Quote:

As far as "discernible improvements" go in the audio playback qualities of CD, DVD-A and SACD players, if you use music rather than test signals (in a lab bench test), it's impossible in my experience to detect any discernible or audible improvements between well-designed players, no matter what the price or how exotic the upsampling circuitry is--provided the comparisons are conducted as I've described previously with duplicate discs running in sync, etc.

Regards,



Respectfully Alan, that does not jive with my and others experience in this regard. I get together monthly with a a half dozen or so audio buffs and on several occasions we have compared various CD players after carefully setting them up as you describe. The audible differences are quite discernable and can be attributed mainly to power supplies, analog circuitry and DACs used in respective players. All players are not created or built equally. Nor are all amps, pre-amps, receivers, turntables, phono cartridges, speakers, (fill in your favourite component...) .

As with all products diminishing returns sets in, so there are many high quality players that sound alike but to suggest "..its impossible to detect any discernible or audible improvements between well-designed players" is a bit of a stretch.

John