p a t r i c k
500+ Head-Fier
I've started testing out some alternatives to iTunes on my Mac Pro. Right now I've got Audirvana Plus, when the trial runs out I will try Pure Music.
The funny thing is that these alternatives are actually reminding me how much I prefer my CD player to my computer for listening to music.
Please note I am not suggesting that CD players are better than computers, rather that I think my CD player is better than my computer.
Also, I'd love the opportunity for a double blind listening test, I am very aware of the power of suggestion and auto-suggestion in assessing hi fi components, and so my liking of my CD player may be completely a product of auto-suggestion.
My CD player is actually a Sugden CDMaster. A few years old now. Sometimes I use the DAC that is built in, other times I use it with my Meier-Audio StageDAC. Difficult to pick a preference, the two DACs really are very close. CDMaster's built in DAC is possibly just a bit more fluid sounding.
I still buy nearly all music on CD so for me the CD player is relevant.
A very important thing about music is that is remains coherent, that all parts of the music work together successfully. Very often so-called hi-end hi-fi fails this and is disintegrating in nature. This disintegration of the music is often mistaken for quality, the music, in its disintegrated form actually sounds initially to be of higher quality, the different elements sound more apparent. However, in fact, I think something which holds it all together is missing.
My CD player is so good at keeping everything coherent. The different elements have their say, but they remain always together and integrated.
It is a curious thing that in "Dedicated Source Components" forum I see so many thread about Vinyl reproduction and reproduction from files on computers, but rarely do CD players get a mention.
I confess that my Sugden CDMaster killed off vinyl replay for me. I had been using vinyl since the late 70s and had a few CD players before my Sugden CDMaster, but it was the CDMaster which made, for me, turntables redundant.
So I am wondering if I will find some computer replay system that will make my Sugden CDMaster redundent?
Right now I am thinking "not yet" Sugden CDMaster still rules in my house!
The funny thing is that these alternatives are actually reminding me how much I prefer my CD player to my computer for listening to music.
Please note I am not suggesting that CD players are better than computers, rather that I think my CD player is better than my computer.
Also, I'd love the opportunity for a double blind listening test, I am very aware of the power of suggestion and auto-suggestion in assessing hi fi components, and so my liking of my CD player may be completely a product of auto-suggestion.
My CD player is actually a Sugden CDMaster. A few years old now. Sometimes I use the DAC that is built in, other times I use it with my Meier-Audio StageDAC. Difficult to pick a preference, the two DACs really are very close. CDMaster's built in DAC is possibly just a bit more fluid sounding.
I still buy nearly all music on CD so for me the CD player is relevant.
A very important thing about music is that is remains coherent, that all parts of the music work together successfully. Very often so-called hi-end hi-fi fails this and is disintegrating in nature. This disintegration of the music is often mistaken for quality, the music, in its disintegrated form actually sounds initially to be of higher quality, the different elements sound more apparent. However, in fact, I think something which holds it all together is missing.
My CD player is so good at keeping everything coherent. The different elements have their say, but they remain always together and integrated.
It is a curious thing that in "Dedicated Source Components" forum I see so many thread about Vinyl reproduction and reproduction from files on computers, but rarely do CD players get a mention.
I confess that my Sugden CDMaster killed off vinyl replay for me. I had been using vinyl since the late 70s and had a few CD players before my Sugden CDMaster, but it was the CDMaster which made, for me, turntables redundant.
So I am wondering if I will find some computer replay system that will make my Sugden CDMaster redundent?
Right now I am thinking "not yet" Sugden CDMaster still rules in my house!