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In Reply to: So here's an interesting trend posted by Ralph on April 24, 2007 at 08:22:10:
The problem with CD isn't the medium. The problem with CD is the quality of playback, by and large, is ghastly pathetic relative to its potential. It's evidenced by the preference of vinyl, the preference of SACD (which I personally cannot stand), and even the claim that MP3 isn't any worse.When the CD first came out, I questioned the medium, and thought its playback quality was inherently flawed to be viable for high-end applications. Then one day, I heard a Wadia 7/9 playback system, at the defunct Sound Resource in Cleveland. I couldn't believe I was listening to CD. One of the recordings I remember during the occasion was Stravinsky's "Petrouchka", by the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Pierre Boulez. And with Jeff Rowland electronics and Avalon speakers. The staging and specificity was head and shoulder above anything I've heard on CD prior to that. And also the tonal warmth and timbral resolution.
I ultimately got the Prism DA-2, which comes close, as well as some modified Magnavox and Philips players of early vintage. But still, I was at the HE 2006 in Los Angeles. And that same old generic, boring sound from CD from players costing thousands. A sound that a lot of us have loved to hate.....
The sick part is I'm now getting in the ballpark with a laptop computer, but one needs to go on a scavenger hunt for drivers, applications, and settings to bring it home. I also say on the video side, one can get a picture quality that trounces a high-end DVD rig.
The problem is we keep getting new technology, but it seems like hardly anybody really knows how to harness it. So more-often than not, we get glorified changes that end up being more sideways or backwards than forwards. And along with the bliss of anticipation, we're getting the more and more frustrated with the end result.
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- The Problem With CD..... - Todd Krieger 13:49:34 04/24/07 (0)
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