The quest

There are so many things wrong with digital playback it almost defies description. Vibration, RFI/EMI, scattered laser light, out of round CDs...it's no wonder stock systems and stock CDs sound thin, compressed, weird, like paper mâché, flat, two dimensional, metallic, discombobulated and dry.

Geoffkait - precisely why I don't use a CD spinner anymore. Computer audio done right is far superior. Some newer spinners are more like computer audio such as the Perfect Wave Transport, so they don't suffer as much from these maladies.

However the primary problem with digital is jitter, followed closely by poor digital filters. Both of these can be fixed in good digital designs.

Other system problems are quite common to both vinyl and digital systems, including: Ground-loop HF noise, preamp and/or DAC compression, noise and distortion. These can limit the performance of either type of system. These are the reason why there is so much variation in the experiences of different posters to these forums, even with the same format, component or cable. These are systems, and anything in the system can affect the SQ. Its the sum of the parts.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Funny, I don't hear any of the glaring errors spoken of when doing things via CDP. I guess they've come a long way, I'm very lucky, or I'm just plain tone deaf.
I don't think it's the latter.

As for PC digital, all I hear is problems with interfaces, cables, jitter and all sorts of interference, not to mention great debate as to which rate is best, fllters, etc.

One can point out obvious flaws inherent in any system when done wrong, but when done right, all bets are off. Blanket statements are nothing more than a ringing endorsement of nothing really, at all.

All the best,
Nonoise

Kinda agree with Charles ... for now. But I am receptive to what Steve says too. If computer hi rez becomes more user friendly for oldies like me, I might dip a toe in. Right now, too many acronyms, formats and techno-babble. I'm waiting.

Nonoise wrote,

"Funny, I don't hear any of the glaring errors spoken of when doing things via CDP. I guess they've come a long way, I'm very lucky, or I'm just plain tone deaf. I don't think it's the latter."

Everything is relative, I'm not saying you should hate your sound. It's only when you remove the errors you come to appreciate the errors. Kinda like Invasion of the Body Snatchers: There's a lot of resistance to change. :-)