30 Years of Perfect Sound?

Actually CD's don't spin at high rates as someone above has stated. I'm not sure of what RPM they turn at but if you've ever watched a CD player operate with the top off you will see that it turns much slower than an LP. And as far as them being flimsy, when you take into consideration there size they flex much less than most LP's. There not perfect, but technology a side, they still sound better than any hard drive solution I've heard or owned.

According to WikiAnswers, the CD spins between 200 and 400 rpm, depending whether the laser is reading the first or later tracks.

10-08-12: Tmsorosk
Actually CD's don't spin at high rates as someone above has stated. I'm not sure of what RPM they turn at but if you've ever watched a CD player operate with the top off you will see that it turns much slower than an LP.

What time/space continuum are you from? They spin far faster than the eye can follow.

a CD player operate with the top off you will see that it turns much slower than an LP.

I am not sure what CD players or turntables you have been using, but I have seen a typical CD player spin a disc and it is a lot, and I mean a lot faster than a typical turntable.

My LPs spin at 33.3 rpm or maybe 45 rpm, slow enough that if I watch closely I can move my eyes with the record, I have never been able to do that with a typical CD player. I never have used 78 rpm records however.

I would agree with GEOFFKAIT that the Wiki is probably correct in CD spin 200 to 400 RPM.

Much, much, much faster than a typical LP.

This article is an antique and should be gathering dust in some used furniture store IMO. Nothing in here reflects the true potential of digital music, including a live-sounding playback.

It is not true that 44.1kHz or 16-bits is enough. The math is fine, but implemenations of DACs only approximate the math. Everything, including digital filtering is imperfect. As a result, digital filtering does a lot more damage than good. This is why NOS DACs are so popular.

Because of the flaws in digital filtering hardware, it is usually the case that 24-bit data sounds better, even 24/44.1. It is also the case 99% of DACs sound better with the same track in 96 rather than 44.1. This is because the filter roll-off is pushed much higher in frequency above audibility and the roll-off may also be less steep, creating less phase abberation. If you must have digital filtering, at least push it up beyond audibility.

"A CD player has no measurable jitter." total BS

"the fact that I can measure and show jitter picked up in a top-notch DAC at its analog output under very good conditions impresses even me"

Not me. If he is measuring jitter that easily, it must be huge compared to good systems. Where are the measurements? Good systems have less than 100psec. Good equipment is needed to measure this accurately, such as AP.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio