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Cd's released up to 95' not remastered - DAC?

Is there any hope for these CD's? I have many great bands I'd like to listen to but unless I find vinyl I can't tolerate it.. not to mention I have some of this media and would like to protect my investment.. not to mention they are cheap to buy used..

I just upgraded my Onix XCD-88 OpAmps and it was a wonderful upgrade.. but short of canning that player and spending $2k min. on a new player I am about out of ideas.. While my Onix has digital outs I would not be adverse to using a PC to send to a DAC if that is an option.. but I dont want to waste my time and money..

I am sorry of this was covered.. I just spent 3 hours scouring forums and while there is tons of DAC info I did not find a thread that addressed this directly.

Inevitibly someone will ask so:

Onix XCD-88 Op amp mod
Harmon Kardon 825 and Eico HF85 Preamps
Threshold 400a amplifier (and another on the way)
Vandersteen 2ce biwired with RCA 12 gauge (scouring for a wire upgrade)
B&O beogram RX MMC3 cartridge
jprinz
metralla
945 posts
 
"Questioning my musical taste" - not me mate. As far as Ratt go, I have a great copy of "Out of the Cellar" - it's the original Atlantic "target" made in West Germany. Sounds good here.

Can you describe what you mean by:
Can old annoying CD's be "fixed"

What are you hearing that makes them sound broken? What aspects of the reproduction makes them different from modern CDs? Or from good remasters? Try to write down where you feel improvements can be made in what you hear.

I'm guessing I am going to be waiting for the master tapes to be dusted off some day but I thought I'd ask

That depends on who is holding the duster.

Regards,
kb54
130 posts
 
I understand exactly what you're talking about. There are some albums I haven't bought in the hope that they would someday be remastered, and some I broke down and bought even though the sound is not as natural or involving as I would like. I've even noticed differences in sound quality between copies of more recently issued cds. In this case, I think it has to do with the quality of the pressing plant (later copies sounding less analog and musical). I began a post about this topic a while ago, but got little response. People seem to be more keen on differences between pressings of lps than with cds. Anyway, i've found some benefit to treating these older cds with shine ola- it seems to bring about some much needed warmth.
jprinz OP
31 posts
 
KB54:Shine Ola huh? Never heard of it.. but did just google it. Seems like a joke to me.. but so many reviews cannot be overlooked. I guess I will be forced to order some up.. makes 0 sense to me.. 0's and 1's are 0's and 1's.. you cant change that.. weird. Also; I did not know Cd's were "pressed".. I guess I assumed they were simply burned.. I have much to learn.

Metralla: Boy, you really want to help me dont you? :) I guess I am assuming everyone knows what a bad cd is.. you can't listen to it for more than 30 minutes tops.. it is basically a buzzsaw effect you can hear just barely.. and it just grinds on you after awhile.

On RATT: I have that one on vinyl.. damn thing is soooo compressed.. but that was the cool thing to do back then I guess. I'd love to remaster that one.. hopefully the tracks are laid down clean with no processing.. ahhhh I can only dream. I guess I will have to find the CD u have.. I heard much about the "target" cd's but own none.

On a related note: I have a Tascam US-122 I am setting up to copy some vinyl to CD.. but it probably had a really marginal DAC in it.. we shall see..

Anyhow.. my question still sort of stands.. wondering if someone has tried to improve these old cd's with success..
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