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Don't all CD player's sound the same?

2K views 19 replies 8 participants last post by  RWetmore 
#1 ·
Hi,
I have a beginner type question. I'm considering buying my first CD player. If I want to start a CD collection to play music CD's, aren't all CD players fundamentally capable of the exact same sound output (sonically speaking) since it's all just 1's and 0's converted to an analog output that we can hear anyway? Or are there any sonic differences to be aware of from CD player to CD player? Or can I just start out using the CD drive in my desktop PC? Won't it sound just as good as some dedicated CD player?
Thanks
 
#2 ·
A better idea still is to rip your CDs as you buy them into FLAC. Then you can tag them and create playlists etc if you are in the mood for a certain genre. Most of the archiving/players have apps to control them.

CD tech has been bumping up against the asymptote of no possible improvement for years and every DAC out there today is (most likely*) able to play 16/44 audio much better than SOTA units in the 80's. Spend your money on your collection, and don't waste it on a pricey disc spinner.

* Providing it's not designed and implemented by an incompetent, designed to have a signature such as having a completely useless tube buffer in the output, or faulty.
 
#12 ·
You've opened a massive can of worms, as there are plenty of folks who believe every CD player is a special snowflake with it's own sonic profile.
Remember, when you connect your player via analog, you are using its' DACs. If connecting digitally, you are using the amp/AVRs DACs.
DACs are the chip that convert digital information into analog for sound. Some folks claim that every DAC has its' own special magic, others believe they all sound the same.

In my humble opinion, most any DAC from the last 20 years or more is more than capable of quality, accurate sound reproduction.
Unscientifically, I believe there is some slight difference in various players' analog sections, ymmv.

So, grab a standalone CD player, or heck use a cheap DVD or Blu-Ray player, your speakers and the room you listen in are far and away the biggest factors as far as your listening.
Hope this helps a little bit, OP, at least more so than some of the mumbo-jumbo above.
 
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