[taoster]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vertigo-1 I would think the Corda should have filled up the midrange considerably more and provided a much deeper bass response, as that's where the HD-600s improve the most with a better amp. Whether or not the average joe can hear that is another story.

The average Joe wouldn't be very impressed if s/he had to pay for the new S9000ES + Corda only to found little or no difference between it and their $100 pcdp. We ARE talking about two very different class/cost of audio equipment here!

Its interesting to read articles like this, as living in australia means i would need to rely on reviews and observations before purchasing audio equipment.

 

[kelly]

I find there to actually be much greater differences in the lower end of electronics. In the high end, I hear people talk about all kinds of strange subtleties. In the lower end--comparing a $300 headphone to one that came with a portable, or an amped standalone cd player to a portable, the differences for me come down to this: instruments begin to sound like instruments.

I've tried to explain this to people who want me to sample something classical in their stock car stereos. Sure, I can tell its a violin because I use my imagination. It's sort of like how I can tell a Burger King sign from a distance so far that I can't quite make out the letters on the sign. It's iconic. It's like a representation of a violin, but it doesn't really sound anything at all like what a violin sounds like in real life.

Bass guitars are especially bad for this. On a crappy system, it's difficult for me to discern bass keyboard from bass guitar. On a better system, you hear the slap of the string itself. You hear the subtlety of the bassists' finger plucking against a solid structure and then echoing in a room. It's QUITE different for me.

Yet people argue that it isn't. I can only think maybe those people haven't heard many live presentations or perhaps they've simply heard so many canned CDs that they think the CD is the basis of comparison and kindof just forget what live music sounds like.

As for me, I'll never be satisfied until the day I close my eyes and have to second guess myself wondering whether I'm actually sitting in a concert hall somewhere.

Kelly

 

[Tim D]

I still have an unanswered question...is that Mp3/CD player a better than average sounding portable?

To say that your home setup differences were more subtle than you originally thought from just a PCDP makes it out to be a good PCDP especially considering you are talking about HD600.

I've had the HD600 before...I also have AKG501, DT931, or Ety4S...and each one of them sounded very different driven directly from something like my Panasonic...so I was just wondering if this Mp3/CD player has more juice and is a clean sounding player.

 

[RickG]

Some nice observations above, Kelly.
Quote:

Originally posted by kelly As for me, I'll never be satisfied until the day I close my eyes and have to second guess myself wondering whether I'm actually sitting in a concert hall somewhere.

Ahh, 'tis wonderful to dream!

 

[ponzio]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tim D I still have an unanswered question...is that Mp3/CD player a better than average sounding portable?

I can't really say, since it is the only portable I currently have on hand.

Vertigo, upgraded interconnects are definitely in my future. I may take a trip this weekend and pick up a few different pairs for at home testing. I emailed Tara Labs and told them my setup, and they recommended the RSC 1, which costs as much as the 9000, so maybe the RSC 2's will be in order. I'm also considering HG SilverLaces.