🚀 go-pugleaf

>In article 301292233743@128.89.19.85, shetline@bbn.com (Kerry Shetline) writes:
>>wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce) wrote:
>>> In article <1992Dec29.171405.1480@lsican.uucp> michael@Canada.lsil.com writes:
>>> >
>>> >[...]Error correcting comes to mind here).  If the only "audible" differences
>>> >between players comes from the DAC portion (plus power supplies, etc), then with
>>> >an outboard DAC, all CD/LD players should sound identical.  Is this a true
>>> >statement?
>>> 
>>> No.  It is not true.  Theta makes a "CD Transport" which is a modified
>>> Philips LD player [major mod is to correct for 'jitter'in the digital
>>> output, according to their literature].  Fed into their ~$1000 outboard
>>> D/A (I forget the model #) it sounds better than a Pioneer CLD-3070
>>> LD player fed into same.  Unfortunately the Philips video is no match
>>
>>I haven't heard a Theta unit, so I can't tell you whether or not it
>>actually sounds better than any other laser disc player. But I do know that
>>the *reasons given* for it sounding better were completely bogus
>>techno-hype. The manufacture made claims regarding improved
>>error-correction and mechanical stability as reasons for a gigantic leap in
>>audio fidelity. The review I read in Video magazine prompted me to write
>>this (unpublished) letter:

[...deleted..]

For a detailed discussion of 'digital jitter' as it applies to D/A
playback from CDs see Robert Harley's article on p.114 of STEREOPHILE
for January 1993.  He summarizes papers presented at the Audio Engineering
Society and discusses and instrument Stereophile has used to measure
'digital jitter.'  While it is not the total answer there is some
correlation with subjective sound differences between D/A converters.

You may disagree on scientific grounds but I think this issue has
moved out of the realm of 'bogus techno-hype.'


-- 
	The answer is never simple and is always changing.
    William L.R. (Bill) Cruce       INTERNET: wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu 
Neurobiology Dept, NE Ohio U Coll of Med, POB 95, Rootstown, OH 44272