CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

"housetrained" wrote in message
...
Rubbish in, rubbish out. No matter how good the speakers are they can only
reproduce what they get. Rubbish in, rubbish out. Front end is ALWAYS the
most important.

--
John the West Ham fan

"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...

"Derrick Fawsitt" wrote in
message ...
Having just got a new pair of Quad 989 ESL speakers due to listening to
so many people say the room and the speakers are the two most important
factors in good Hi Fi, what do I say to a friend of mine who has just
added a Naim CDS 3 player to his Naim equipment and swears by the
difference it has made.
In conclusion, two questions, first of all the importance, (or
otherwise) of the Player in a system and Secondly, what is your opinion
of the new Naim CDS 3 player.
--
Derrick Fawsitt

Whether or not the Naim CD player made a difference does rather depend on
what was there before :-) However, if we assume that whatever was there
before was also a decent quality player, then I doubt if changing to the
Naim would make all that much difference. Every CD player of any
consequence has a flat frequency response, vanishingly low distortion and
low noise, so what else is there? For several years now, A-D converters
have been of such a standard that the differences between them is
vanishingly small.

On the other hand, there is still a very considerable difference between
loudspeakers, none have a flat response or low distortion when compared
to electronics, and their dispersion characteristics can interact more or
less with the room , such that by far the greatest difference to a hi-fi
system will be inchanging the 'speakers. Congratulations on the
'speakers, BTW, they should sound great provided you can give them plenty
of air to breath, especially behind.

Regarding your specific question about the Naim CDS3, I have no personal
experience of this player, but there was an extensive review in HFN in
October 2003, where the lab measurements were all pretty much what one
would expect except that noise was a trifle high at -93.5dB and frequency
response was down by 1.2dB at 20kHz. However, even if these figures are a
bit less than one would expect in a modern player, they are very unlikely
to be audible. Output impedance was low at 25 ohms, so there should be no
problem driving any sensible length of cable and subsequent amplifier.
If you like the look and facilities of the Naim, I can't think of any
technical reason not to buy one, other than the price.

S.

Rubbish in, Rubbish out, yes up to point, but you seem to forget that all CD
players of any competence don't put out rubbish, whereas relatively, all
speakers do to a greeter or lesser extent. (note I say relatively.)

S.

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

"housetrained" wrote in message
...
Rubbish in, rubbish out. No matter how good the speakers are they can only
reproduce what they get. Rubbish in, rubbish out. Front end is ALWAYS the
most important.


Nope.

Whatever the amp and sources, the speakers are the 'make or break' in any
system IMO. In addition to comments here about cheap CD/DVD players, I will
add that I am getting *excellent sound* from a £25 cartridge atm and really
very good sound from MP3s played from the computer and a portable HDD MP3
player.

Do not underestimate the number of people using 'non standard' speakers -
horns, ribbons, electrostatics. Given the 'awkwardness' (one way or the
other) of all these different types of speaker over the more usual 2/3/? way
boxes, the question 'why?' needs to be asked. Consider also the number of
people who *prefer* headphones to speakers (and yet, strangely, can't see
the 'point' of fullrange drivers - but let's not get into that)......

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

Thus spake housetrained:
Blimey! I am living well in the past. 30 years? Blimey.

Lets get this straight please. Are you saying that if one has a cheap
system - fairly well balanced in that no one particular bit is substantially
better than any other - that using a far better amplifier & speakers won't
improve sound quality? I don't feel that spending considerably more on one
component is a good idea but hell, some of us have to upgrade in stages!

I don't hear Linn using that marketing phrase now they make other than just
source equipment. As has been pointed out, a CD or record is hardly the 1st
stage in the process that effects sound quality. I'm doubtless not alone in
having many poor recordings, especially non-classical ones: garbage in -
garbage out bites back with a vengeance & a top end source can highlight the
warts over & above one with less resolution!

Sorry, I agree that speakers have the greatest impact on overall sound of
any system - even moving them can transform/degrade the sound.

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

"housetrained" wrote in message
...
Blimey! I am living well in the past. 30 years? Blimey.


'Sonically' you will be living less well in the present, if you have
embraced the 'audio technology of the day' as fanatically and *exclusively*
as one or two here seem to have done!! ;-)

Now, I wonder where I left my MP3 player?

Ah! Here it is - under these LPs.....

:-P

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

In message , Chris Isbell
writes
I am planning to get some 989s once I have moved house.
Don't hesitate for one minute, don't look elsewhere, don't change your
mind. When you sell your house and if you then cannot afford the Quads,
buy a cheaper house so you can afford them but with a large dedicated
room so you can accommodate the 989's because it will be the last
speakers you will ever want.
Seriously, they are wonderful, they are on a different planet as far as
sound reproduction. Expensive, yes, huge and (some think) ugly but when
you hear music through them....at this spot I am lost for words.
However, I
will continue to use my 'cheap' Pioneer DVD player with them because
there will be no audible improvements gained from getting anything
more expensive.
I use a 909 Quad amp and while it is a Quad, you could not say its the
most expensive out there.

