what is driving your altecs?

[GM]

Originally posted by selmerdave:

Wouldn't those sound characteristics be the result of the DAC/output section rather than the transport?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">In retrospect, I shouldn't have mixed metaphors so to speak as Tim did since I was reflecting based on Mike's Sony CD player reference, yet used Tim's erroneous 'transport' description at the end of it to mean probably any Sony CD/DVD player without catching the obvious error before sending.

Regardless, I've never delved into CD/DVD player design, so all I really only know is what I posted. Actually, I thought 'transport' only referred to the mechanical part of the system that handles the CD/DVD, not to any of its signal retrieval/processing functions, and that by definition a DAC was only a D/A converter, ergo with no EQ type of signal processing.

GM

[timp]

Mike you do have a beautiful set up. I wonder what dac will go nicely with your sony. I am so tempted to try this one though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZERO-NEW-24BIT-1...QQcmdZViewItem

Hey GM. Your speakers were one of the best systems I've heard. Mine doesn't come close to yours.

Tim

[GM]

Originally posted by timp:
I hear that sony makes a wonderful transport.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">FWIW, I held off buying a CD player for many years until high end pricing had dropped enough and CD SQ had risen enough to even consider a CD library. After a bit of research I auditioned one of the mega $$$ esoteric models (I forget which one), the original Sony 'flagship' DVD player (the one with the 'trick' servo driven door), both from 'Stereophool's' recommended 'short list' along with a more wallet friendly Pioneer Elite CD-65 that they considered as an entry level to ultra-fi CD playback. Again, per their 'short list', I used Blue Note's John Coltrane's BLUE TRAIN 'enhanced' (whatever that means from a recording POV) CD and a few regular CDs including Dave Brubeck's TAKE FIVE for critical comparison to each other and my vinyl albums.

The long and short of it was the mega $$$ unit had the marginally best mids, the Sony the marginally best highs and the Pioneer the best lower octaves, but the latter was so close WRT mids/HF that between its price and ~dead flat 20-20 kHz tonal balance made it the 'no-brainer' choice for me.

When I voiced my opinions to the dealer, he was curious enough to measure them and found the Sony was ~ -8 dB/20 Hz and ~ +3 dB referenced to the Pioneer's 20-20 kHz ~flat line, so measured another demo which had a similar stilted response. The mega $$$ unit had a mildly 'enhanced' mids (non flat), so all fell right in line with what I perceived.

Fast forward to several years ago right before my electronics finally died, I wanted to buy a best 'bang-buck' DVD player without all the hassle of auditioning, etc., so finally bought the Sony DVP-NS700P that the ISF tech that tuned up my RPTV claimed was the best 'bang-buck' for both DVD and CD playback even though some said I should stick to a Toshiba 'Color Stream' unit to match the RPTV and to my ears it too has the same rolled off low end/rising HF response tonal balance of its paternal original, so apparently this is Sony's chosen sonic 'signature'. Quite a departure from Sony's early '70s choice of the flattest response over the widest BW at the lowest practical distortion for their esoteric line of components. A pity they lost their way IMO.

Not my idea of 'wonderful', but if you're using tube amps with their typically somewhat 'bloated' sounding bottom end and rolled off extreme HF and/or rolled off HF speakers, then a Sony may very well be the 'Hot Ticket' SS transport. As always though, YMMV, so Caveat Emptor applies.

GM

[selmerdave]

Thanks GM, that makes sense. I had assumed that too until the part where you mentioned the transport, and I thought that maybe I didn't understand how it worked. My understanding (which may well be incorrect) is that the transport is the part mechanism that spins the disc and collects the info from it, so the output from the transport (digital output) is simply the digital info on the disc, while the audio output section includes the DAC chip and output circuitry to convert to analog and bring the level up to desired voltage.

Dave

[timp]

I just need to make a digital IC and I'll report my findings.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey Dave

I will be very interested in reading your findings. Many audiophiles claim that transports are as just as important as dacs. Junks go in junks come out, kinda thing. Consequently, some transports are obscenely expensive. It seems like dac technology is the one that is constantly improving though.

Tim

[selmerdave]

Well, first report:

It works, it doesn't play CD-R's. For me that's a drag. I'm a little perplexed to find out that "digital interconnects" which are needed for the coax connection are rather expensive. $25 for the cheapest one at Rat Shack, when the only difference between it and regular IC's is the 75-ohm coax used for the wire (which is not expensive). I could DIY one and I'm mulling that over, I might just spend the $25 or I might junk this one and find another one that plays CD-R's. I tried using a regualar IC for the digital and got a terrible sound that made me turn everything off rather quickly. So I've tried listening just to the Sony machine through it's audio outs and so far I'd say the sound is not impressive. Marginally better than my CD walkman, rather bright, tonally thin and it seems a little light in the bass.

I know that a very good transport would probably make a big difference, but between a mediocre transport and output section and a mediocre transport and very good output section, I'm betting on the latter.

Anyway I'll report back when I acquire/make a digital IC.

Dave

[timp]

Dave

Are you looking for these?

http://www.eforcity.com/spdif-cable.html

Tim

[selmerdave]

Yes indeed, what the heck is Rat Shack's problem? Order placed...

Dave

[intotubes]

I am listening to my 19's with a lightly modded Dynaco PAS-3 and a DIY SET 6BQ5.

[selmerdave]

Probably more like 2W per side. Nice looking amp intotubes. Your circuit?

My favorite EL84's are Amperex and Mullards. RCA's with the oval plate structure are also very nice as are Telefunkens.

Dave