Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners CD transports

Hi All,
I'm very fortunate to have a great "All Axiom" 9.3 surround system. It is anchored by two lfr1100 active speakers which are powered by two ada1500-5 amps. My vinyl sounds fantastic but my CDs seem to lack body when played on my Sony 4k blueray player. Do you think a cd transport through my Schiit Audio Yggdrasil dac would get me closer to my vinyl sound? If so, how much would I have to spend? Thanks , Steve Hunt
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Steve, have you compared the sound of your CD player to Spotify to vinyl for the same songs?

Also be aware that vinyl will sound like it has more body due to a recessed high end which accentuates the mids and lows. Vinyl also has more distortion and channel crosstalk which actually is quite pleasing.

It would be cool to have a vinyl simulator in the DSP.

Mojo, thanks for posting. Spotify seems to sound just a little better than most cds.

Mojo, got to thinking about your post. Maybe a better idea to spend my money on vinyl instead of a cd transport? It's just that I have abpout 200 cds.

Keep the CDs in a closet, listen to Spotify, while building up your vinyl collection.

You traded in your LFR660s, huh?

I'm thinking along the same lines as Mojo on this one. You cannot make CDs sound like vinyl. Comparing apples to oranges.
Some people are soothed by the vinyl sound but my personal preference is the clarity of digital media. I'm not a fan of the all the pops, clicks and static of vinyl even though otherwise some recordings are very nice. If my father ever had kept his old vinyl collection, i would probably have a basic Rega to play them with but alas, that collection is long gone.

I like the sound of digital and analog but I don't want to deal with vinyl. I also like the sound of M3s and M50s often. I break my tapes out from time-to-time and am always surprised how great they are to listen to on the active omnis.

Mojo, kept my lfr660s, using them as floor surrounds. Using four hp5 on walls as my height surrounds. I also have my system along the long wall, sound stage is terrific.

Wow, Steve. You are the man!

Vinyl suffers from recessed highs? Someone needs to spend some time with a better system. Vinyl may be a bit fiddly, but is superior to digital. I have a Marantz SA10 for CD/SACDs. Sounds good, but good vinyl sounds better. Same with streaming through a Gold Note DAC streamer + power supply. My vinyl is mid level, EAR 88pb phono stage (replacing Audio Research PH9 phonostage), Dr. Feikert Woodpecker, 12" Jelco arm, Koetsu Black Goldline cart. Sound quality with good recordings, terrific. Highs are not rolled off. With a clean disc, No snaps, crackles or pops.

MoFi and Analogue Productions put out some wonderfully recorded vinyl.

Good digital sounds good, analog just sounds better.

2x6 vinyl (and tube amps, ...) is kind of like a religious belief ...

Mojo and I are engineers who go “ah-ha, I think I understand what’s going on here” ... and we go on to state how these things are distorting what was originally recorded to make it sound better on “your system”. Measurements and testing is our religious belief.

Now that does not mean we are necessarily right about what you should have in your system ... as in the end “your ears” are the finial judge. If it sounds better, then it’s more enjoyable and if asked I’ll tell you to go for it! Especially if it makes you happy.

No sir, it is not a matter of 'religious' belief. My preferences are based on observation and comparison. My good friend, Mike Rose, owns Excel Audio here in Newport Beach. He and I spend many hours listening to music on some of the finest systems in the world. I hope someday you can visit us in Southern California.

I have had the pleasure of listening to systems ranging up to the $339,000 Wilson XVXs (and 2 WAMM floor to ceiling subwoofers) driven by D'Agostino separates, sourced by a DCS Vivaldi streamer with their megabuck clock (digital) and the top of the line Clear Audio turntable with a Goldfinger cartridge. I assure you, if you sat in the good seat you would agree as to which sounded better.

Yes, I like tubes. I chose a pair of Balanced Audio Technologies monoblocks and a BAT preamp. However, I have heard some excellent solid state amps and preamps which sound great. In my experience, however, you have to pay multiples in order to match sound quality. D'Agostino, Soulution, Bermeister are some of the best I've heard. Each is out of my price range, and none is better sounding than my choice.

So, my engineer friends, chuckle as you will, the truth is in the music. I wish you could set aside your preconceptions, put the matter to the test (listening test, not a bench test), keep an open mind, and arrive at an informed opinion.

Note: counter intuitively, one of the best solid state amps I've heard was a hot rodded top of line alpha series vintage Sansui amp. Far better than any I've owned ... Kenwood KA9100, Integra M504, hot rodded Yamaha M80. Sansui used to make their own transformers, spun that off ... now known as the iconic Hashimotos.

I’m not arguing with you ... I’m actually agreeing with you ...
Your ears are the finial judge.

With your money and my skills..... what a teamup that would be.

