distinct center is the first thing you notice right away, then the more distinct imaging (same location) of l & r instruments. Casandra Wilson, Blue Light Till Dawn, her version of Tupelo Honey, any track, she has wonderful musicians. Eurythmics; Blue Nile; Friday Night in San Francisco 3 guitarists; Melody Gardot; Sade; Eva Cassidy; Nora Jones, Amos Lee; Lyle Lovett; Buddy Guy; Oscar Peterson, Rising Appalachia’ Larkin Poe; Melissa Etheridge, Abby Lincoln ..... Next: compare something unfamiliar. Tierney Sutton. I have and love a couple of her CD’s, just bought this one: The Sting Variations. Ever notice, some bands, like Bad Company are masters of reducing the musician’s volume when Paul Rodgers is singing, right back up, down again, one of the reasons his amazing voice and their songs are so well understood. Tierney: her musicians do not lower their volume when she sings. Clarity of her voice within the music is a speck easier to understand than with the Sony. I could go on. ......................................... Soooo: at this point, with all the improvements and refinements: would I have heard difference/preference from the Oppo 105? Possibly. ....................................... Features/Light on the Tray when Loading/smaller remote, quieter mechanism .......................................... Next: compare the sets of matching LPs to CD’s, I bet the difference narrows. |
Denon 2910 update: new laser arrived; surprise: must de-solder two 'anti-static' blobs of solder. did it, whew. switched lasers, got it working. Playing CDs, but not SACD yet, still twiddling with the allen key adjusters that control the height/alignment of the laser. I found this 3 part video, great help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to8ojRiBOag |
The search is over! Came up with this one just the other night! Remove CD from jewel case. Holding the CD in both hands, firmly press both thumbs into the center hole. Now this is the most important part- QUICKLY press and pull sharp as you can until the CD breaks. The sound you hear right at the moment it snaps in two is the best sound you will ever get from CD. So real, so lifelike, you won't believe. |
