Taming edge from remastered CDs?

Audioengr wrote: "You have just never heard a low jitter system, and if you did, there was probabl an active preamp in the way creating so much distortion and compression that you did not hear the benefits of low jitter".


FWIW, I use an Oknyo DX-C390 CD changer as a transp. (certainly nothing special there), out via a Mapleshade Double Helix, digital RCA to a Monarchy DIP Combo, out via another Helix, to a Ric-Schultz-modified, diffrentially balanced Begringer DEQ2496. From there, out via balanced Mapleshade Excaliburs to Goldpoint SMD series attenuators installed in the rear of a pair of Monarchy SM-70 Pro's as balanced monoblocks. A CD-only system with no active pre. I do believe I am hearing the benefits of low jitter.

But, if you thought that I myself was somehow against any and all attempts to employ digital jitter reduction stategies, then I suppose I am pretty much the one to blame for that and I apologize to you for it. What I misfired on when I said that it was the biggest myth in all of audio, and which is what need to seriously amend, was the idea that all those digital strategies were indeed the first and only consideration. I'm of the opinion that, in practice, successful conditioning is just as crucial as digital/mechanical/optical jitter reduction toward overcoming the problem of CD harshness/edginess/brightness in particular.

Ghosthouse,
It takes a lot more than a power conditioner and a lot more than $1000 to really clean up AC, in my experience. There is no quick fix -- no single device will do the complete job. It is the synergy of many elements that accomplished this in my system.

I just want to throw this out there. I found a tweak on Ric Schultz's site EVS. It has to do with some sand paper and a black magic marker that you use on your cd's!I tried it and it works pretty awesome!!.I couldn't believe it, but it worked for me every time.It takes that digital edge off the sound!!! Gives the sound maybe a little more warmth if you want to call it that. I have done it with everyone of my cd's so far and not just cd's but dvd's, sacd's, blu-rays too..i've noticed a difference every single time. One of the best tweaks i've ever found. and its not subtle either, you will notice it right away!

"power conditioning (whatever that turns out to be) IME turns out to be (provided you do your homework first) generally much cheaper and can completely solve the problem of the digital nasties while also improving the usual parameters involved with that approach (blacker background, better decay, better extension etc)."

This depends entirely on the component. If the jitter is high, no amount of AC power conditioning will fix this. It can however act like a tube buffer, adding compression and HF rolloff, which can smooth-out the music, at the expense of detail and imaging. Even poorly designed cables can do this. Its going down the garden path however, not addressing the real problem.

I use no conditioning whatsoever and never have, even at shows. I still earn best sound of show frequently.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"FWIW, I use an Oknyo DX-C390 CD changer as a transp. (certainly nothing special there), out via a Mapleshade Double Helix, digital RCA to a Monarchy DIP Combo, out via another Helix, to a Ric-Schultz-modified, diffrentially balanced Begringer DEQ2496."

You are evidently trying to address jitter, but believe me, you are not even remotely close to getting there. The digital source is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing in the system, next to the speakers and amps. Even more important than a modded DAC. I used to mod the DIP for customers, but I dont mod anymore. There are much better ways than this to reduce jitter in CD players. However you must either replace your transport with a megabuck transport and then re-write your CDs to reduce pit jitter, or add a better reclocker to your existing transport that totally blocks its jitter.

Even if you do either of these, it will still not approach the jitter levels now possible with USB interfaces, at least some of them. For the same money, you are better off to buy a 2009 Mac Mini and a USB converter than an expensive CD transport. I have had many CD transports from customer in my system over the years, which I used to mod for them. None of thse hold a candle to a good USB interface.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio