[Davesworld]

^^^^^

Not to rain on your rant but i believe directional cable determines the side of the jacket ground. Helpful in star grounding systems.

That sounds perfectly reasonable and sound and I hope this is the reason why some cables are marked with an arrow. It would invalidate my rant but oh well, thanks for pointing this out. Star grounding shields is absolutely necessary in my business.

 While working on Aircraft Electronics (Avionics), I have seen ground maneuvering camera systems have one camera that has a noisy picture. In looking at the wiring diagrams an engineer inadvertently drew in a second ground point for the coax run that went through multiple connectors when the entire system was to be grounded only on the video processor end and floating on the Display Unit end in the cockpit. The difference in potential of a ground to another ground physically elsewhere is very real.

 Another area where things get hairy is the ground from cable television. It's absolutely necessary for me to run the cable through the surge suppression power breakout connector which I believe acts as an isolation transformer, otherwise it's hum city.

[headshrinker2]

Almost no BDP-1's showing up in the used market.  A good sign indeed!

[Alpha10]

Almost no BDP-1's showing up in the used market.  A good sign indeed!

I have not seen one yet, and they are not having mine!

Cheers

[Anonamemouse]

I have not seen one yet, and they are not having mine!

Cheers

There was one somewhere, only a week after it was released. The complaint: no DAC.
A valid one in my opinion.

[srb]

The complaint: no DAC.  A valid one in my opinion.

If it had a DAC, then the complaint would be that it didn't have multiple inputs for other sources.
 
Steve

[terrycym]

Latest issue of Hi-Fi Critic has a three page write-up by Chris Bryant

[terrycym]

Had a chance to read it now and its a bit of a hatchet job I'm afraid - he just didn't like it.
He said that it was way overpriced and yet the diskless Naim Unitiserve in the same comic, basicaly the same thing but network access to music rather than USB,  costs the same and that needed an extra £3,000+ for a power supply. do me a favour!
He said that that the sound of the BDP-1 improved if he pulled the network cable out. I bet he didn't do the same test on the Naim.
He said that there was a lack of air and natural treble detail, stage depth not upto what's found with the best computer replay systems. The music didn't come together in an enjoyable manner.
He didn't say anywhere what the rest of his system was which isn't very "scientific"

[saveloy]

What a strange little man!

Had a chance to read it now and its a bit of a hatchet job I'm afraid - he just didn't like it.
He said that it was way overpriced and yet the diskless Naim Unitiserve in the same comic, basicaly the same thing but network access to music rather than USB,  costs the same and that needed an extra £3,000+ for a power supply. do me a favour!
He said that that the sound of the BDP-1 improved if he pulled the network cable out. I bet he didn't do the same test on the Naim.
He said that there was a lack of air and natural treble detail, stage depth not upto what's found with the best computer replay systems. The music didn't come together in an enjoyable manner.
He didn't say anywhere what the rest of his system was which isn't very "scientific"

[James Tanner]

Wait till he reads the Absolute Sound Review of the BDP-1 in the September issue - he is wrong on all counts :duh

james

It is interesting though how the same product can sound so different to different listeners. I have always felt there has been a serious negative bias towards non-British gear from the British press????

[terrycym]

What a strange little man!

Chris Bryant, I presume?

[terrycym]

Wait till he reads the Absolute Sound Review of the BDP-1 in the September issue - he is wrong on all counts :duh

james

It is interesting though how the same product can sound so different to different listeners. I have always felt there has been a serious negative bias towards non-British gear from the British press????

I agree, I prefer Stereophile, a lot more balanced.

Your trouble is that you're not Linn or Naim or distributed by Absolute Sounds UK (the distributor, not the mag)
I'll probably cancel my Hi-Fi Critic sub next year when it comes for renewal.
Most disappointed by the level of critique

[saveloy]

Chris Bryant, I presume?

Yes Terry, I was referring to the reviewer.

James, I understand your frustration. I subscribe to a couple of British hi-fi magazines, and regularly read 2 or 3 others(again, British).
I tend to follow people, rather than magazines. I'm very much of the opinion that individuals are far more important in this context, than a consensus.
And in my experience those I read and trust don't generally let me down.
When I audition something they have reviewed, my ears tally up with theirs.
It's something I have always done with car magazines, too, since my youth.
With the reviewers I trust, Bryston equipment has had nothing other than excellent reviews.

