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CD has laid back and uninvolving sound

Hi folks, yesterday I listened again to vinyl. I conducted also a comparison between vinyl and CD. The most peculiar thing with CD is that the sound seems to be more laid back, distant and uninvolving. With vinyl the sound has more bloom, is less laid back and has more PRaT. To me this laid back and distant sonic character of CD is the most significant finding and bothers me quite a lot. How can I improve this? Btw, my digital front end: MBL 1621 transport + Accustic Arts Tube DAC. Would Wadia DAC (the old Wadia 9 or another classic Wadia) be better in rendering a more upfront and engaging sound (more PRaT)?

Chris
dazzdax
sns
3,620 posts
 
Sounds like my experience with tube DACs, previously owned Audio Aero Prima DAC (Capitole DAC) and Audio Logic 24MXL. Both were smooth but lacked the resolution and involvement of my highly modded Perp. Tech. setup.

SS DAC isn't going to give you more bloom, but it will be more upfront and greater PRaT.

Regards tube DACs. I've since acquired experience with a variety of capacitors, I suspect I could have attained a more upfront, involving presentation on either of my tube DACS with something like Mundorf cap change. Perhaps a cap change on the Accustic Arts is in order.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,663 posts
 
I don't think that this is necessarily the case in general, though it is certainly not uncommon for various reasons.

I have albums that sound great and better than CD versions and vice versa.
stew3859's avatar
stew3859
119 posts
 
I have an Accustis Arts Drive I and an MBL 1511F DAC. I could not be happier. In fact, so good is the synergy, that I hestitate to "upgrade" to the MBL 1521A transport. Perhaps you should switch to the MBL DAC.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,663 posts
 
Dazzdax,

You have good stuff so its surprising to me.

I'm assuming your CD is working properly as designed.

First I'd like to know more about the rest of your system: amp, speakers, ICs, etc.

I think a common problem with CD playback is that often the amp or pre-amp cannot handle the dynamics, both large scale and micro, as well with digital sources as they can with phono analog sources. The result may be an uninvolving or less interesting sound.

Or if the dynamics including fine detail sounds pretty good but the tonal balance is off, perhaps a different DAC might offer a solution.
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Mapman: MBL 1621 transport - Accustic Arts Tube DAC - Accuphase C-290V preamplifier (with dedicated AD-290V phono unit) - JMF Audio HQS7001B power amplifiers (mono's) - Soundlab A-1 fullrange electrostatics. Turntable: Acoustic Solid with Fidelity Research FR-66S tonearm and Ortofon SPU 85 Anniversary cartridge.
I'll try the JMF Audio DXC2.2 D/A converter in the near future.

Chris
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