BTW: If the OP is close to Southampton, I would be very interested in
having a listen to his speakers.

Unfortunately I am in Lincolnshire and could not be further away,
however, if you are up this way anytime send me an email and I would be
delighted to give you a demo.
--
Derrick Fawsitt

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

In article , Derrick Fawsitt
writes
In message , Chris Isbell
writes
I am planning to get some 989s once I have moved house.
Don't hesitate for one minute, don't look elsewhere, don't change your
mind. When you sell your house and if you then cannot afford the Quads,
buy a cheaper house so you can afford them but with a large dedicated
room so you can accommodate the 989's because it will be the last
speakers you will ever want.

A very good bit of advice there.

Possibly the best in the history of uk.rec.audio ;))

Seriously, they are wonderful, they are on a different planet as far as
sound reproduction. Expensive, yes, huge and (some think) ugly but when
you hear music through them....at this spot I am lost for words.

Neutral perhaps?.. The real meaning of transparency and would be very
good with a SET or two, or three, or more;))

However, I
will continue to use my 'cheap' Pioneer DVD player with them because
there will be no audible improvements gained from getting anything
more expensive.
I use a 909 Quad amp and while it is a Quad, you could not say its the
most expensive out there.

Quite sufficient..


BTW: If the OP is close to Southampton, I would be very interested in
having a listen to his speakers.

Unfortunately I am in Lincolnshire and could not be further away,
however, if you are up this way anytime send me an email and I would be
delighted to give you a demo.

--
Tony Sayer

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

In message , housetrained
writes
Rubbish in, rubbish out. No matter how good the speakers are they can only
reproduce what they get. Rubbish in, rubbish out. Front end is ALWAYS the
most important.


This comment is a blatant troll, right? If not, then I suggest that you
get your hearing checked, ASAP.
--
Chris Morriss

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

In message , Stewart
Pinkerton writes
On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 09:07:41 GMT, "housetrained"
wrote:

Blimey! I am living well in the past. 30 years? Blimey.

Yes, basically in the vinyl era......................

Arguable, even in those days, even though Linn blatantly lied in every
advert to try to convince people of it, and the gullible hordes fell
right into it. I thought the idea had died out a generation ago.
--
Chris Morriss

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:19:45 +0000, Derrick Fawsitt
wrote:

In message , Chris Isbell
writes
I am planning to get some 989s once I have moved house.
Don't hesitate for one minute, don't look elsewhere, don't change your
mind. When you sell your house and if you then cannot afford the Quads,
buy a cheaper house so you can afford them but with a large dedicated
room so you can accommodate the 989's because it will be the last
speakers you will ever want.

I have just read your reply to my partner. She agrees that they are
ugly and she is not prepared to buy a mansion to house them. This is
an ongoing joke between us. She hates my existing Quad 57s and says
she will leave me if I ever double them up.

She suggests that you and I could share a house together. :-)

[snip]

BTW: If the OP is close to Southampton, I would be very interested in
having a listen to his speakers.

Unfortunately I am in Lincolnshire and could not be further away,
however, if you are up this way anytime send me an email and I would be
delighted to give you a demo.

Pity.

Jim lives in Scotland - even further away.

--
Chris Isbell
Southampton, UK

CD Player versus Speakers, importance in a system.
 

In message , Chris Isbell
writes
I have just read your reply to my partner. She agrees that they are
ugly and she is not prepared to buy a mansion to house them. This is
an ongoing joke between us. She hates my existing Quad 57s and says
she will leave me if I ever double them up.

She suggests that you and I could share a house together. :-)
Your on, and we could get rid of both partners at the same time, what a
wonderful solution. However, one thing I forgot to mention in my last
email is that much as I "love" my big, grey, beautiful, (not ugly)
989's, I would swap them for my "dear old Dutch".

[snip]

BTW: If the OP is close to Southampton, I would be very interested in
having a listen to his speakers.

Unfortunately I am in Lincolnshire and could not be further away,
however, if you are up this way anytime send me an email and I would be
delighted to give you a demo.

Pity.

Jim lives in Scotland - even further away.

So much for our plans ;--(((

Seriously, the invitation is always there but I must decline (in
advance), any offers that might be proffered from you as I feel your
partner might have other ideas as to what to do with me after my
suggestions above.

Good wishes,
--
Derrick Fawsitt