red_ryder

So any labels to recommend? I only know of Chesky and Decca that are quite reputable.

Now that I've got a good cdp (NAD 542), listening to my cd collection has been a revelation. Some recordings are excellent, while others are a disappointment, including those so-called 24bit, gold, audiophile cds. Some HDCDs also don't sound any better than regular cds, in fact can sound worse. Biggest culprits for lousy HDCD seems to be compilation CDs (I've got a few of them).

So my question is how do we know when we are buying CDs that we are getting a quality recording? Are there review websites that talk about releases? Are there reputable labels that we can trust, and those that we cannot? Must we avoid all locally pressed cds, and if so, how to identify that a cd is locally pressed?

Is it true that if you are playing back SACDs on a stereo setup (i.e. on headphones) it will be downconverted to pcm?

For a classical newbie, I would recommend Tchaikovsky's pieces. Very melodic and tuneful, easy to enjoy. Examples: Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Violin Concerto, Romeo and Juliet. But I don't know which are the better recordings or better performances.

I'm using Klotz GY107 + Neutrik Profi RCA interconnects.

My suspicion is either my current cdp or the interconnects are the culprit for the harshness because during the audition for the HA-1A, the harshness wasn't present. I brought down the 931s, but used a Spark cdp in the shop and dunno what interconnects. The HA-1A there was also using stock tubes I presume.

How about Marantz CD5400? These cdps are selected as demo sets for cds by Sembawang Music Center retail stores. Why not bring your 931 and plug it direct to its headphone socket and test out the shop's cds? Best to ask for permission of course.

I was at a Sembawang store today, interestingly enough and saw the Marantz cdp. Unfortunately they blast the music so loud from the speakers that it would be impossible to audition the cdp with open cans.

And Rameish, to answer your question I'm using an old Denon DCD810 that I bought used from someone. It's better than my dvdp, but female vocals don't sound too good on it, on the harsh side. Classical music and pop are ok.

Given that you've already spent so much on your amp and headphones, why not up the budget for your source so as to do them justice? After all its the most important part of the audio chain. Also, I'd rather buy brand new cdps for peace of mind and local warranty.

Maybe you're right. It's precisely because I've spent a significant amount on the cans and amp that I'm reluctant to spend more on a cdp, in case the improvement is only marginal. So I thought that getting a 2nd hand piece would be less of a risk.

Budget about $300, willing to go for used cdps. Any recommendations?

Mine doesn't hum at all either, but I would like to know the difference between the two modes as well. The manual is rather sparse.

Do you bring your cans and amp to the store and listen? Or just use their speakers? If you don't bring your amp down, how can you know how the cdp will sound with your system? But bringing an amp down can be rather heavy and risky in case the tubes break during transportation.

Or are there shops in Singapore that accept returns so that you can bring the cdp home to try?

Just watched the DVD for the animated film Sinbad. Saw the making-of documentary and Brad Pitt (who is doing the voice of Sinbad) was wearing a Beyer DT770 in the recording studio. The funny thing was, I was wearing the exact same cans while watching the movie!

Die Rohre - The Tube.

This is fantastic sounding baroque chamber music. Recorded using only analog (tube) equipment, if played back on a tube amp it sounds soooo mellow and smooth. Bought mine at New Disc Village, Adelphi.

Hi, looking to start seriously investing for the future, but coming from an engineering background I have no idea how to start. Went to the library and saw a tonne of books on finance and investment but too many and I don't know how to choose. Furthermore, would a book written for a US audience be relevant for Singapore? Should I just go for local investment books?

Why not just contact Duckling for an audition and see if you like the sound? Dunno about the Perreaux but the Senn HD650 is a very good deal at $600.

By the way, my setup is a DT931 paired with the tube Cayin amp. Definitely less than $1k. Great for Classical and Jazz, good soundstaging and mid-range is sweet and detailed. However, treble can be a bit uncontrolled at times and in some systems can sound harsh. Most common complaint you'll hear about the 931 is weak bass. The bass is accurate and fast, but doesn't have that "impact". More of a quality over quantity issue.

Hi, am new to tube amps (just bought a Cayin) and very afraid of accidentally blowing the tubes inside. The guy at Precision Audio told me to never turn on the amp unless a headphone is plugged in. Other than that, anything else I should take note of?

I'm also wondering if I keep switching RCA cable inputs will that spoil the amp? Reason being I'm using it for both a dvdp and a cdp. Do I have to turn off the amp first before dis-connecting and re-connecting RCA inputs?

Whoa whoa whoa!

Change power cord? Power cord is important? oh oh...I used an old generic power cord last night because couldn't plug in the one that came with the Cayin. It was some weird 3 pin that I've never seen before, top pin is round while the bottom 2 pins are flat.

Hmm..do you guys think that the power cord could have something to do with the sibilance I experienced? If I buy an adaptor for the plug, would the quality of the adaptor have an effect?

and how much do they cost? approx?

e.g. for both 931s and 770s

Well, I'm using Klotz GY107 + Neutrik Profi RCA interconnects. Don't think they should cause sibilance.

(Edited at 2358 hrs) --

Looks like Noz was right. My post was premature. After warming up the amp for 3 hours, the sibilance I first heard was greatly reduced and it now sounds much smoother.

Yup. I waited for the amp to warm up before playing. Anyway, during the audition at the shop the owner also did not warm up the amp. I saw him take out a new one from a sealed box, plug it in and let me audition. It wasn't burned in, yet sounded much better than at home.

Conclusion: My cdp sucks. Sibilance is very probably caused by an inferior cdp, since I didn't encounter it during the audition with the SAME cans and SAME cd.

By the way, my cans are DT931s. Haven't updated my profile in a while.

Just finished downloading Noir DVDrip. Very atmospheric anime

Bought a Spark Cayin HA-1A today! hooray!

Brought it home and listened to the same tracks that I used to audition the amp at Precision Audio. Specifically I'm referring to Rebecca Pidgeon's Spanish Harlem. At Precision Audio the track sounded fantastic, smooth, mellow with Rebecca's voice seeming to float in mid-air. Back home, I encountered sibilance, especially on the "sh" sound when she pronounces "spanish". The floating feeling is also gone.

This leads me to conclude that sibilance is the result of the source or CD player. In Precision Audio, I used my own cans, the head amp was fresh out of the box and not burned in, but the CD player used there was a Spark HDCD player (can't remember the model, but it costs about $1100). In other words, the setup was almost the same except for the cdp and the interconnects. Dunno what interconnects were used there but I'm using Klotz-Neutriks at home and a Denon DCD-810. Also tried my philips DVD player as a source but the sibilance is the same.

Gunslinger Girls!

Very interested in the Cayin and maybe the DT880.

If can increase your budget to $200, your options go up immensely!

Just kidding..are you looking for home use or portable? or both?

U mean there's going to be a sale coming up? Last time there was the 1/2 price offer I wasn't eligible for 21mths upgrade yet. Very