Why is Sony Digital sound more like vinyl?


I have had Levinson, BAT, ARC, Wadia, Meridian, Denon etc...players..and the top ones, yet when I purchased a Sony scd-XA777Es I was touched in a way none of the others could! The one thing in common with the other gear was Burr Brown DAC's. Also, I have come to believe that RCA (single ended)connections are more musical. Most of my gear has been balanced...when I went all single ended...ah!!!...music like when audio was new!! Lastly, I have found that if CD playback levels on a preamp rise quikly with low volume settings...musicality and low level detail is lost. Perhaps others out there in Audiogon land have pondered my musings...or maybe I've got way to much time on my hands!!
128x128dave_b
P.S. Dave- W.C. fields has "better here than Philadelphia" on his gravestone.
Audioengr: Your paper basically confirms what i've said about audio design all along i.e. it is all about speed, stability, impedances and power transfer. Until the AF guys learn that these factors are the key to performance, most AF gear will always be "child's play". I'm sure that your background in digital electronics gives you a great edge in understanding these factors. That's probably why your looking for answers in places where some never knew that there were questions to begin with.

Rather than mess with all of that stuff, i simply went the route of finding the lowest jitter transport that i could afford. This feeds a digital cable that makes use of high grade conductors and dielectric materials and is end-terminated. As you described in your paper, end termination reduces problems with VSWR and therefore lowers jitter. This is connected to a DAC that re-clocks all of the incoming signals, which negates the effects of any remaining jitter present. Once all of that is done, the DAC then upsamples the signal while using minimal filtering after that point. This reduces in-band phase shifts while offering wider bandwidth, negating many of the problems associated with "standard" redbook playback. Needless to say, i'm pretty happy with what i've got. Sean
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Civil disagreement is to be expected, even relished, when it is thoughtful and engaging. I started this post with an observation based on a lifes worth of involvement in audio compared to recent experimentation with several high end digital components. What is read into my statements or considered to be offensive is more of a reflection on those doing the reading (or throwing pseudo intellectual quips)! In other words, can we please stay on point instead of debasing one another for having strong opinions. I apologise for my contribution to the decline of discourse between me and others posting here. That being said, perhaps the issue at hand strikes a nerve for so long frayed by digititus, that we find it difficult to remember just enjoying music...without all the questions!

Overall, I believe it is far to easy to be sucked into the "bright light" of the gear Dujour...myself included! If pointing that fact out is pompous, then so be it!
Just for the record, my reference gear has included the following:

Preamps-

ARC ref2 MKII, LS 25 and SP16L
Levinson 32
BAT 5i
Krell KCT

Amps-
ARC VT100, VT200, VS110
Levinson 360
Krell 600FPB and 400cx
BAT VK-500

Digital-
Wadia 861
BAT VK-D5
Levinson 39 and 37,360s
Denon 5900
ARC CD 2
Sony SCD-1, XA777ES, NS999ES and XA9000ES

Speakers-
Dunlavy SC-V's
Magnepan 3.6's
B&W 801 Nautilus
Watt/Puppy System 6
Martin Logan Odyssey wt Depth Sub
Dalquist DQ-10

Cables-
Transparent Ref
Harm tech Magic
XLO
Alpha Core
Kimber
Mapleshade