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From: 5121cdd@houxm.UUCP (C.DORY)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: CD Players; Carver CD Player
Message-ID: <1295@houxm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Aug-85 10:33:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxm.1295
Posted: Fri Aug  2 10:33:15 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Aug-85 06:07:23 EDT
References: <3339@decwrl.UUCP>, <436@petrus.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 34

<chomp>

There you go again Phil -- applying good ol' transitive property No. 33 again:
"If I can't hear it on my equipment then it doesn't exist".  I will
have to admit that many of the differences that do exist are not nearly as
great as some of the underground audiophobe magazines would lead you to
believe.  However, I have heard differences in CD players on my equipment,
with my ears, also in carefully controlled tests.  As well, I have had several
opportunities to compare master recordings with the production CD -- this
is VERY interesting.  But, since a documented test has been performed with
the utmost of care (i.e., the best possible gear and unimpeacable recordings),
performed by the most worldly scientists with unquestioned experience in audio
(and of course, with no preconceived bias), I guess my observations aren't
worth &%$#.

I guess from your conclusions, Phil, the CD player we should all run out to
get is the Sears (Craftsman) unit on sale (i.e., reliability, price, etc.).

In all seriousness, in order to make claims even approaching what Phil and
his crew made about CD players (or any other piece of audio equipment for
that matter) one needs to eliminate or, at least, drastically reduce
the uncertaintity (e.g., the source material:  How was it recorded?  What
signal processing was used?  What equipment was used?  Any time-domain
correction?  And if you believe what you read on the CD jewel box, well...).
Also, the equipment under test -- was there a wide enough sample of
technology, or were all the units around the same price, same LSI chips, etc.
(Remember, Matushita (sp?) is a monster company.)  Believe it or not,
all of these things, if not properly controlled or noted, would affect the
outcome of even the most carefully executed listening test.  Once we
realize that broad, sweeping conclusions cannot be made from myopic
testing, flames like this will no longer be necessary.


Craig Dory