| Title: | You get surface noise in real life too |
| Notice: | Let's be conformist |
| Moderator: | GOVT02::BARKER |
| Created: | Thu Jul 28 1988 |
| Last Modified: | Mon Jun 02 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 550 |
| Total number of notes: | 3847 |
Hi there, I need your advice!
I currently have a Kenwood DP460 CD player, which cost �170. I have
lived with this for about 3 years, and was quite happy with it's sound.
Although tapes recorded from it (using a very good cassette deck
and metal tape) do sometimes sound harsh at modestly high volume
when played in the car.
Recently I have become quite aquanted with a friend's Denon, which
cost twice the price of mine. This has made me aware of the difference
between a budget and mid-budget front end CD. The harsheness on
the tapes is not apparent.
I am now keen to upgrade to something special, but am not keen to
spend over �300 on this new source.
I have seen the review of the Marantz CD50SE at �300 and it looks
like a superb 'current range' player. However it will not be subject
to discounting by dealers.
Looking back in my older What Hi-Fi's I see that the Philips CD960
was their flagship model up until a June'88. It cost �700 at the
time and was used as a reference for many a review. Recently it was
discounted down to �250, but I think everyone has sold out.
I have also seen comments about the Kenwood DP1100SG. This too
was the top-of-the-range player in Kenwood's line up in '88 and
cost �450. It can now be brought for around �270. It sports twin
16 bit DAC's with 4 times oversampling. The player's build quality
is up with the best, the thing weighs over 11kg. It's technology
was said to be state-of-the-art.
It was compared to the CD960 in a What Hi-Fi review and found to
be more detailed and reveal more about venue acoustic. Although
the CD960 had more 'atmosphere', the DP1100SG's detail showed this
to be nothing to do with the recorded music. Another mention that
included these two players, said that these sort of players
are capable of suberb soundstaging, showing width, depth and even
height. By the way, this was an answer to a vinyl fan who asked if
his �180 CD player's lack of the aforementiond when complared to his
�800 front end, was a condemnation of the entire digital medium.
The Kenwood also has VERY many functions and has direct a digital
output. If bitstream gets REALLY good in future, I could buy a
separate bitstram converter (like the Black Box now) and will still
have the benefit of a well built transport mechanism which will
last.
In the review which looked at the Marantz CD50SE, they mentioned
other players worth listening to. One of which was the Kenwood
DP7010 at �360. This is below the current Kenwood top of the range
player, I don't think I will better the 1100SG. Although the current
Kenwood upper range now use 18 bit, 8 times oversampling conversion.
Unfortunetely I don't think the sort of bulk discount dealer with
which I would buy thus reduced kit from would be able to let me
compare players. I know that player transport and digital conversion
has advanced well over the past 2-4 years.
With my current modest system, I don't think the difference will
be big. I'm thinking of keeping the player for a good few years,
during which the amp and speakers will be upgraded. I quite often
listen to things through my Seinheisers, so this is fine. I also
want the best front end to make tapes for the car.
My question is has CD advanced that much? I very much doubt if
the build quality has. What do you all think?
Grant, what did you audition before buying the Marantz?
Thankyou in advance,
Rob.
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 190.1 | More than one way of spending 300 quid on CD | WOTVAX::MEAKINS | Clive Meakins | Wed Jul 18 1990 21:48 | 16 |
IMHO CD hasn't improved anywhere near as much as the hype would have
you believe, it has improved, but not a lot. The very high end
probably has improved the most. The low end players are less
"offensive" in the treble than a couple of years ago. See my note on
Bitstream vs multibit for more of these opinions.
I actually believe that vinyl playing systems have progressed as much,
if not more than CD.
Another avenue to explore could be a low end player modified by Covent
Garden Records in London. There is a review of such players in one of
this months hi-fi mags (sorry can't remember which). These mods have
been available for quite some time and have a good reputation. You
could even purchase an older model from somewhere like Richer Sounds at
a fair discount and have that player modified.
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| 190.2 | At the risk of repeating myself..... | BAHTAT::SALLITT | The 198-pound weakling | Thu Jul 19 1990 11:17 | 20 |
re .0.....
You will not get a quality hifi product from someone who offers big
discounts by selling sealed boxes. You may see Philips, Sony, et al in
these places (Comet, Curry's) but only the cheap lines. You'll never
see Denon, Marantz, Kenwood in places like Comet.
You will not make choice to keep you happy for years by looking in
magazines and comparing technology.
If you want a quality product that will be reliable and give years of
pleasure, find a good dealer who will let you audition a few players
within your budget (and maybe one or two beyond it, so that you know
what is possible and can set your expectations) through your own - or
similar - amp and speakers, using your own CDs. Trust your own ears.
I may sound like work, but a good dealer should make it a pleasure. If
he/she doesn't, go elsewhere.
Dave
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| 190.3 | SUBURB::SCREENER | Robert Screene, UK Finance EUC | Thu Aug 23 1990 15:01 | 49 | |
Well, since .0
I went to Hyper-Fi in Barking, with my trusty Sienheiser (sp?) RD-480
headphones and 6 selected albums. And spent a while listening and
using the KENWOOD 1100SG and some of the following range at the same
original price, a similarly reduced AKAI and the MARANTZ CD50SE.
From the moment I saw the 1100SG it was l..
No, seriously the DP-1100SG is really well built. Compared to this the
Marantz felt hideous to use. By the way, how long do they expect the
'push-to-close' drawer to last when it has plastic teeth in which a
metal gear turns? The wobbly plastic buttons did not impress me
either, it certainly doesn't feel or look like �330 of player. However
my priority was a very good sounding machine which I would enjoy using.
I will be the first to admit that wearing headphones is not the best or
'proper' way to audition kit, but this place was full of speakers and
boxes. Even if I had asked to hear the players through amps and
loadspeakers, I don't think they would have been as revealing as my
RD-480's.
To be honest I could tell very little between the 3 players, the
soundstaging of the 1100SG is simply amazing. You can solidly place
instruments, they are not blurred in the slightest. This was not
something I had ever experienced before, a grin just couldn't be
avoided! Bass seemed equally deep (the headphones are quite acurate
here, but Sub-woofers they arn't). The AKAI and Marantz did this, but
to a lesser extent. I felt happiest wth the Kenwood, it sounded so
effortless and relaxing, perhaps that could indicate the Marantz is
slightly more dynamic.
Anyway, the Kenwood is now at home. I would recommend Hyper-Fi. They were
not what I expected, from their large price lists in What Hi-Fi. The
salesman seemed quite knowledgable about the products (although I think
I knew more technically from my own background reading), and tried to
tell me a minimum of porkies:
e.g. Salesman: The Kenwood is in the What Hi-Fi price guide for
�450, sir.
Reply: Well yes, it was until a year ago.
So, my conclusion is that sound quality is now 2/3 the cost at this price
range since 2 years ago. But external build quality, even up-to the
�450 DP8010 in Kenwood's '89 range is only as good as the CD50SE,
i.e. awful. By the way the AKAI was finished well, but had a display
FULL of counters, too much data, not enough information.
END-PURCHASE.
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