Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!harpo!gummo!whuxlb!pyuxll!eisx!npoiv!npois!hogpc!houxm!whuxk!wjm From: wjm@whuxk.UUCP Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: CD.sq.wave.response Message-ID: <241@whuxk.UUCP> Date: Tue, 2-Aug-83 10:45:57 EDT Article-I.D.: whuxk.241 Posted: Tue Aug 2 10:45:57 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 3-Aug-83 23:52:43 EDT Lines: 25 Tis true ... we don't really know (yet) what quantifiable parameters that can be objectively and reproducibly measured on a lab bench affect CD sound. Is 1kHz square wave response significant ? Is the cut off (due to a 44.1 kHz digital sampling rate) at about 22 kHz (and the effects introduced by the player's low pass filters in the D/A converter significant? At present, we don't know but I think one of the key points is that we'd better find out. Last night, I received in the mail a blurb from Linn Products (who are not exactly unbiased, given that they make high-end analog record playing equipment) presenting some British hi-fi magazine A/B tests between a Linn Sondek TT with Linn Ittok arm and Linn cartridge (with a Linn head amp) feeding the same preamp, power amp, and speakers as the Sony CDP-101 CD player. They then A/B'd CD and LP versions of the same works (both classical and popular) mostly EMI European releases. The panel preferred the Linn setup to the CD's. I am not against CD's (far from it, I'm looking forward to a virtually scratch- proof, warp-proof medium that is also free of surface noise (CBS take note)) but I want something that compares favorably to the best analog recordings (some of which are digitally mastered, and almost all are cut at half-speed) like Telarc, Nautilus, Mobile Fidelity, and Sheffield, when played on a high end system costing the same price ($1K - 1.5K) as today's CD players (like the Linn, or a Sota with a good arm, or a Mission 775/774). The thing is now to find the characteristics that define superior performance in a CD player and to present those in a test report. Bill Mitchell (whuxk!wjm) Disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are my personal ones, and not necessarily those of my employer, Bell Laboratories..