[zhix78]

First of all, Mods, I really do not know which forum does this question belong to. Please move this if you think i have posted in the wrong forum.

I have a question for all the experts here. Recently I bought a CD call "Astrud Gilberto - Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour" which i tested at THAT CD SHOP using the the equipment there. A CD Player + An Amp + AKG "Not Sure What Model". I was blown away by the quality of the mastering and promptly brought a copy.

When I ripped the CD using EAC (WAV) and played back on my iAudio X5L + SF5 + ES2, the quality of the song is no where near what i heard at the THAT CD SHOP.

The wide soundstage was gone, the dymanic equipment sounds were gone. I mean, it still sounds good on my portable setup but nowhere as good as what I heard at the shop.

My question is .. So where is my bottleneck ? My source ? My IEMs ? Are portable setup really so far apart from those huge CD players+amps+big headphones?

Is there no way I can bridge the gap between CD Players+AMps+Big Headphones ?

 

[ericj]

I'm gonna take a wild guess - your back pocket.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm gonna take a wild guess - your back pocket.

X2

 

[krmathis]

I agree with the two above!
In my opinion a portable system (DAP, portable amplifier, IEM) can not compete with a full sized system when it comes to sound quality.

 

[Jon118]

Even with the ES2s, you're going to kill the soundstage with an IEM. Plus, even at lossless there is just something that doesn't sound as good about files on an MP3 player compared to a cdp. At least, in my opinion. I'm not sure what amp they had at the store, but it was probably better than most portable amps will be.

 

[kpeezy]

I'm wouldn't that the WAV is the problem (opinion obviously), but I would definitely attribute the loss of soundstage to your IEM's.

 

[ericj]

yeah, soundstage and airyness would be lacking with IEMs. You have to keep in mind that, lacking mixing or DSP effects, 'soundstage' is the enemy of isolation, and vice-versa.

Would help to have some idea which AKGs you used at the store.

 

[zhix78]

Just found out that the store is using AKG100. By the store name is "THAT CD STORE"

 

[ericj]

K100?!

that aint much of a headphone. open, though (iirc), and some semblance of the AKG sound signature.

 

[krmathis]

^ AKG K100, like these?
http://itc.ua/img/dpk/2003/3/akg_k_100.jpg

 

[zhix78]

looks like it .. maybe i can drop by the cd shop tomorrow and confirm. probably take a picture of their setup as well.