Slight *Noise*

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C

corbin

Enthusiast
My humble set up is as follows:

Sansui G-9000 Receiver (160w, 8 ohms)

Polk Audio RTi8's

RCA RC5240P DVD Player (as a CD player)
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-RC5240P-DVD-Player/dp/B00005ML6P

My problem is that when I have a CD playing, and a quiet part in the song is playing... I hear quite a bit of background whoosh... hum... whatever you want to call it. It's barely noticeable, but it isn't completely silent (which is how it should be, right?) This only happens at really high volume levels, and it only happens when a CD is actually playing, not when the receiver is on without a signal coming from the player, which tells me that this might be the fault of a crappy signal coming from the player to the receiver. Do I need a better CD player?

Also, this tends to be a lot more noticeable with some CDs than with others. Clapton unplugged barely has the problem. An original Pink Floyd "The Wall" CD from 1979 has a severe version of the problem... as does a remastered version of Santana's 1970 album, Abraxas. This leads me to believe that this is perhaps a problem of poor CD quality being exposed by a decent audio system?

Any insight?
 
S

sparky77

Full Audioholic
Sounds to me like the noise was probably recorded onto the cd. When an album is originally master in analog it is quite difficult to remove all the noise with digital filtering without degrading the sound quality of the music.
 
C

corbin

Enthusiast
That definitely sounds plausible.

Do people with really, *ahem*, expensive systems just not listen to old CDs/poorly recorded CDs or what? Because if that is the cause of my "problem", I imagine people with killer 2 channel systems would have to deal with the same "noise", and after dropping that kind of money on the system, I wouldn't want anything less than pure aural bliss.
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
corbin said:
That definitely sounds plausible.

Do people with really, *ahem*, expensive systems just not listen to old CDs/poorly recorded CDs or what? Because if that is the cause of my "problem", I imagine people with killer 2 channel systems would have to deal with the same "noise", and after dropping that kind of money on the system, I wouldn't want anything less than pure aural bliss.
Click to expand...
Well, you can turn it down a notch. :D Buy better recordings, or just grin and bear it?

Does this happen on some or all your CDs?
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
mtrycrafts said:
Well, you can turn it down a notch. :D Buy better recordings, or just grin and bear it?

Does this happen on some or all your CDs?
Click to expand...
Sounds like the player but I wonder too if it could be a ground loop problem as well.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
corbin said:
Do people with really, *ahem*, expensive systems just not listen to old CDs/poorly recorded CDs or what?
Click to expand...
Perhaps some "audiophiles" only listen to "perfect" recordings but most music lovers will listen to the music they like. It's like records. They don't let an occasional click or pop destroy their musical (not audiophile) nirvana.

I love roots rock, western swing, and rockabilly and the recordings are abysmal. Do you suggest I not listen to them?


corbin said:
Because if that is the cause of my "problem", I imagine people with killer 2 channel systems would have to deal with the same "noise", and after dropping that kind of money on the system, I wouldn't want anything less than pure aural bliss.
Click to expand...
Most have a more realistic view of these things and accept an occasional bone in the filet without going ballistic and swearing off fish forever.

And, it most likely is the cause of your problem. The question is, are you going to let it destroy your love of the music like the "audiophiles" you tried to put down here?
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
markw said:
Perhaps some "audiophiles" only listen to "perfect" recordings but most music lovers will listen to the music they like. It's like records. They don't let an occasional click or pop destroy their musical (not audiophile) nirvana.

I love roots rock, western swing, and rockabilly and the recordings are abysmal. Do you suggest I not listen to them?


Most have a more realistic view of these things and accept an occasional bone in the filet without going ballistic and swearing off fish forever.

And, it most likely is the cause of your problem. The question is, are you going to let it destroy your love of the music like the "audiophiles" you tried to put down here?
Click to expand...
Mark, I think a new classification is needed. I shun the word audiophile as its associated with high priced esoteric cables, cable lifts, and other such voodoo to achieve the ultimate sound. We need a new word that blends in science with trying to acghieve audio nirvana. I can't come up with any new words.... thought of audiodork but thats just way to degrading!! :D;)
 
Davemcc

Davemcc

Audioholic Spartan
3db said:
Mark, I think a new classification is needed. I shun the word audiophile as its associated with high priced esoteric cables, cable lifts, and other such voodoo to achieve the ultimate sound. We need a new word that blends in science with trying to acghieve audio nirvana. I can't come up with any new words.... thought of audiodork but thats just way to degrading!! :D;)
Click to expand...
How about Auralphile. With luck, your SO will mistake that word for it's homonym and treat you accordingly.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
I hear ya. How about...

