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bfish

"We're going ALL the way, till the wheels fall off and burn!"
Bob Dylan, from Brownsville Girl

Dave

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"When words fail, music speaks" - HC Anderson

I've never killed a CD transport (knock wood), I specialize in VCR tape drives, where the finale is often entertainingly violent.

Tim

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Some where over the rainbow-upgrading will end?

There I feel better now.

My name is Cal and I'm a speakerholic.

[ May 16, 2008 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Cal Weldon ]

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Nothing like a great big pair of speakers to make your day.

I just got a used panasonic rp91 dvd/cd player thinking that it may be used as a transport. Some reported that adding a MSB dac did not make a noticeable difference. You may have to spend pretty good amount of money to hear the real difference.

For those who are skeptical of exotic cd players take a look at this post.

I'll say this, I have no problem whatsoever saying that good digital makes a huge difference. The difference between my good player and either the PS1 or my mass-market DVD player is enormous. IMO of course.

I find it awfully hard to evaluate posted internet comparisons (as no doubt anyone would with my paragraph above ) after reading so many different and conflicting points of view. There are lots of "giant killer" posts out there, like how the PS1 in stock form bests $6,000 players. I have one, and it doesn't best much, which leads me to believe that anything that "beats" a $6k player might not sound any better than my PS1. My experience has been much closer in line with prices than the conspiracies would suggest, cheap players sound okay but like cheap players, good players sound better some of which will be to my taste and some of which will not. It basically means I'll take the marketing before I take the internet forum opinions.

It's worth noting that the one post in that whole thread coming from someone who has heard both players reported that the sound of the expensive player was as different as the price, and in line with other players of that price. It's hard to give that too much creedence but there is no other opinion to challenge it.

This is probably the easyest way . It does not color the sound but brings out the little details like cow bells chimes with out interfering with the rest of the program.

http://www.aphex.com/204.htm

Though, I do not use it as an "enhancing machine" while listening to vinyl or CDs, or else. SOmehow I like to use as few as possible devices between the media and my ears.

Convergence- all you are saying is you like colored sound.

They do NOT improve accuracy- They "irritate" the ear in a certain manner, causing you to pay more attention.

I would flatly recommend against their use.

I did tours with major acts using those exciters- your ears are incredibly tired at the end of a gig. You just want to turn the thing off.

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"There are four boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order."

Here is paper by the Audio Engineering Society that can shed some light on two devices Aural exciter and loudness maximizer.

http://www.aphex.com/pdf/papers/APHEX_AES_reprint_Chalupper.pdf

Why do they discuss how the ear detects distortion in that paper?

Because the unit intentionally introduces a distortion.

Convergence you are just way off- it is an effect- it colors the sound. It is supposed to- it is sold to do that.

If you like it and want to use it, that is one thing. But the way you present it is 100% wrong.

I won't argue you wanting to use, it, just note that I wouldn't.

To me- it just grabs you by the shirt and yells in your face. A very impolite effect.

Just a touch will bring out an instrument buried in the mix, spot on.

But to have it on all the vocals the entire show....it was new then..people only heard it that night...except for us poor engineers who heard the show over and over...

Maybe I should do a paper for AES on "exciter burnout" on the part of engineers, who develop a totally negative reaction to them after a certain amount of exposure.

I've owned a number BTW, and yes have been guilty of using them when the customer called for them, or, as Steve said, very often used in the studio.

I understand the people on this board mainly as connoisseurs*, that means also enjoying the consumption which "can be pleasing to the senses"

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