Would I benefit from a new cd player....

[mtrycrafts]

Here's a paper I found with a quick Google search. It contains experimental results.
A New Method for Measuring Distortion using a Multitone Stimulus and Non-Coherence

This is one of the reasons IMD measurements have been gaining popularity.

The disadvantages of single-tone sine wave measurements are mentioned on many audio measurement company web sites, including Audio Precision: Audio.TST July 2008 Multitone theory & Using your AP to do a Power Supply Rail Health Check.



There is also the fact that feedback influences the introduction of distortion. A large number of devices utilize feedback and have different feedback designs. Here's a white paper from Nelson Pass: Audio distortion and feedback.

I didn't see any mention of turntables in your link so how is it relevant to vinyl?

 

[Irvrobinson]

Then again, one could make the argument that you're happy, so ultimately the actual reason for it (be it real or illusory) is irrelevant.

This is exactly the conclusion I often come to about my own sometimes irrational behavior, especially with electronics. I theoretically hear a difference, but I do, and if I can't convinced myself otherwise I just buy. Life is too short to torture oneself over philosophy. At least if one can afford the financial consequences.

 

[Josuah]

I didn't see any mention of turntables in your link so how is it relevant to vinyl?

It was relevant to your question as to why something may measure worse with music than with sine waves. And indirectly as to why a system incorporating a DAC may be introducing distortion that would not exist in a vinyl setup.

 

[PENG]

It was relevant to your question as to why something may measure worse with music than with sine waves. And indirectly as to why a system incorporating a DAC may be introducing distortion that would not exist in a vinyl setup.

Please understand music waveforms are made up of sine waves. Yes they don't look like sine waves on the scope but they really are a bunch of sines waves with different fundamentals and harmonics. If you are trying to make the point about the significance of IMD (that cannot be done with a single frequency sine wave) in addition to THD, you have done so already, so don't begin to confuse the issue again. Just a side note, even mid range amps are generally well designed and built enough that THD+N/IMD are really not an issue, especially when you consider the much weaker link, namely the loudspeakers, that typically have much higher distortions.

 

[Josuah]

Please understand music waveforms are made up of sine waves. Yes they don't look like sine waves on the scope but they really are a bunch of sines waves with different fundamentals and harmonics. If you are trying to make the point about the significance of IMD (that cannot be done with a single frequency sine wave) in addition to THD, you have done so already, so don't begin to confuse the issue again. Just a side note, even mid range amps are generally well designed and built enough that THD+N/IMD are really not an issue, especially when you consider the much weaker link, namely the loudspeakers, that typically have much higher distortions.

I'm educated in signal theory and processing.

I don't see how I'm confusing the issue though; my original statement was that digital-to-analog conversion may not be so great and could introduce distortion, and that the distortion introduced may not be accurately identified through sine wave measurements. This was in response to flyboylr45 mentioning that he has vinyl that sounds better than his CDs but not really knowing why or understanding many of the terminology being used.

 

[PENG]

I'm educated in signal theory and processing.

I don't see how I'm confusing the issue though; my original statement was that digital-to-analog conversion may not be so great and could introduce distortion, and that the distortion introduced may not be accurately identified through sine wave measurements. This was in response to flyboylr45 mentioning that he has vinyl that sounds better than his CDs but not really knowing why or understanding many of the terminology being used.

I referred to your music vs sine wave(s) thing. Had you said sine wave, being singular, to imply a single tone/freq sine wave, then it would have been clearer. Anyway, no big deal, just in the mood of nitpicking..

 

[mtrycrafts]

It was relevant to your question as to why something may measure worse with music than with sine waves. And indirectly as to why a system incorporating a DAC may be introducing distortion that would not exist in a vinyl setup.

Well, 'may' is the operative word here, isn't it.
Obviously a 6x9 speaker does show this multi tones vs single tone, or full spectrum pink noise.
How about a component such as an amp, CD player, etc.
Why wasn't this paper presented to the Journal for publication where it is reviewed by competent peers of AES instead a presentation at a conference where it is not so reviewed?

 

[Josuah]

I referred to your music vs sine wave(s) thing. Had you said sine wave, being singular, to imply a single tone/freq sine wave, then it would have been clearer. Anyway, no big deal, just in the mood of nitpicking..

My bad for being unclear then.

Well, 'may' is the operative word here, isn't it.
Obviously a 6x9 speaker does show this multi tones vs single tone, or full spectrum pink noise.
How about a component such as an amp, CD player, etc.
Why wasn't this paper presented to the Journal for publication where it is reviewed by competent peers of AES instead a presentation at a conference where it is not so reviewed?

I guess I was unclear in that part of my earlier sentence as well. I stated that "vinyl can sound better" for blah, blah reasons not meaning that it will always sound better, but that it can (is possible for it to) sound better.

You could ask the paper's authors about your last question. Or feel free to call up Audio Precision asking for the evidence behind their statement.

 

[djreef]

How unfortunate about the Adcom... no digital output, only an input? Now that's confidence in the DAC section! I should have also read the owners manual more closely.

Upgradeitis should be avoided, unless you have money you don't need. I understand upgradeitis. I don't recommend it, but I understand it.

Unless you can sell the old equipment to help parlay the cost of the new.

DJ

 

[flyboylr45]

Well that was the plan, but for what I can get for it it's not worth it. Im going to put a small system in my bedroom and plan on using the gcd-750 and the rsp-1068 processor. Just need speakers and I'll probably buy an emotiva amp.

I just bought the Wadia i171 and run it through the esoteric dacs. Sounds pretty good for being compressed. Gonna start experimenting with lossless formats.