In article sj4qd.369029$%k.133110@pd7tw2no, Spiderant
wrote:

[big snip]

What disturbs me is that, after playing around (non-scientifically)
switching between my old Technics turntable and my various CD players
(Cambridge Audio D500, Yamaha CD-586 and a Panasonic DVD-RV32--which, to
tell you the truth, I would not be able to distinguish in an A/B test
situation), I still preferred the vinyl version, even with all of it's
obvious noises and other flaws. No matter how I played with the volume
controls (I had to adjust because the CD is recorded at a higher volume
than the record), the record just seemed more open and spacious. And,
contrary to what I would have expected, it was the CD that sounded
darker and murkier. The piano sound on the record sounded more
natural, with the notes more distinct. How is this possible? Digital
is digital, right?

Yes, "digital is digital", but this is a bit of a catch-phrase as it does
not tell you how the "digital" is being employed. There are a number of
points that may be relevant:

e.g.s include:

1) Your LP replay system may have a very different frequency response to
your CD system. The cartridge may not have a flat response, there may be a
noticable arm-cartidge LF resonance, etc. The RIAA curve/loading may not be
giving a flat response, etc.

2) Despite coming from the same 'original' digital recording, the signals
may have been processed in different ways before being recorded onto LP or
CD-A.


Maybe my hearing is shot. It certainly can't be my ancient budget
Technics SL-Qd3 turntable with a 20 year old needle.

Why not? Please see (1) above. For all I know, the departures from flat
response with LP replay are compensating for other departures elsewhere in
your system and giving a result you prefer.

Please understand that I am not a digitalphobe. As I said before, I
have about 1200 CDs versus about 50 records (I gave away most of my
vinyl years ago). I woudn't even ponder buying a Robert Simpson
symphony on vinyl over CD. Even if I had a prediliction against
digital, this would not account for my sense that the digital record
sounded clearer than the digital CD, even though the CD was recorded at
a higher volume and didn't have the noise floor. This does not make
sense to me.

I am very distraught at this point. After spending an hour or so
yesterday going between the Bach on record and Bach on CD, I a/b'd my
recently acquired remasterd copy of Neil Young's "On The Beach" with
the original vinyl (yes, I still have one). Again, the vinyl just
sounded more open and natural. Not only that, but the balance between
the speakers was obviously better, with Neil closer to the centre on
Vinyl compared to blurred between the two speakers on CD. Again,
contrary to what I would have expected, it was the CD that sounded a
bit warmer but more smeared. Again, this is not what I wanted to
discover.

In part see (2) above w.r.t. your comments on "Neil closer to the center".
Also note that the level of crosstalk on LP replay systems is often of the
order of 20-30dB (This corresponds to a relative sound pressure level of
only about 10:1 or 15:1 emerging from the speakers.) This crosstalk may
also contain a higher proportion of distortion than on the 'speaking'
channel.


What do I do now, spend a huge chunk of my income looking
for a better CD player?

Sad and disillusioned.

Well, what you *could* do is get hold of a CD recorder, record a couple of
LPs onto CD-RW, then load the results into a computer along with the 'same
recordings' from CD-A and do various statistical comparisons. I suspect you
would find various differences. Having done this, you could consider if you
wished to modify your system in the light of what you find.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html