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  1. #1
    Suspended superpanavision70mm's Avatar
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    DVD player Vs. CD player...

    Here's the question: Is it better to use a low to mid-fi DVD player as a better alternative to just a standard low to mid-fi CD player for playing CD's?

    I have heard numerous DVD players that handle CD's quite fine, but would it be better to get a separate CD-only player ...or would it even be noticeable? My thought is that it would only be noticeable once you get up to the really high-end CD only units. Anyone else have an opinion in the matter?

    I am playing all my CD's through a Denon 2910 and sometimes my Sony SACD player.

  2. #2
    BooBs are elitist jerks shokhead's Avatar
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    A nice DVD player will play a cd as good as a high end cd player,its about the receiver.
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  3. #3
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    In the low end price range there isn't a big difference in sound quality between a universal player and a dedicated CD player. In the mid to high end price range this doesn't hold true.For straight up audio playback a good CD player will easily outperform a DVD player unless the DVD player is of much greater cost. A DVD player will have some compromise in regard to audio playback with the exception of some very expensive high end DVD players.You do need a good system to justify the cost of a quality dedicated CD player. In a low end system a universal player is probably a better bang for the buck.The Denon you're using is adequate and you would have to spend over $500 to get a CD player that would be a noticable upgrade in sound quality.Enjoy

  4. #4
    BooBs are elitist jerks shokhead's Avatar
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    Doesnt matter running just a dig connection.
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  5. #5
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    Skokhead:

    "A nice DVD player will play a cd as good as a high end cd player,its about the receiver."

    What COMPLETE and UTTER Bollocks.
    This is about as misinformed as it gets. A good CD player will handily see off a DVD player up to 3x the price.

    SuperPanavision, you have a Denon DVD2910, which is a good CD player as far as DVD players are concerned.

    However a good CD player will do a better job, no question.
    A DVD player has to do a whole heapp of thhings that a CD player doesn't, therefore the manufacturer has to spend money on those parts of the curcuit that would be of no use to a CD player, such as video processing and chips etc. This takes money away from the important parts of the CD player's curcuit such as power supply, D/A converters, mech etc.

    Also, it makes the DVD player's circuit much more complex and therefore lossy, as well as the fact that a video section puts out this horrible high frequency noise that affects analog stages - Naim Audio found this when designing their AV2 preamp/processor, resulting in them leaving the video switching off thhe device altogether.

    An SACD player is a better bet, but they don't come close to a proper CD player either, as they arre almost always a DVD player as well, suffering the same problems as above.

    Try a good CD player - there are lots of good choices out there.

    I've owned a Rega Planet and thhat was great. I also had a Naim CD5i and now I have a CD5x. You could also try a Musical Fidelity, a Rotel, Cyrus, Rega Apollo, Creek and there are many more besides.

    Beside a good CD player DVDs sound flat and boring and simply do not time properly. I don't think they really make music.

    Go to a dealer of merit who can demonstrate a goood CD player to you on your system.
    Take your syystem with you if you can.

    Make sure the dealer has demonstration rooms and does one speaker pair at a time, not a RadioShack with wall comparator.

    Naim dealers are usually good ones to see - they usuallly have their heads screwed on right and will espouse the Source First approach.

    Luck.

  6. #6
    BooBs are elitist jerks shokhead's Avatar
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    Are you of this earth?
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  7. #7
    Big science. Hallelujah. noddin0ff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shokhead
    Are you of this earth?
    Yeah, I wanna know too!

  8. #8
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    If you are using the digital ouputs on the player, then you are using the unit as a transport. As long as it has a solid disc transport you won't really hear a difference (the Denon is pretty stout). If you are using the analog outputs, then there is room for improvement by way of the audio DAC, the power supply (for the preamp stage), and reduced vibration in the chassis.

    In a higher end player you will have better components. This means a better power supply (ie toroidal), better DAC (lower jitter), and a heavier, sturdier chassis.

    IMO, the 2910 is going to be hard to beat unless you are willing to spend over $1000. If you are looking for "a little more," try tweaks. Upgrade the power cord (PS Audio Punch - $50) and use some isolation feet (Vibrapods - $35) and see what that does for you. Also, think about trying different interconnects.

  9. #9
    golden ear
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    the improvement gained from a dedicated cdp is very minimal unless you are willing to spend up to 3x the cost of your current dvd player.

  10. #10
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    Am I of this Earth?

    Yes I am.

    But you guys really are deaf if you think a DVD2910 is hard to beat, or whether you have to spend 3x as much on a CD player to beat a DVD player.

    You've probably been told by some computer guy that 'all digital is is 0s and 1s therefore all CD players are the same' and you believe it so blindly that you refuse to even contemplate that there might be a reason why Meridian, Krell, Cary, Naim, Rega, Arcam et al make high performance CD players.

    The truth is, these manufacturers sell CD players based on sonic performance alone, and they ARE far superior to DVD players, and they sell them by the hundred.

    You need to do A LOT more listening before offering advice on audio - you need to stop listening to bass, mid and treble and start listening for the music: things like emotion, timing, pace and rhythmic drive.

    Super - go and do the demo. With an open mind and listen for the MUSIC.

