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Best player for Poorly Recorded redbook CDs?

There is lot on the cutting edge of digital players, Meitner, APL, Esoteric, Zanden, Reimyo, and the list goes on. Most have great reviews and their own followers. The problem is we usually test this with better recorded CDs or do not actually consciously think about how well a player plays poorly recorded CDs. If I have a main player for SACDs and avg-well recorded CDs, is there a player out there that somehow makes poorly recorded CDs sound better, and better than other equipment? Note this only pertains to poorly recorded CDs...and its not about being truthful/accuracy per se...all I want is something that will improve on bad CDs. Meitner is OK at this but I wonder if other players out there (and indeed it may well be a budget player,...who knows) that specifcally do this well. Given as music lovers, we generally own our fair share of poor sounding but great music CDs, I think this is potentially quite important and can pay lots of dividends after some investigation....at least that is the hope. Now thinking about this, its also somewhat surprising that professional reviewers do not really address this aspect much. Hmmm.

Any suggestions? Do you agree with this line of thiniking?
henryhk
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
I've found the most efficient way to modify the sound is to change cables instead of hunting for a different player. It can help some with poor CD's if they are harsh, etc.

In many ways cables has evolved along with the players. In my collection of junk, I have an old late 1980s CD player that sounds terrible using a modern pair of interconnect cables. It actually sounds pretty good if I use a pair of old Audioquest cables that date from the same period.

My conclusion is those old cables where made for the equipment of the time. Those old cables veil the highest highs of modern players. On the old player is softens the hardness of the highest highs that was common at that time.
Post removed 
mapleleafs3
190 posts
 
Sorry cables is not the answer.Cables being made for the equipment of the time is not the case. Thats such a way off base comment.
Cables should impart what is on a CD not change the sound to suit your taste.

Cables and wire are the same basically. Copper is copper and Dialectrics are what they are. They have not changed. What has changed is marketing and reviewers and Magazine that are addicted to the revenues they generate.

I have had many cable shootouts over the years. Have had many many different cables.

In the end its not usually the big money cables that win.
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