Geez threads like this make me smile.

When I was younger we used to snowboard every weekend. We were poor kids from the NE that rode whipped gear and wore bruises hucking big. I cant count the number of guys we embarassed on Burton setups wearing more gear than I would see in a year working part time. But we all had fun.

Good one Trevor!

What? Could you speak a little louder?

I said, I'M NOT ARGUING WITH YOU

2x ... let me tell you a joke

There's a lever sitting in the middle of nowhere
Everyone who comes across it wonders "what does that lever do?"
So they pull it and a lighting bolt comes out of the sky and hits them
Their response ... "I'll never do that again"

Now an engineer comes along ... "wonder what that lever does", pulls it, gets hit by lighting
His response ... "wonder if does that every time?"


Test and measurement, baby. Test and measurement!

Speaking of testing, have you mastered Audio Tools yet?

To all of my Axiom posters,

Thanks very much for your posts here, they have made me think long and hard about this digital-vinyl thing and to listen very carefully to both of them. I have discovered that I prefer and enjoy vinyl more, probably because I grew up with it.

By the way, these active speaker are fabulous, they sound lovely across the entire frequency range. But I have a true confession to make Mojo, I do use Audyssey with them, may God forgive me.

Guess what 2x6spds, I now want to purchase a woodpecker turntable! And since my wife's primary purpose in life is to make me happy, no WAF here!

Will this upgradeitus ever end?

Again, thank you all.

Trevor, so far I've only used the SPL meters, Transfer function, RTA and FFT tools. I played with a few of the other modules but have not really used them. When I have the real walls up I'll look into RT60, LARSA, and perhaps the ACU modules


No, I don't think so ... upgradeitus is part of the audiophile addiction.

Each purchase brings on addictive pleasure because of chemicals released in our brains ... So, it's really a drug addiction ... we are the druggies and Ian is our dealer

Steve, I see you've been silently studying the posts on these boards. I don't consider "room correction" or analog a sin. Enjoy!

Yeah. Ian is a kilt-wearing Kingpin.

Mojo, Think you and 2x6 definitely need rehab ASAP.
I've, recently fallen off the wagon myself but think once I've finished the HT I'll recover a bit ...Well there's alway hope ...

That said, the 77" in the family room is starting to look a bit small. Might have to upgrade although the wife might file for divorce ...

hmmmm, bigger TV or wife, TV or wife ... don't rush me ...

It's certainly weird, I admit, but there's something about lower fidelity like tape, vinyl, the Vinyl Jazz channel, M3 and M50 that is very appealing at times. Lower fidelity on the M3 and M50 doesn't mean reduced soundstage and imaging. Rather the imaging is more blurry and the dynamics are reduced. Sort of like the difference between a high rez ink drawing and charcoal. Both are cool in their own way.

Tape, vinyl lower fidelity?

Tape is the highest fidelity, vinyl right behind it. Maybe you should listen to these formats on a better system.

Hi Steve

Good luck with your Woodpecker! It's a nice turntable. What are you thinking for a phonostage and cartridge?

No, it doesn't really ever end.

Hey 2x6spds,

I currently listen to vinyl on an orbit turntable with a Ortofon blue cartridge and a Pro-Ject tube box s2. I really like the sound of this, could I move up in the Ortofon and Pro-Ject line with the woodpecker table? Or would I need something better?

Hi Steve

The Woodpecker is a very good table. Clear Audio tables are also very good in that price range. Clear Audio makes some great cartridges.

Your Ortofon Blue is a very good cartridge. It will give you a real taste of vinyl goodness.

If you are thinking of upgrading:

Your first choice is whether to go with a moving magnet (or moving iron) cartridge (high output) or moving coil (low output).

Your second decision will be which phono stage. Not all phono preamps can handle moving coil, low output cartridges. There are some very good cartridges in both categories, moving magnets are usually less expensive.

IMO, the sweet spot in moving coil cartridges is the Hana SL SH, a low output with a Shibata stylus. They go for $750. A phono stage which hits over its price is the Phonomena II+ which also goes for about $750. This combo will get you most of sound quality that a Koetsu Black Goldline ($3,500) and EAR88pb phono stage ($6,000 new). If you go with the Phonomena, at some point you may want to upgrade to the linear power supply. ($650)

Vinyl is not cheap, but if funds permit, IMO, it is the best sounding source for music. (except for high zoot reel to reel, but that's another story, waiting for you once you win Lotto.

Hi again 2x6spds,

Music Direct has a Clearaudio Cocept Active turntable on sale for $3,199.99 and gets good reviews. One can get it with a mc cart or mm cart. Your thoughts on this?

Thanks for all of your help.

Beautiful! A great choice. If they are Clearaudio cartridges, you can't go wrong. Depends on your phonostage.