Best affordable Redbook........

James Romeyn · « **on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:28 am »

Game rules: no computers/squeezeboxes.

OK, I'm strapped in....lay it on me.

What's your short list for the best Redbook stereo CD source, one or two box, fixed output is OK.

Anything from Redbook only to universal & everything in between. I heard TheChairGuy's sweet modified MSB DAC & modified Sony transport. What's between that & the $8k McIntosh DAC or $10k Wadia 27ix DAC?

I'm still considering just getting a better pre-pro (currently using Sunfire Theater Grand IV) & an improved transport. Purists will probably say pre-pros always impinge negatively on Redbook performance. But aren't they always improving, as is just about everything?

The $4k Primare SP31.7 MkII caught my eye. Anyone heard it?

zybar · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:34 am »

What about the Esoteric players?

George

James Romeyn · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:39 am »

If you mean Esoteric Audio Design (EAD), aren't they long gone from audio? I have the name & URL for the new company that took over, but I just heard from Harry Pearson's ex-equipment & aquisitions manager that all EAD folks have left the building. This sucks, because when I couldn't affort EAD they were extremely desireable.

Wadau running now George?

zybar · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:48 am »

Actually I meant this:

http://www.teac.com/esoteric/NewEsoteric/Products.html

I am running computer/squeezebox.

Some others to consider at a lower price point:

Ayre
NorthStar

George

James Romeyn · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:55 am »

If a visitor wants to hear their CD, what do you have to do, record it first? What's the best thread to read about the computer playback? I can't say I love having to learn about totally new technology, even when it works well!

George, from what I've read up to now, you are going to have to hear George Lewis' (Louis?) Reality Check CD copy machine, sooner or later.

zybar · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:59 am »

Quote from: RibbonSpeakers.net

If a visitor wants to hear their CD, what do you have to do, record it first? What's the best thread to read about the computer playback? I can't say I love having to learn about totally new technology, even when it works well!

George, from what I've read up to now, you are going to have to hear George Lewis' (Louis?) Reality Check CD copy machine, sooner or later.

Yes, you have to rip it first (takes about 3-7 minutes depending on cd length and speed of your computer).

There are a few different threads (stickies) in the Square Circle on the Squeezebox and computer audio.

George

Charles D. · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 04:47 am »

Another suggestion:

You may want to check out the Red Wine Audio modified iPod (iMod). The output is pristine, musical, and non fatiquing. http://www.redwineaudio.com/iMod.html

To get the music onto the modified iPod, you will need to connect the iPod to a computer, but the Apple iTunes software is about as easy as it comes. Also, you can send your CDs to a ripping service if you don't want to sit and feed them into the computer one at a time.

-Charlie

Scott F. · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 04:54 am »

Hiya Jim,

About six weeks ago I would have said the AH! Njoe Tjoeb, upsampled with all the tweaks would have made a very good choice but......(there's always a but. and not to threadjack), now I would wholeheartly say Squeezebox. Waynes modified SB (the only modified one I've heard so far) easily competes with every redbook player I've heard to date and I've played with some darned expensive ones.

George is right, just take their CD and rip it to your hard drive. It takes about 5 minutes. After that, you can play it in raw WAV format. All you will have to do is a quick rescan of the database through the Slimserver software.

To give you an idea of how good the SB is, my AH! machine hasn't been turned on in, well, six weeks

maxwalrath · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 05:46 am »

I've owned Ah! tjoeb (not upsampled), sony 9000, heart modified, and 3 different Modwright players. I thought the tjoeb sounded really wonderful in some areas, but was amazed by how much bass impact I thought I was missing compared to a stock Sony 9000.

If you are thinking about something in the range of a few grand, I've been amazed with the playback of the Modwright players. For $3k you could get a rediculously tricked out (superclocks, bybees, tube stage, upgraded connectors) player regarded by a few reviewers as the best available (sorry to get into the modded vs. unmodded debate, but modded has always outperformed for me in my system IMO et al.)

Right now I'm using a modwright signature 9000 with tube output and bybees.

Jon L · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 06:47 am »

Quote from: RibbonSpeakers.net

If a visitor wants to hear their CD, what do you have to do, record it first? What's the best thread to read about the computer playback? I can't say I love having to learn about totally new technology, even when it works well!

George, from what I've read up to now, you are going to have to hear George Lewis' (Louis?) Reality Check CD copy machine, sooner or later.

You *can* play CD's on your audio PC without copying it to hard drive. Most media players (Foobar also) lets you play the CD from CDRom drive directly. The sound quality is not as good as playing from hard drive, but still better than conventional drives b/c computer CDR avoids all that motor servo correction conventional CDP's needs to perform. Computer CDR also uses large buffers for data transmission.

As far as Reality Check, I still haven't seen any *official* explanation of how it works. The two explanations I've seen are: 1) Realitycheck copy has "lower jitter" than original CD, 2) RealityCheck copy has more precise pits (leading to less jitter?) b/c more precise process/laser is used to make copies, using superior quality CDR, using all the CD cleaners and treatments RealityCheck endorses.

I would like to point out that all these "advantages" become absolutely moot points once you make bit-perfect copies onto hard drive and play music straight off the hard drive.

eric the red · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 06:57 am »

The phrase "polishing a turd" comes to mind when spending megabucks on a cdp...

James Romeyn · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 07:23 am »

Eric
Did you ever see the video of the inside of a live pregnant shark? The producer stuck a tiny light & camera up into the shark's womb. It shows a milky reddish liquid filled with tiny unborn sharks. What do you think the bigger ones are doing to the smaller siblings? Eating them like it's going out of style. It's a hoot. The suckers are cannibals even before they are born.

eric the red · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 08:03 am »

We (myself included) spend all of this money on cdps and the sound in all reality still sucks no matter how much moola we throw at it. I've owned about 20 cdps in the last 5 years and perfect sound forever ain't never gonna happen. The sonics of cds are uninvolving, no matter how you color it. I've got 600 cds and listen to about 40 of them. YMMV

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 08:05 am »

Are the other 560 of 'em discs of Madonna or Wayne Newton?

If they don't all suck you can send 'em to me!

eric the red · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 08:06 am »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Are the other 560 of 'em discs of Madonna or Wayne Newton? If they don't all suck you can send 'em to me!

If Tice is here next year, you get 'em all

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 08:17 am »

Quote from: eric the red

If Tice is here next year, you get 'em all

eric the red · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 08:28 am »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Quote from: eric the red

If Tice is here next year, you get 'em all

Tabascosauce · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 10:24 am »

Quote from: eric the red

The phrase "polishing a turd" comes to mind when spending megabucks on a cdp...

You've hit the nail on the head!

I'm getting very acceptable results from a NAD C521BEE, a second hand Art DI/O dac and a fifteen buck cable between them.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:19 pm »

2 I've heard extensively and enjoy are the:

Naim CDX2 and the Ayre CX7.

Michael

ted_b · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Dec 2005, 03:36 pm »

I've had many cd players, but the potential of redbook didn't hit home with me until I went the Modwright route. I have a Modwright Sony 999ES SACD/redbook tubed player (tubed output for stereo redbook and SACD, some mods done to multichannel outputs too). That thing, married to a good preamp (mine happens to be Dan's Modwright SWL 9.0SE; he won me over with his 999ES) takes redbook to a whole different level. Now I'd love to hear Louis's burner magic.......