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  3. 177923-5589

Help needed improving the sound of my Audiolab CDT

Folks,

I recently purchased an open-box Audiolab CDT from an online vendor. It works fine, but sounds hard, cold, and unmusical. It replaced a noisy Marantz CD6005 that I used as a transport.

The CDT has gotten lots of rave reviews, and I want to explore the possibility that the poor sound is due to the digital interconnect or power cord.

I'd be grateful for suggestions for interconnects and powercords you think might give me a more liquid, musical sound that are at a price point that fits with with my equipment.

Relevant equipment:

DAC-Ares II (changing the filter changes the sound but does not fix the problem)

Interconnect-- Wireworld Starlight 5 Digital Cable 2 Meters, ca 2015 or earlier

Power cord: Marigo Audio Labs. ca 1995

Thanks!

 

barry

 

 

 

 

bagrant
chayro
3,015 posts
 

I have never heard anyone describe this transport in that way. I would give it a few weeks to burn in and see if your opinion changes. I would not buy any different cables until after you give it a chance. I have found that placing Vibrapods under the feet of certain digital components can soften the sound, but I would still wait. We had another person here complaining that his new $2500 Jay’s transport sounded harsh, but it improved considerably after break in. Be a little patient. 

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,972 posts
 

It took about 6 weeks for my Technics SL-G700 SACD player to go from lean to full bodied. Everything else was fine but it got me to looking around for darker sounding speakers, thinking it wouldn't get any better. 

Glad I waited as it's now everything I want and need.

All the best,
Nonoise

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

Agree with @chayro ​​​​and @nonoise. Exercise some patience and acquire more burn in hours of use before drawing perhaps premature conclusions.

Charles

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,019 posts
 

In what way would the Marantz be noisy? Never heard of that...I use my Marantz hdcd1 as transport, noisy Is not how I'd describe it, warm maybe...I owned the audiolab, I did not care for it, I prefer my Marantz, sold off the cdt...

bagrant OP
4 posts
 

Folks,

Thanks everyone, especially for the counsel of patience. I've had the until for 2 weeks, and it has gotten better. Still room for improvement. I haven't watched the video, but will try things that don't involved opening the unit.

The Marantz is mechanically noisy--It makes noise when it spins disks. Nothing I can do with footers or placement alters it. Something needs fixing inside, and I have no skills in this area.

 

barry

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