Won a new DVD player - using it as a CD player

[wuzzzer]

A few weeks ago I won a DVD player. Off-brand name that I never heard of before. I looked it up online and it retails for about $50. I thought I'd hook it up and try it out as a CD player. I have its coaxial digital output connected to my Panasonic receiver.

Previously I had been using my PS3 as a CD player and using its optical digital output. I always figured digital is digital and as long as I had a digital signal going to my receiver everything would sound the same. Boy was I wrong.

I listened to a few CDs that I listen to all the time and I could immediately hear a difference, and not a bad difference. Its very hard to describe but one thing I noticed is that CDs that were difficult to listen to at higher levels before are now very listenable. Vocals are smoother. Everything sounds clearer. Right now I'm listening to a Black Eyed Peas CD about as loud as I can stand it and it sounds fantastic. Before at somewhat louder levels it had sibilance that was extremely grating on my ears.

I'm thinking of using it to watch DVDs I have instead of my PS3. If CDs sound this good I can't see why DVDs wouldn't.

In case anyone's wondering its a SuperSonic SC-21A.

[Dennie]

Nice, a free upgrade! Congratulations on winning the DVD Player and the upgrade in sound. [<)]

Dennie

[wuzzzer]

Just hooked up the component cables and am listening/watching Dave Matthews live at Folsom Field DVD. I'm glad my wife is at work. I hope the neighbors are enjoying the concert!!!

[t-man]

Hey Wuzzer -

I find this interesting. Are you sure both players were hooked up with the same coax cable connections and settings? I find it troubling that there would be any difference in sound, unless you are playing them "direct" mode on the receiver? Using digital connections (no analog), aren't all players simply acting as a TRANSPORT, and allowing the receiver to do all the DAC and processing? If so, the players/trasnports should sound the same.

T-

[wuzzzer]

That's what I thought. The only difference is I'm using an optical cable from my PS3 and a coaxial digital connection from the new DVD player. My receiver doesn't have HDMI and the only other digital output the PS3 has is optical. My new DVD player's only digital output is coaxial.

One thing I noticed in my new DVD player's menu is it has three settings for the SP/DIF output. I can't remember what one of them is but the other two are PCM and RAW. I have the output set to RAW. I haven't experimented to see if there's any difference between RAW and PCM.

[T.H.E. Droid]

I guess it probably depends on the quality of the transport and what's going on inside. Typically both coax and optical feeds from a CD will be 44.1Khz PCM signal but one of the devices could be having problems and experiencing high bit rate, jitter or other errors. Errors can be masked by the player, usually through interpolation where missing bit values are "guessed" by looking at the two adjacent bits. Since neither of your players are designed to play primarily CD's, there could be a lot of compromises made that you are hearing.

You might be surprised at an even bigger improvement in sound by going to a good dedicated CD player.

[wuzzzer]

I've been looking around for a dedicated CD player for a while. Hoping for something to show up on craigslist locally but oddly enough there hasn't been anything listed for sale for many months.

Now that I've experienced what I have I'll continue my search for a dedicated CD player.

[W27]

I recently tested quite a few different CD players, and I don't think I could tell the difference in any of them. But I know when I replaced my PS3 with another bluray player I heard a big improvement. I know in theory it's digital and should sound the same... but in my experience the PS3 doesn't have very good audio playback.

[t-man]

I can't remember what one of them is but the other two are PCM and RAW. I have the output set to RAW. I haven't experimented to see if there's any difference between RAW and PCM.

This might be a big factor - that and the cable differences. I still don't believe there can be a sizeable difference between most transports - be it a DVD player, CD player, etc... I have an older Denon DVD player with good DACs, but when running coax out, it sounds the same as my cheap Daewoo DVD player.

[T.H.E. Droid]

I've been looking around for a dedicated CD player for a while. Hoping for something to show up on craigslist locally but oddly enough there hasn't been anything listed for sale for many months.

Now that I've experienced what I have I'll continue my search for a dedicated CD player.

For a new player, I can recommend the Harman Kardon HD990. It has balanced outputs if you can use them, and has digital (optical and coax) inputs so you can use the player's high-quality D/A system for other digital sources. I tried hooking my older Sony 400-disk player to the digital inputs and in parallel to my preamp, and I can clearly hear the improvement in sound quality between the HK's D/A system and Sony's. I got my player refurbished through HK's factory store on their web site for a substantial discount and I've seen them through Amazon at good prices. I wasn't able to locate anything else in the $400-$600 range that could match the specs.

For less money, I've also been impressed with Adcom CD players on the used market. Some of the Adcoms have variable volume outputs which, with the attending remote, allow remote volume control with vintage amps.