  11. #11
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    Well My Pioneer PD-59 Sounds So much Better on CDs then Harmon Kardon 31 DVD Player

    I'm not criticising the other posts if they think otherwise, but to me the biggest injustice is the people at both the retail store level & the manufacturing level who preach the propoganda that DVD players sounds just as good as CD players. I'm telling you based on personal experience this is simply not true. Specifically, I always thought my Harmon Kardon 31 DVD played CDs very well but there was something I found lacking but couldn't put a finger on it. Well I got on Ebay a vintage Pioneer Elite PD-59 CD player for under $300 & the tones of the music from my CDs when I play it on here are so much better its not funny. Specifically the DVD player was giving off too bright a sound for CDs which I wasn't aware of till I played the Pioneer (which to me sounded the best when I attached this by optic cable to my Denon 3801 receiver then analog cables as it was a tighter sound). If you're just a casual CD listener you might not notice this but if your obsessive like me you will. I originally was going to upgrade my DVD player to get a Denon 2900 but a complimentry review on the Denon 2900, yes complimentry, changed my mind & I got a CD player instead. The Denon review said how close it sounded to a good CD player playing CD's which was the biggest obsticle on DVD players & just toally put me off buying another DVD player just to improve CD sound.
    Last edited by EdwardGein; 05-29-2006 at 09:52 PM.

  12. #12
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    Specifically the DVD player was giving off too bright a sound for CDs which I wasn't aware of till I played the Pioneer (which to me sounded the best when I attached this by optic cale to my Denon 3801 receiver then analog cables as it was a tighter sound).
    The PD-59 uses the "stable-platter" drive mechanism, which is widely believed to be one of the better transports out there. The DAC in this unit is also very outdated and leaves much room for improvement.

    You are using the CDP as a transport to the DAC in your receiver.

  13. #13
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    NickWH Can You Please Clarify Some things for Me As You Seem to Be Pretty Astute

    Would you mind explaining some things for me that alot of people on the home theater Subforum did a totally inarticulate job of repeatedly trying to explain. I understand that when you are using your CD player as a "transport" you are using your receivers DAC. This still means however that the better a receivers DAC or the better that DAC will sound with the speakers, will still give it a different sound then other receivers/receivers with different DACs. These people insist that the sound will still be the same no matter what the receiver & no matter what the CD player & no matter what the cable. What is your personal opinion? I also think even as a trasport you'll still get different sound. For instance the PD-59 sounded much better on my system then any other CD or DVD player I tried when using the same optical connection & same settings.

    The PD-59 also has something called Leggo Link. Do you think this affects the sound as well? Thank you for any thoughts on this. PS To date the PD-59 makes my CDs sound really incredible & better then any other player I've tried. I play mainly 60/70's remastered blues rock recordings not that much modern stuff. Out of curiosity, I just bought & got a great price on a Super (Modified) Ah Njoe Tjoeb Tube CD player with upsampler as I thought I'd see if somehow I can even get better sound with this player on my system whether by analog or optical connection as they say you can get a three dimensional sound on this. If this player doesn't surpass the PD-59, then I'm going to resell it immediately & will probably make a profit based on the great price I paid for it & then never look again to improve my CD player as it sounds just exactly how I want it to sound. I actually prefer the PD-59 to the PD-65 for my system.

  14. #14
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    On a Blindfolded Test I Could Identify the CD Player from DVD Player 90% of the Time

    I'm totally convinced that if a CD was used that I was familiar with & different CD & DVD players were connected optically to the same receiver & speakers with the same settings & cable, I could blindfolded identify the CD player from the DVD player 90% of the time. As someone remarked & or ininsuated on this thread, if you know what you are listening for & can isolate sounds & instruments with your ears, you can immediately spot the differences.
    I'm willing to concede that a casual listener who doesn't really pay attention to these kind of things, probably won't notice that much difference. But the thing is, if you're going to invest your time & money to get the best sound for what you can afford, you're probably not a casual listener!

  15. #15
    BooBs are elitist jerks shokhead's Avatar
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    So tell me the differences that makes a cd player standout from a dvd player?
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  16. #16
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    In my Specific Cast The Difference Is

    In my specific case the specific differences are DVD players make CDs sound slightly too bright & don't seem to isolate the sound of certain instruments as much & muddy the sound a bit as well, make the music sound less layered & take out some of the balls of the recordings. More specifically, if I'm hearing a CD on a CD player, I find it easier to isolate & concentrate & hear certain instruments while still enjoying the entire track too. IE , I can concentrate on the drums & bass or the lead guitar better.

  17. #17
    Class of the clown GMichael's Avatar
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    So, to recap. The answers so far are:

    No
    Yes.
    How can you say yes?
    How can you say no?
    I know more than you do.
    No you don't.
    Yes I do.

    Is there a pattern here?
    WARNING! - The Surgeon General has determined that, time spent listening to music is not deducted from one's lifespan.

  18. #18
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    Of course a good cd player will best a similar priced dvd player,it's not even close.But you have to hook it up properly,you must use an analog connection for the cd player.If you use digital coax you are not getting everything it has to offer unless you have a very high end processor.When i was auditioning cd players,i had made my choice and since i was also looking for a dvd player i compared the Arcam with a denon 2900 dvd player and it killed it,not even close.Having said that then Denon was not that bad,for a dvd player,just not in the Arcam's class.

    bill

  19. #19
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    I think transports can make a difference in sound. Better transports produce less read errors and therefore reduces the need for error correction. I believe analog cables make a difference in sound but I'm not so sure about digital connections.

    The Ah! should best the Pioneer but you have to use the analog outputs of the player, otherwise what is the point? The upsampler and tube buffer stage are only utilized via the analog ouputs.

    I'm not familiar with "Leggo Link" so I cannot comment. I do believe the preamp section of the Denon receiver will become a limitation eventually, as you keep upgrading your source component.

  20. #20
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    Ed
    I think you mean legato link.If so it is a digital filter that Pioneer uses to extrapolate data above 20khz so it would in theory extend highs by creating data during the digital to analog conversion.

    bill

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