Nick Gorham wrote:
Keith G wrote:
"Eiron" wrote in message
...

Keith G wrote:


OK, this is good.

I have set up the Marantz *tweaked* CDP (£500 new**, apparently) on
my recently-acquired Argos POS stack (where the CD player cost
nobbut 70 quid,

With a stark, clear, intimate female vocal/acoustic backing (Regina
Lund 'Unique') CD on my *crystal clear* and very revealing Pinkies
(Firewood Horns with Fostex FE103E fullrange drivers) I ABSOLUTELY
CAN NOT SPLIT THEM!!

To me they sound about as *identical* as you could get!! Treble,
bass, background detail (of which there is plenty), 'recording
noise' &c. - the whole works!

Nothing controversial there. It would cost manufacturers more if they
were
to make cheap players sound worse than expensive ones.



I beg to differ.

Note the word *tweaked* above - *if* the CDPs do sound the same
(haven't had the chance to get the choona to listen yet) then it
implies that the redoubtable Ken Ishiwata has got to *work* on a
Marantz to get it sound as good as an Argos cheapo CDP!! (Not to
mention all those bloody copper rivets!) Unless, of course, the
standard of CDPs was significantly lower when the Marantz was made!! (??)



Just to be picky.

There are at least two others potential implications.

1. the CDP sounded the same before it was tweeked and the changes were
for marketing reasons instead of the sound.

2. the differences are not revealed by your setup.

It would be most interesting to see what actually changed between the
original and tweaked version that can be measured. Lower noise? Lower
distortion? Who knows. Then, as the original already had measurable
parameters well below the threshold of audibility, how can improving the
figures make it sound any better?

Unless proven otherwise, I think that Special Edition products are a
marketing exercise to improve margins.

S