3db said:
Mark, I think a new classification is needed. I shun the word audiophile as its associated with high priced esoteric cables, cable lifts, and other such voodoo to achieve the ultimate sound. We need a new word that blends in science with trying to acghieve audio nirvana. I can't come up with any new words.... thought of audiodork but thats just way to degrading!! :D;)
Click to expand...
"Audiotechnophile". One who is more concerned with hearing the technical experience as opposed to the musical experience.

I tried that path once but the lack of variety got to me very quickly and, even then, some imprefections crept into the experience. Nothing is perfect.

I mean, Mapleshade and Reference Recordings are nice but how much of that can one take.
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
Incase you missed the answer...

This is normal and a result of the recording.
corbin said:
My humble set up is as follows:

Sansui G-9000 Receiver (160w, 8 ohms)

Polk Audio RTi8's

RCA RC5240P DVD Player (as a CD player)
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-RC5240P-DVD-Player/dp/B00005ML6P

My problem is that when I have a CD playing, and a quiet part in the song is playing... I hear quite a bit of background whoosh... hum... whatever you want to call it. It's barely noticeable, but it isn't completely silent (which is how it should be, right?) This only happens at really high volume levels, and it only happens when a CD is actually playing, not when the receiver is on without a signal coming from the player, which tells me that this might be the fault of a crappy signal coming from the player to the receiver. Do I need a better CD player?

Also, this tends to be a lot more noticeable with some CDs than with others. Clapton unplugged barely has the problem. An original Pink Floyd "The Wall" CD from 1979 has a severe version of the problem... as does a remastered version of Santana's 1970 album, Abraxas. This leads me to believe that this is perhaps a problem of poor CD quality being exposed by a decent audio system?

Any insight?
Click to expand...
 
C

corbin

Enthusiast
Greg Gable said:
Incase you missed the answer...

This is normal and a result of the recording.
Click to expand...
Thanks to all who helped - I can rest knowing that the noise isn't a result of my system.

On a sidenote:

Is there any way of knowing whether or not the CDs I plan to purchase have been afflicted by the terribleness that is the loudness war? It is generally accepted that ALL modern CDs contain some level of lazy remastering, and therefore decreased dynamic range?
 
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M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
corbin said:
Is there any way of knowing whether or not the CDs I plan to purchase have been afflicted by the terribleness that is the loudness war? It is generally accepted that ALL modern CDs contain some level of lazy remastering, and therefore decreased dynamic range?
Click to expand...
Short of getting reports from other on sites like this, no but, on the whole, not much "new" stuff sounds very good.

And, even then it's not like you have a choice of purchasing recordings in either audiophile quality or philistine quality. They come one way, and one way only.

There are a few, very few, audiophile remasters but they make up a very small percentage of the market and the titles they offer are far from comprehensive.

Now you're faced with listening to the music and enjoying it or obsessing about the underlying mprefections.

Your choice. Welcome to the machine.

BTW, CD's didn't arrive until the early 80's. That "1979" CD of "The Wall" never existed. It was reissued from an existing master.

What you're hearing on a lot of these reissues is tape hiss that was part of the original master tapes. Imprefections abound in this hobby. Learn to live with 'em or be misreable.
 
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C

corbin

Enthusiast
Hmmm, that's interesting.

I mean it still sounds good I was just wondering more for "how could I make this possibly better" approach.
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
When cranked really loud, most of my music has a hiss not unlike my tape deck in my 79 Trans-Am back in high school. I do have a few Digital Masters such as my Spyro Gyra collection that are dead quite and awesome.
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
3db said:
Mark, I think a new classification is needed. I shun the word audiophile as its associated with high priced esoteric cables, cable lifts, and other such voodoo to achieve the ultimate sound. We need a new word that blends in science with trying to acghieve audio nirvana. I can't come up with any new words.... thought of audiodork but thats just way to degrading!! :D;)
Click to expand...
How about resurrecting the old title, High Fidelitynut:D
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
Too early to drink?

Speaking of Spyro Gyra...

I called the CD place when I left the gym and asked them if they had any Spyro Gyra and she said some guy came in yesterday and sold his whole collection. I bought 5 of them for around 25 bucks! They are all in great condition. I know it's a little early but I am pouring a single malt scotch and about to enjoy a few hours of fine Jazz:D
Greg Gable said:
When cranked really loud, most of my music has a hiss not unlike my tape deck in my 79 Trans-Am back in high school. I do have a few Digital Masters such as my Spyro Gyra collection that are dead quite and awesome.
Click to expand...
 
S

sparky77

Full Audioholic
aka, famous country song that I'm not too proud to quote... Beer 30....
hey, its every hour...lol
 
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