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Do digital audio players sound different?

Yes, but not that much... It's one of those things that gets vastly exaggerated by audiophiles!
I have an Ariston branded CD player that was a Richer Sounds budget special and probably like £55 new, (I was given it for parts but it was just a dry joint) which I have on "permanent" loan to a mate now, but I'd wager that if one was not sat between the speakers and properly concentrating on the sound quality then most would not notice the difference between it and say a £1K CD player.
The format itself and the generic circuitry often used mean that no matter how "bad" a CD player it will still be flat from say 10Hz to 20KHz and have no more than 0.01% THD... figures that completely thrash any vinyl or R2R source no matter how expensive... (and yes I prefer vinyl and R2R anyway!). Hence any CD or uncompressed digital source is very good hi fi quality no matter how cheap. All you are getting for spending a fortune is maybe a little more "air" and "space", maybe a bit better timbrel accuracy etc. Very diminishing returns!
 
There may be small differences in the dac, but in the actual transmission of data there is no difference, with the usual heroically poor engineering caveat.
Keith
 
Hopefully you’ll all take part?! (Or have already).

I really like the effort archimago puts into his blog, and I guess he put quite a bit of effort into setting up and no doubt collating all the data. I really think the best everyone can do is just take the test and see what they hear and submit the results anonymously and then keep shtum until the results.

My only wish was for at least one electronic music track as none were really my cup of tea so I only really used two of the tracks.
 
That’s pesky science, again.

Laughably some might think you actually understood it!

PS For every YouTube “expert” you produce you’ll likely find credible DAC designers, sound engineers etc arguing the exact reverse, i.e. folk who actually have a proven track-record of understanding this stuff. There is no consensus here no matter how loudly you bellow soundbites. If something sounds worse but measures the same you are, as ever, measuring the wrong thing!
 
Laughably some might think you actually understood it!

PS For every YouTube “expert” you produce you’ll likely find credible DAC designers, sound engineers etc arguing the exact reverse, i.e. folk who actually have a proven track-record of understanding this stuff. There is no consensus here no matter how loudly you bellow soundbites. If something sounds worse but measures the same you are, as ever, measuring the wrong thing!

That put him back in his box. Hurrah.
 
I was probably a bit OTT there to be honest (I’ve met Keith and he’s a decent bloke), but the whole ‘AVI marketing approch’ thing does wind me up when I read it here on my own forum! The truth is way more nuanced.
 
I'm sure the DAC chip designers (should there be any willing to chip in) would respond way more butally to the kind of BS Keith spouts all over the forums.

The marketing approach of 'pissing on folks chips' to look as if he's selling superior kit really does make him look like a true mid-class prick!
 
I'm sure the DAC chip designers (should there be any willing to chip in) would respond way more butally to the kind of BS Keith spouts all over the forums.

The marketing approach of 'pissing on folks chips' to look as if he's selling superior kit really does make him look like a true mid-class prick!

Says the man responsible for posting more BS than anyone else I can think of.... I struggle to recall anything you've ever said that was not totally wrong.
 


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