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Differences in CD players? Am I crazy?

Hello, I just recently acquired a TEAC VRDS-25x cd player to replace the 150 dollar DVD player I've been using. This cd player was to be the first step in me upgrading my entire system, from mass market cheapo brands, to entry audiophile. Now Im not sure Im even going to continue.

I cannot, for the life of me, hear the difference between these CD players. I put the same CD into each one, then switch between the sources on my amplifier. My friends have been over, and also can hear no difference.

Admittedly, I have cheaper components. An entry level Kenwood receiver, and cerwin vega speakers, but I was expecting a little more than this, considering this is a two thousand dollar player.

What's the deal here!?
tomek
kchahoc
85 posts
 
I have found that the differences between digital devices is in general much less than between such things as speakers or amplifiers. YMMV.
aroc
760 posts
 
subtle, but important differences. That pretty much sums up high end digital sources in my book. Some will say that you won't be able to hear these differences through your meager system. I disagree. You can hear the differences if you know what to listen for. But you should really count your blessings that you can't distinguish them at the moment. Once you do, then you will start lusting after a world class source. If you stay with this hobby eventually you will start to hear the subtle differences. it takes time and experience for that to happen.

I remember taking an msb link iii, evs dac, and adcom gda600 dac over to my brother's house. we played them through his aiwa receiver and eosone speakers (by first system, which i gave to him). I could still make out the differences, but he could not. So don't blame the system, even though i sure it isn't helping things. YMMV.
zoya
120 posts
 
Most of the improvements you'll notice when you upgrade your speakers. And then you'll begin to hear the differences in other components.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
I thought Teac was a "mass market cheapo brand."
tomek OP
3 posts
 
Teac in Japan is not the same as Teac here I think. This is definitely not a cheap cd player, it weighs a solid 17kg and has 4 20 bit dacs and 8x oversampling. I know it retailed for about 2900USD but sadly I'm having trouble hearing any difference. I went to a hi-end shop here in Toronto where they do an upgrade to it on the anaolgue stage and compared the two, once again, hearing almost no difference. Others I know who have performed this upgrade swear by it and say that nothing under 4grand competes with the cd player.

I've been into headphones for a while, and noticed in that 'hobby', that the headphones accounted for 90 percent of the difference, and source and amp were very subtle changes.

Is it the same in speakers? How much of the difference in a system would you say the speakers account for? I bought this cdplayer as the first step in acquiring a system with Martin Logan speakers. At the shop, they salesman swore that it was necessary to put money down for a high end source.
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