Preamp selections 2 channel

[Irvrobinson]

Then no need for a separate CD player, just use the Oppo. No CD player is gonna beat its performance anyway.

Except ergonomics. Nothing beats old-fashioned Japanese CD player controls and loading speed on CDs. Not to mention that they last forever. That's why I use a Tascam CD player as a CD transport. It's not especially pretty, but it sure is easy and fast to use.

 

[slipperybidness]

Except ergonomics. Nothing beats old-fashioned Japanese CD player controls and loading speed on CDs. Not to mention that they last forever. That's why I use a Tascam CD player as a CD transport. It's not especially pretty, but it sure is easy and fast to use.

How's about a link? What model do you use?

 

[Irvrobinson]

How's about a link? What model do you use?

Amazon.com: CD-200 Professional CD Player: Musical Instruments

 

[slipperybidness]

Amazon.com: CD-200 Professional CD Player: Musical Instruments

I've never seen pitch control on a CD player before???

 

[Irvrobinson]

I've never seen pitch control on a CD player before???

Pretty standard for studio players.

 

[ematthews]

Let me ask this.... In playback sound quality only, will the Oppo beat the Marantz SA8004/5 player... I know both have exceptional reviews on them but I would be using the CD playback almost all the time. Of course the Oppo gives me a lot more options..

 

[Irvrobinson]

Let me ask this.... In playback sound quality only, will the Oppo beat the Marantz SA8004/5 player... I know both have exceptional reviews on them but I would be using the CD playback almost all the time. Of course the Oppo gives me a lot more options..

I think it's very unlikely you'd hear any difference between the two that could be predicted. By that I mean that in a direct comparison they will almost certainly sound identical, if they're functioning properly.

I should be honest and admit that I do believe there can be audible differences in line-level electronics like this, but I've never been able to discern the differences in short-term comparisons. And I've never been able to predict a preference based on price or looks, though I've never ended up liking a component with anything but stellar measurements. My only indicator is how much and how long I enjoy listening to my system over a period of several days. With some components I just find myself listening less or not enjoying it as much. So I don't buy components in the signal path without testing them first, at least not without a satisfaction guarantee. But that's just me, and a lot of people think I'm nuts. So be it. Sometimes I just have to ignore pragmatism to be satisfied. You need to make up your own mind.

 

[jinjuku]

Except ergonomics. Nothing beats old-fashioned Japanese CD player controls and loading speed on CDs. Not to mention that they last forever. That's why I use a Tascam CD player as a CD transport. It's not especially pretty, but it sure is easy and fast to use.

There you go Irv. Always recommending Pro - Audio gear and DIY

 

[ematthews]

Just saw the Tascom is a TEAC company.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Just saw the Tascom is a TEAC company.

Tascam also makes surprisingly good handheld digital recorders.

 

[jinjuku]

TEAC also owns Esoteric.

Interesting how many Companies do Pro-Audio and Audiophile at the same time. Yamaha, HK, TEAC. Tannoy. Trust me there is brain sharing going on between them.

When some one asks about that Yamaha sound out of one of their A and M series and then dismiss the P/S series from their pro-audio.... Always get a hoot out of that.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Let me ask this.... In playback sound quality only, will the Oppo beat the Marantz SA8004/5 player... I know both have exceptional reviews on them but I would be using the CD playback almost all the time. Of course the Oppo gives me a lot more options..

You've got to read a few free online archive articles of The Audio Critic.

Download them for free.

http://www.theaudiocritic.com/cwo/Back_Issues/

Amps
Preamps
Processors
DAC
CD Players
Wires

 

[RichB]

You can read many reviews and measurements of the BDP-105.
I prefer the sound via its analog that via HDMI decoded by the Marantz AV8801.

The 105 does so much more, It does not make sense to me to buy a CD player ignoring all of that.
The USB DAC, a computer, and a program like J River allows you to have your entire collection run from a tablet.

- Rich

 

[ematthews]

You've got to read a few free online archive articles of The Audio Critic.

Download them for free.