[James Tanner]

Yes Terry, I was referring to the reviewer.

James, I understand your frustration. I subscribe to a couple of British hi-fi magazines, and regularly read 2 or 3 others(again, British).
I tend to follow people, rather than magazines. I'm very much of the opinion that individuals are far more important in this context, than a consensus.
And in my experience those I read and trust don't generally let me down.
When I audition something they have reviewed, my ears tally up with theirs.
It's something I have always done with car magazines, too, since my youth.
With the reviewers I trust, Bryston equipment has had nothing other than excellent reviews.

That's a really good point - I tend to do the same - person first - but I take it a step further - unless I have heard a specific reviewers system and can assess what he considers good or excellent I will not accept his or hers opinion on audio quality matters.

In fact when I travel and hear systems in stores and at shows unless there is an obvious minimum level of performance I discount the opinion.

james

[terrycym]

Bryant's review doesn't mention which equipment he owns (other than the Apple notebook) and doesn't mention which music he used.
Hence you have absolutely no context.

[Marius]

Hi all,

Please let me add my 2 cents: I do own an all Bryston setup, and because of that have spent the last 2 weeks comparing the BDP1BDA1 combo to the Bcd1/bp26 and the BCd1/bda1/bp26.

My findings up to now are that the BDP1 has a rather less defined bass and more fatiguing sound than the Bcd1, the latter connected either to the BDA or directly connected to the Bp26. (has some interface nitpicks also, but we'll work that out)

Other sources played through the BDA (tv, tvbox, streamer, dvd) sound really much better then connected analogly (is that the right word...sorry :scratch)

I ripped all my music on an apple macbook with XLD and Max, and find no difference yet between those 2 software choices. Have been experimenting with cabling and find the XLR to be superiour to the RCA connection, same on the Bcd1.

i find it very difficult to hear a real significant difference in the upsampling of ripped 16/44.1 cd's. Have to have a real dark and silent ambiance to be able to pin it down I guess...

but I ordered them anyway to keep experimenting.....

Marius

So,

Bryant's review doesn't mention which equipment he owns (other than the Apple notebook) and doesn't mention which music he used.
Hence you have absolutely no context.

[saveloy]

James,

Interesting and completely understandable. It always annoys me when a reviewer spouts out just the basics, with nothing put into context. And no reference. I don't require a list of his/her dietary requirements or need to know whether they prefer black or pink knickers. But I do need to know about partnering equipment, music material, room size, etc.  Along with a wide palette of descriptive, musical terminology.

Kyri

[terrycym]

Maybe Bryant's unit was faulty?
If so, shoudn't he check back with the supplier, maybe get a replacement?
Hey shit does happen.

Did he contact Bryston or PMC?

Some of the other comments he made about the sound quality I haven't quoted but they were even more uncomplementary and don't coincide with my listening experience, but what do I know, I'm not a reviewer, I just buy the stuff with my own money

[James Tanner]

Maybe Bryant's unit was faulty?
If so, shoudn't he check back with the supplier, maybe get a replacement?
Hey shit does happen.

Did he contact Bryston or PMC?

Some of the other comments he made about the sound quality I haven't quoted but they were even more uncomplementary and don't coincide with my listening experience, but what do I know, I'm not a reviewer, I just buy the stuff with my own money

I doubt there was a problem with the unit and he is certainly entitled to his opinion but it cries in the face of everyone else who has ever heard the BDP-1.  I have also been exposed to some very poor audio systems in so called reviewers homes.

To each his own

james

[terrycym]

I agree James, I think that we have given him and his journal enough coverage here

[saveloy]

I've sat everybody who's entered my house in front of the BDP-1, since I've owned it. At the very least there has been a look of bewilderment on peoples' faces. And at best a quick listen has stretched right through the evening.
I'm a very proud owner, because it makes me incredibly happy. It's that simple.
It sounds nothing short of sublime. And an opinion that is short of that isnt one I spend any time dwelling on.

Kyri