In Reply to: Re: So, what about it? posted by williak on May 2, 2003 at 11:29:15:
I have been trying CDs much of yesterday, and I can certainly confirm that the same problem is audible with CDs as well. I have also tried some DVDs movies and noted that the same problem is happening too. Although I must say that the degree of difference noted in the Pioneer combi playing CDs is less than what I observed through the SCD-1/BAT VK-20/Pass Lab X-350 combi. I used the same SS-M7 speakers for the test. This is not to say that the Pioneer has "minimised" the problem. I think it is because the Pioneer VSX-A10i amplifier is less revealing and transparent. I also confirm this point yesterday afternoon, when I compared the Pass Lab X-1 pre-amp to a Goldmund pre-amp model that has been touted locally as being "faster" and more "dynamicially-alive" by the dealer, which I interpret as better in transient response. No dice. The problem can be heard in the Pass more evidently than the Goldmund. The CD player being used incidentally, was also a Goldmund, which also have this problem. In this regard, I consider the Goldmund pre-amp, while offering a more "attractive audiophile sound", to be less neutral and transparent than the Pass, and certainly the Pass allows me the hear the problem more clearly.Some CDs that I tried that are more audible than others:
Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Rain Coat (track 3, 7)
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms XRCD (track 4,6,9)
Eagles - Hell Freezes Over XRCD (track 10)
Jose Careras - Misa Criolla (track 2,3,4)
Creedance Clearwater Rivival CD layer on Hybrid SACD - Cosmo Factory (track 5,6,7,9,10)In all these cases, take note of the shift in soundstage, which in every case, became more recessed into the back of the speakers. They also image better and sound more opened. Many instruments that have complex harmonic structures like Piano, Saxophone, multi-layered guitar effects and Synth are very much affected by the jitter problem and they usually sound harsher and harmoncally muddier as a result of the multiple layers being messed up in time. Vocals mixed with dense reverbs or recorded in a very reverberent venue are also very much affected.
Just one specific example:In the opening intro of Dire Strait's "Your Latest Trick" and J.W.'s "Famous Blue Raincoat", you can hear the position of the sax will shift backwards and is clean from reverb smudging when the track is repeated. You can hear many other similar examples on the tracks that I listed above.
But even that pales in comparison to what can be improved in the "musicality" aspect. Through this procedure, you begin to hear a kind of effortless ease, a sense of continuousness to the way the music flow that is in abundance so far found only with vinyl playback. Clearly, there more's to it than the "bits is bits" claim.
Hope the good Doctor can investigate this problem without prejudice.
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Follow Ups
- CD playback is also affected too - jeromelang 21:52:15 05/03/03 (4)
- Re: CD playback is also affected too - dr1394 16:38:29 05/04/03 (3)
- Bits is Bits? What about timing? - jeromelang 20:41:43 05/04/03 (2)
- Re: Bits is Bits? What about timing? - dr1394 00:33:22 05/05/03 (1)
- Thanks for taking this issue up - jeromelang 02:46:23 05/05/03 (0)