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From: cbmvax!cgh!paul@uunet.UU.NET (Paul Homchick)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Re: Proceed opinions wanted
Message-ID: <6737@uwm.edu>
Date: 3 Oct 90 13:06:44 GMT
Sender: news@uwm.edu
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Approved: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu


In article <6536@uwm.edu> hqyy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:
>	since this newsgroup seems to be a bit more openminded than
>those loosers at rec.audio, i would like to solicit opinions on
>the Proceed CD player and DSP (also any info on players around $1500
>would be appreciated).

I have a Proceed DAC.  It is quite well constructed and uses very high
quality parts.  I bought it primarily because of it's ability to
process a 48Khz digital signal so I could improve the playback from my
Awia HD-1 DAT deck.

I borrowed the Proceed over a long weekend to audition it.  My
equipment consists of a Phillips CD-960, an Audio Research SP-6B,
Audio Research EC-22 crossover, Conrad-Johnson MV-45, and Adcom
GFA-555 driving a pair of LS3/5As and a pair of Kef B200s in
transmission lines.  (Also have a SOTA/Linn Itok).

When comparing the Proceed and the Phillips, the Proceed sounded
better.  When trying to describe the differene, "louder" was th best I
could do.  After I purchased the Proceed, I got out a meter and
measured things.  The Phillips analog output was 1.5db down in one
channel.  The Proceed was louder.  After correcting for this, I was
unable to consistantly tell a difference using single-blind tests.

I have decided that the differences between good CD playback systems
is very miniscule indeed, and for the difference in sound versus the
difference in money, your money is best spent elsewhere.

I think I would have done much better by investing in some new
speakers, or in 80 new CDs.  The CD world is not like the LP one.
With this technology, it is MUCH harder to get improvements for your
money that it used to be with LPs.

Indeed, everything is getting better in HiFi these days.  For
instance, I am amazed by the high number of quality speakers out
there.  20 years ago when I first came upon the word "audiophile," the
number of *good* speakers was very small.  There was the Infinity
Servo Static I, and things went downhill from there.

I have decided it is time to start worrying more about the music and
the performances.  Those are where the big differences in musical
enjoyment are.

P.S.  I plan on taking my Phillips and Proceed to a friend's place
some weekend where I will re-audition things and include some highly
modified Phillips players.  Since this friend insists that there are
significant audible differences, I expect to hear SOME differences.
However, I will be VERY surprised if I change my opinion of the money
versus improvement ratio at work here.
-- 
Paul Homchick                    :UUCP     {rutgers | uunet} !cbmvax!cgh!paul
Chimitt Gilman Homchick, Inc.    :Internet                   cgh!paul@dsi.com
259 Radnor-Chester Rd, Suite 140 :MCI                               PHOMCHICK
Radnor, PA  19087-5299           :GEnie                              HOMCHICK