[terry parr]

currently reading "the best PIANO recording that I have ever heard" thread, and i'm enjoying that.  I do enjoy hearing an acoustic grand recorded well (especially in a jazz-trio context).  I'm noticing more and more where electronic keyboards are being used in recordings where the sound of an acoustic piano is wanted (as the sound quality of modern e-keyboards have improved with multiple over-samples of acoustic pianos being taken and then stored and then loaded into the e-keyboard's "brain" which gives the e-keyboard it's baseline character sound).  however, unlike an acoustic grand, an e-keyboard doesn't have a sound characteristic of its' own.  (well, it does, but the only sound character that an e-keyboard has, depends on the sound samples that were loaded into it's "memory" to start with).  but, you can't change the sound quality of a e-keyboard the way you can adjust the voicing (or adjust and change other things, such as the "weight" of the keys, or modify the tuning) of an acoustic grand. 

while I can appreciate a well-recorded acoustic grand, i'm looking to possibly improve my primary source.  right now, my music collection is on cd (which includes acoustic-based piano jazz, female vocalists, and big-band jazz (count basie, north texas state univ. lab band, dizzy gillespie, etc.)

for those of you here who have similar tastes, what are you using as a primary source?  I don't want to (and can't) "give up" my collection of compact discs.  and, I've been thinking about changing my cdp lately, to another player that would do a better job of reproducing this type of music. 

my current player is a rotel rcd 1570 (which has the well-reviewed Wolfson wm8740 dac), but music reproduction through a cdp has more to do with just the dac that's employed in its' design.  this player renders acoustic piano as "tinkly" and makes a full-bodied piano sound thin and seems to remove much of the rich, and full-bodied sound character that distinguishes an acoustic piano from an electronic one.  (the previous version of the rotel cdp (the 1520) actually does a better job of how it conveys the sound of a grand piano!  (so, be wary of "upgrades", is one lesson here!) 

any ideas from anybody here who has (or who remembers hearing) a cdp that does a good job of portraying the complex sound characteristics of acoustic piano?       

   

[GerryD]

I share your taste in music and like how my current CDP(Marantz SA8005) sounds on piano. My previous CDP, a Jolida JD100 was also good.

[mresseguie]

It seems I listen to some if the same sort of music, too.

I normally listen to the music on my Mac Mini - my burned CDs, or I listen to Tidal.com. However, there was a two-week preiod last winter during which I was allowed to audition a tube amp and a tube CDP.  I hadn't expected much from that CDP because it used a TI DAC chip. [Yes, I was guilty of bias.] All the CDs I played on that CDP took on an extra 'acoustic ' feel that hadn't been there before. It was a real eye opener for me.

Sure. There was a tube amp, but I tried that CDP with my Nuprime IDA-8 D class amp and still git much of the impact that the CDP/tube amp produced.

Typed on my dinky iPhone keypad, so please excuse any typos.

 

[Odal3]

Interesting topic! Well recorded acoustic piano is one of my favourites as well and I often use that type of music as a reference point when comparing systems. When I attended Axpona earlier this year, it was apparent that many systems (including expensive ones) stuggled with reproducing pianos. Unfortunately I was only able to hear piano in some of the rooms.

My system is only a modest one and I play my music via digital files so I don't have any recommendations for a good CD player. But are you sure it's the CDP that is the weak link? As I'm sure you are aware, the key is how well all your components integrates. For example,
I recently compared  two different amplifiers using the same DAC. One amp made the pianos sound sterile without any depth while the other really made the piano shine. I have also found that some style of box speakers don't always get the full bodied sound of the piano.

What does the rest of your system look like?

[Odal3]

FYI: I just saw this from Dan @Modwright which add's to GerryD's suggestion about the stock SA8005:
"Looking over the service manual, what I see that is IMPRESSIVE, is VERY good isolation between all USB/Digital input and output processing and the audio circuitry.  Every single clock, data and signal path is 'decoupled' to isolate from noise."


http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=145646.0

[terry parr]

thanks to everybody for dropping in and sharing their experience.  appreciate it, guys.   

to Odal3 (where he brings up the important point of system integration, and suggesting that my cdp may not be the cause of my dis-satisfaction):  after having demo'd a few integrated amps a few years ago (by actually lugging my cdp, plus the same pair of interconnects, plus the exact same cd's (where I would listen to specific songs that I was very familiar with) to keep everything else in the audio chain constant, which would reveal what the amp was contributing to the overall sound),
I decided on a couple of "vintage" amplifiers which were available locally (and which I auditioned in the same way).

current amps in use are, either a Technics SA-500 or a SONY STR-6055. 

most of my music listening is done through headphones (AKG-701, AKG-702).  I/C's are either Emotiva "E-Connects", or JPS Labs "UltraConductor 2". 

loudspeakers are Magnepan MMG's (which are just sitting there, and used for room decoration).  just can't get used to the "wooly" sound of this planar speaker.  (but, that's another story for another day). 

I could be wrong (and, let me repeat that, I could be wrong), BUT considering just how good these two particular amps sound, I feel pretty confident that in my current set-up, it's the cdp that's disappointing me.
I feel that these two amps are good enough to expose the ROTEL for what it lacks.   

now, whether the ROTEL would sound better and more satisfying being matched-up with an amp that I've never heard before, (and a much more expensive amp that I can't comfortably afford right now...)
that's entirely possible.  who knows?

but, I was never able to find an amp (not from Marantz, or Anthem, or Cambridge Audio) that competed, sound-wise, to either of these two "vintage" amps.   

[disclaimer:  i'm aware that I was only looking at integrated amps which were priced modestly]   

[Odal3]

by actually lugging my cdp, plus the same pair of interconnects, plus the exact same cd's (where I would listen to specific songs that I was very familiar with) to keep everything else in the audio chain constant

That's the way too do it.  I wish there were more places where one could do just that. I hope you find a place where you can try out some CDP as well.