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Redbook Digital Can Sound Great -- On Occassion

Just spun a new CD last week that really impressed me. The CD is Michael Buble, To Be Loved (Reprise 2013). Mr. Buble sings old standards like -- You Make Me Feel So Young, It's A Beautiful Day, Something Stupid, Come Dance With Me, among many others. Sometimes I think it's Frank Sinatra or the other original artists actually singing, but with Mr. Buble's own vocal style. For those who like the old standards, it's a unqualified "Buy" recommendation.

But there's an added surprise. There's a number of threads currently running that speak to the pros and cons of digital, in generally, and redbook CD, in particular. IMO, the recording playback quality of this CD is exemplary (almost as good as vinyl), which I think permits the inference that if the industry did a better recording job in the redbook format, there could still be life in that medium.

So, if anyone has the CD, I'd appreciate hearing your comments. And, if you like the old standards, it's a "Buy" recommendation -- just for the enjoyment of listening to a modern re-do of the music.
bifwynne
ptss
1,964 posts
 
Try excellent isolation of your digital from ac power and excellent isolation of your digital from your analog side.
You will be pleasantly surprised at the dynamics, detail+nuance that are in that favorite CD of yours. As they say, if you haven't tried this "you ain't heard nuthin".
You will have beautiful sound-on all occasions.
riparian
13 posts
 
Redbook CD is often the only format available for many recordings. As others have mentioned, the recording quality can vary from poor to excellent. What is disheartening is that so many previous good analog recordings had poor digital transfers and remastering efforts to CD, only to have re-issues later (or none at all).

Just like MP3, computer download audio will likely be here to stay. I don't want to invest too fully now in high res downloads or standalone DACs for a computer source. I believe that storage and transfer to DAC options are in a state of flux, with newer options likely to make current storage (laptop hard drive best for audio?) and interface options which are not dedicated for audio, obsolete. There must be something better than USB coming down the pike later also.

Transports, digital cables (why do digital cables sound different from one another), and power supplies mattered before. The source quality will matter in the future. Good stand-alone red book CD players (and quality transport/DAC combos) have that part down.

Red book digital recordings can sound great.
bifwynne OP
2,206 posts
 
Riparian, I have conjectured the same point you did about the industry being in a state of flux. Hopefully, the industry will come together and decide on the next format. It happened in the early days of vinyl (RIAA) and in the early 1980s when redbook was made the reigning standard.

In addition, many of the DAC brands out there have designed and built DACs with 4 to 6 different format capabilities. That's a big waste of design and manufacturing time which just increases cost.

I checked the Acoustic Sounds web site last night to get a sense of its high quality CD offerings. They have a nice selection. I plan on ordering one or two CDs to see if it's hype or real. I'll report back.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Riparian,
Good post! I'll wait for computer digial to get it sorted out(it will happen eventually). Mean while red book suits me just fine. I've listened to a number of CA systems and some did sound very good but none that I have heard were superior to a high quality CD source.
knghifi
1,668 posts
 
I'll wait for computer digial to get it sorted out(it will happen eventually).
Cable and Satellite television is ALMOST ready for prime time so hang in there with your UHF and VHF. Who needs more than 3 stations anyways. LOL!!!
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