The Audio Critic




Amps
Preamps
Processors
DAC
CD Players
Wires

And here is something I found on there.. Interesting read.
Proven: Good Old Redbook CD Sounds the Same as the Hi-Rez Formats
Incontrovertible double-blind listening tests prove that the original 16-bit/44.1-kHz CD standard yields exactly the same two-channel sound quality as the SACD and DVD-A technologies.

 

[Irvrobinson]

And here is something I found on there.. Interesting read.
Proven: Good Old Redbook CD Sounds the Same as the Hi-Rez Formats
Incontrovertible double-blind listening tests prove that the original 16-bit/44.1-kHz CD standard yields exactly the same two-channel sound quality as the SACD and DVD-A technologies.

It is a good read, as are many other The Audio Critic articles and essays. You need to be a little wary though; Aczel likes to talk in absolutes, including when his opinion is involved and not measured facts. Also, his vendetta against John Atkinson is a little suspect, since JA has been the best source available for objective measurements of audio components and speakers for decades. (Yes, JA tows the party line on cables, but I understand his position, sort of. I couldn't live with it, but I understand it.) There's also the Carver Amazing fiasco, where Stereophile told a much more revealing and accurate story of the review process than did Aczel. So The Audio Critic is good stuff, it is just not infallible, and sometimes it takes a little technical knowledge and experience to know when Azcel is presenting opinions as absolutes.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

And here is something I found on there.. Interesting read.
Proven: Good Old Redbook CD Sounds the Same as the Hi-Rez Formats
Incontrovertible double-blind listening tests prove that the original 16-bit/44.1-kHz CD standard yields exactly the same two-channel sound quality as the SACD and DVD-A technologies.

And I wholeheartedly believe it based on my own experience. That's why I don't even listen to SACD/DVD-A anymore. They don't sound any better than CD/lossless audio files to me. That's why I don't care for media players anymore.

If the recording and mixing is fantastic, the sound will be fantastic whether it is CD/lossless files, BD, SACD, DVD-A.

If the recording and mixing is not to your liking, then the sound will be bad regardless of format and resolution.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It is a good read, as are many other The Audio Critic articles and essays. You need to be a little wary though; Aczel likes to talk in absolutes, including when his opinion is involved and not measured facts. Also, his vendetta against John Atkinson is a little suspect, since JA has been the best source available for objective measurements of audio components and speakers for decades. (Yes, JA tows the party line on cables, but I understand his position, sort of. I couldn't live it, but I understand it.) There's also the Carver Amazing fiasco, where Stereophile told a much more revealing and accurate story of the review process than did Aczel. So The Audio Critic is good stuff, it is just not infallible, and sometimes it takes a little technical knowledge and experience to know when Azcel is presenting opinions as absolutes.

Well, it's just Aczel's Absolute Opinion based on his experience.

 

[slipperybidness]

TEAC also owns Esoteric.

Interesting how many Companies do Pro-Audio and Audiophile at the same time. Yamaha, HK, TEAC. Tannoy. Trust me there is brain sharing going on between them.

When some one asks about that Yamaha sound out of one of their A and M series and then dismiss the P/S series from their pro-audio.... Always get a hoot out of that.

Yamaha is just one of those (few) companies that has been around for so long, has their hand in a lot of different areas, and just builds GOOD products. I can't think of a single Yammy product that I have ever been disappointed in or that had poor reliability.

 

[jinjuku]

Yamaha is just one of those (few) companies that has been around for so long, has their hand in a lot of different areas, and just builds GOOD products. I can't think of a single Yammy product that I have ever been disappointed in or that had poor reliability.

Still haven't figured out how someone gets a rise out of a Yamaha consumer amp and then all softy if it's Yamaha's pro-amp. Just makes one shake their head.

 

[slipperybidness]

Amazon.com: CD-200 Professional CD Player: Musical Instruments

Hey Irv, that really doesn't look bad at all and the price is right on it. So, you highly recommend this player?

Have you seen the CD-200i with the iPod dock? Dang, if iPod would play FLAC files, that would be one heck of a CD player!

I would almost consider the ipod dock model and use my old gen 4 ipod as a music server, with some CD playback on the side.