Integra CDC 3.4 vs others? Also -- burn in period??

[HiFi Jake]

I've done a bit of searching the forum for info regarding the Integra CD changer. Most specifically regarding sound quality. But I haven't really found what I'm looking for.

My father has been looking for a CD changer, and recently picked up an Integra. He had been using an older Denon single disc player. He was happy with the Denon, but wanted to move away from the Denon players given so many reports of poor reliability with more recent Denon gear.

On side by side comparison, we found the Integra to be missing a lot of inner detail and a lack of mid/upper mid clarity, etc. compared to the Denon. For example, you hear the ping of the cymbal and the chink of the hihats very nicely on the Integra, but you miss a lot of the overtones you hear on the Denon. Vocals and percussion seem to be very far back in the sound stage on the Integra.

I'm curious if anybody here has noticed anything similar with Integra/Onkyo players compared to comparably priced players,? Or has anyone had a chance to do any comparitive listening between the Integra and other similar players and could offer some insight?

I guess the other thing I wonder is if maybe the Integra needs a certain amount of burn in time?

Any suggestions as to what might be a better sounding CD changer in the $300-$450 range? Sony ES series? Yamaha? Others?

I'd like to try to get him to make the jump to the Rotel but I don't think he'll go for it at ~$700. (He's running through an older JVC surround receiver, Paradigm Titans w/ matching sub, etc.)

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Seth=L]

Try Adcom. I always liked their CD changers. They have nice features, like built in pre/amp sections so you can adjust the volume on the CD player's remote. So if you were using an integrated amp with out a remote you could still adjust the volume.

CD players don't have burn in. Cables don't have burn in. Amplifiers don't have burn in. And lastly, speakers do break in, but it only takes a matter of seconds for it to happen.

What receiver does you dad have?

 

[no. 5]

what about Marantz?

CC4300

 

[Nick250]

I've done a bit of searching the forum for info regarding the Integra CD changer. Most specifically regarding sound quality. But I haven't really found what I'm looking for.

My father has been looking for a CD changer, and recently picked up an Integra. He had been using an older Denon single disc player. He was happy with the Denon, but wanted to move away from the Denon players given so many reports of poor reliability with more recent Denon gear.

On side by side comparison, we found the Integra to be missing a lot of inner detail and a lack of mid/upper mid clarity, etc. compared to the Denon. For example, you hear the ping of the cymbal and the chink of the hihats very nicely on the Integra, but you miss a lot of the overtones you hear on the Denon. Vocals and percussion seem to be very far back in the sound stage on the Integra.

I'm curious if anybody here has noticed anything similar with Integra/Onkyo players compared to comparably priced players,? Or has anyone had a chance to do any comparitive listening between the Integra and other similar players and could offer some insight?

I guess the other thing I wonder is if maybe the Integra needs a certain amount of burn in time?

Any suggestions as to what might be a better sounding CD changer in the $300-$450 range? Sony ES series? Yamaha? Others?

I'd like to try to get him to make the jump to the Rotel but I don't think he'll go for it at ~$700. (He's running through an older JVC surround receiver, Paradigm Titans w/ matching sub, etc.)

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

What is the CD player connected to and is it an analog connection or digital connection? The variable in this scenario is who's DAC is being used? There is no break-in factor with CD/DVD players.

Nick

 

[HiFi Jake]

Thanks for the replies gents.

Connection is using the analog outs on the CD player, so we're using the DACs on the player, which are the Wolfson DACs.

I'm not too familiar with the Wolfsons, which is why I'm wondering if this is really the difference. I know the Denon has the Burr-Brown DACs.

Receiver is a JVC RX809V - a bit long in the tooth, I'm 'fraid. I also wondered if this was just a case of mismatched components. But more and more I'm thinking it's just the player.

I agree about speakers (and some headphones) having a "break-in" period. I have experienced this myself, and a number of speaker and headphone manufacturers actually specify break-in periods. Though it does take longer than a few seconds. It's usually at least a good 24 hours worth of continuous play, and sometimes more. Pretty much everybody I've ever talked to who bought Grado headphones has said they sounded like crap until they had gone through proper break-in.

I've heard conflicting reports about electronics items having a burn in period. Something about the electrons finding/etching the path of least resistance through new circuitry and components, and then the rest of the electrons thereafter following the established paths or something. I guess it must be a bit like ants or cockroaches when they find a path to a food source.

Haven't decided if I believe it or not. So I was just wondering if anyone experienced this with the Integra in particular.