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Best Price/Performance CDP under $2500? - Page 7

post #91 of 102
4/20/02 at 6:11pm
Better redbook simply refers to thinking something has better sounds very good when playing regular CDs. Redbook is the encoding standard used on regular music CDs, and is not related to SACDs. So when people refer to redbook playback, they mean how good it sounds playing regular CDs. Since SACD players can play both types of discs, people make the distinction between redbook and SACD playback.
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post #92 of 102
4/20/02 at 7:28pm
D, I think that Vert understands what "redbook" means. The point is in which way is the redbook of CD-only players better than that of Sony SACD players?

The way I've seen it said is that Sony SACD players often sound "sterile" compared to many non-mass-market CD-only players like Arcam, Musical Fidelity, Rega, etc. I can't talk about this as I haven't been able to compare.

I'll soon be in the market for a $1000-range CDP (or a bit higher up). When this happens, I'll post my own opinions...
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post #93 of 102
4/20/02 at 9:25pm
Quote:
The way I've seen it said is that Sony SACD players often sound "sterile" compared to many non-mass-market CD-only players like Arcam, Musical Fidelity, Rega, etc.
That I can understand...and I wish they'd state that that's their reasons! As an example, I prefer the 9000ES to the Rega Jupiter for redbook because I personally believe that when I'm paying more and more for a CDP, that one thing it should be able to do is extract more and more information from the disc. And in that aspect, I think the 9000ES betters the Jupiter in being able to extract more details out of a CD. Now on the other hand I imagine that most people think of "better redbook" as a player that completely smooths out every last bit of sibilance, to make music sound as natural and free flowing as possible. Some think better redbook equals the most realistic sounding music as possible, or the most "musical" player. So on, so forth. In these cases a person would probably take the Jupiter over the 9000ES.

But for the record, I don't think the 9000ES sounds sterile at all. I do think the SCD-1 and 333ES sound a bit sterile compared back to the 9000ES though. Then there's that XA777ES which supposedly sounds insanely musical and totally bucks the trend...
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post #94 of 102
4/20/02 at 9:33pm
IMHFO

Sony drives are remarkable at extracting information from the disc. Their DACs, without modification, are not very good at knowing what to do with that information.

Vert and I discussed what I thought of Sony players before but roughly, it's about what the last guy posted.
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post #95 of 102
4/20/02 at 9:36pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Vertigo-1
Now on the other hand I imagine that most people think of "better redbook" as a player that completely smooths out every last bit of sibilance, to make music sound as natural and free flowing as possible. Some think better redbook equals the most realistic sounding music as possible, or the most "musical" player. So on, so forth. In these cases a person would probably take the Jupiter over the 9000ES.
That's exactly the way I see it, but I was under the impression most people relate "better redbook" to more detail.
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post #96 of 102
4/20/02 at 10:08pm
I think this whole notion of "detail" itself needs to be a bit more specific... having more "detail" doesn't necessarily mean one thing to each person -- you might have more midrange detail with a laid-back treble, more treble-detail with bass information lacking, etc.

I, too, would like to see people qualify their gripes with Sony players. I don't see how a Sony SACD player could have better redbook considering the necessary addition of a second laser and an extra DAC which seems to be bad value for redbook, but Sony also doesn't have to pay another company for its transport...

Again, though, you can't just say when people pay more they want more "detail"... there are lots of things people look for in CD players.
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post #97 of 102
4/20/02 at 10:19pm
Quote:
Originally posted by DanG
Again, though, you can't just say when people pay more they want more "detail"... there are lots of things people look for in CD players.
Mostly, they look for a badge that says "SONY".
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post #98 of 102
4/20/02 at 10:22pm
And I look to make sure it doesn't say "SONY"
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post #99 of 102
4/21/02 at 12:05am
Quote:
Originally posted by Vertigo-1
But for the record, I don't think the 9000ES sounds sterile at all. I do think the SCD-1 and 333ES sound a bit sterile compared back to the 9000ES though. Then there's that XA777ES which supposedly sounds insanely musical and totally bucks the trend...
Hmmm... I would never call the 333ES "sterile" -- Jude? Mark? Jon?
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post #100 of 102
4/21/02 at 12:11am
Quote:
Hmmm... I would never call the 333ES "sterile"
That's because you've never heard a 9000ES before. I'm guessing this sterility is the very reason people want to get their 333's modded, and that that's one of the major improvements from the mods.
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post #101 of 102
4/21/02 at 12:18am
Quote:
Originally posted by Vertigo-1
That's because you've never heard a 9000ES before.
But if something is truly "sterile" it's going to sound sterile in and of itself. I've heard a lot of very good CD players, so I have a decent point of reference, and the 333 doesn't sound sterile to me.

It sounds like what you really mean is that the 333 sounds a bit sterile in comparison to the 9000ES?
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post #102 of 102
4/21/02 at 12:40am
Yes, that's what I meant.
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