Does your remote degrade the sound of your CD player? Roy Gregory and Jimmy Hughes think so, and so do I
Posted by: Ali on 14 December 2001
In an early issue (3) of HiFi+ Roy Gregory and Jimmy Hughes wrote a couple of short pieces saying that although they were baffled as to why, cueing tracks manually rather than with the remote gave a much better sound.
Well, I've just tried it and to my dismay found out that they were right. This is with my CDS11, using the Flash. Using the remote gives sound with less definition and body, and real loss of PRaT!
I am now wondering how often, when I blamed mains problems for inexplicably poor sound, it was the remote-effect. Now that I have discovered it, I don't use the remote--and the music is definitely more enjoyable!
Ty and see if you agree. But beware, you're likely to be getting off that sofa all the time now--but you'll also start enjoying the music again.
Roy Gregory and Jimmy Hughes do not even hazard a guess as to what is happening here. Any views from
Paul Stephenson or Doug Graham?
Ali :confuse
Posted on: 14 December 2001 by David Dever
remote control: sensor on front panel receives IR pulses which are decoded into control commands (STOP, PLAY, PREV, NEXT)
front panel: switch closures on dedicated I/O lines are converted to control commands
-but-
Is there a difference in sound if you switch the display off from the front panel as opposed to the remote control, while a track is playing...? Is the above difference in performance heightened or lessened on units with "mutable" (display off) panel displays?
Dave Dever
Posted on: 15 December 2001 by J.N.
I've banged on about this B4.
More specifically; I have discovered with my CDS2 that (using the remote), it sounds better to select a track from the stopped status rather than pressing 'next' or another track number.
Must try it in full 'Emanuelle' mode.
Posted on: 15 December 2001 by Ali
Vuk
If you are being serious--who is Mike Hanson and what is his email address?
David Dever
Switching off the display helps the sound on the CDS11, as it did with the CDS. But have you tried the comparison between remote selection of tracks and manual cueing?
Mr Tibbs
Nice try!
J.N.
When did you 'bang on' about this?
What did you say?--you imply that you agree with Roy Gregory, JMH and others (?)
IMHO the effect of the remote on the sound is rather like the effect of RFI; and a little like having a TV in the same room with its speakers getting in the way of the sound, although the remote effect seems to me a worse than that.
Thanks for your responses.
Ali--still confused
Posted on: 16 December 2001 by Mike Hanson
quote:
If you are being serious--who is Mike Hanson
I am he. What I noticed (or rather, had demonstrated to my satisfaction) is that stopping a CD, direct selecting the track, then pressing Play produced a very slightly better performance than jumping to that track using Next/Prev from another playing track.
Use of the remote had no bearing on the subject, and it was most noticeable in a shop with a CDX with questionable power. At my house, the CDS2 with dedicated power circuit doesn't sound any different using the two methods. The shop has improved their power, and I can't really hear a difference there anymore.
BTW, I can hear the difference between "Display Time" versus "Display Track" or "Display Off". However, I'm about to improve my power ground, so that anomaly may disappear as well.
Naim gear likes good power, and hates bad power. It's a little annoying, and it can really affect the results of any of these tests.
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Posted on: 16 December 2001 by J.N.
Ali; to answer your question:-
In a previous incarnation.
I have recently been 're-born'
Nothing to add. As stated in the above post.
Posted on: 16 December 2001 by David Dever
quote:
Switching off the display helps the sound on the CDS11, as it did with the CDS. But have you tried the comparison between remote selection of tracks and manual cueing?
The original CDS did not feature a provision to turn off the display.
As for your conundrum, I was referring to any perceived difference in performance between access by direct selection as opposed to succession, with or without the remote control.
If, however, this is a bad power issue as Mike Hanson indicates, there's little to help you there.
Dave Dever
Posted on: 18 December 2001 by Ali
Guys, thanks very much for your help. I'll look into the power thing. Meanwhile I'm definitely not using the remote.
Ali
Posted on: 18 December 2001 by woodface
The CDS 11 is £6k player surely these things should not happen! I actually think it is more to do with reaching the end of the upgrade ladder - anything real or imagined which has a subjective effect is grabbed with both hands!
Posted on: 18 December 2001 by Greg Beatty
...has spoken.
Naim is clearly wrong in this case and Woodface's comments demonstrate the flawed design of the CDSII. It is therefore at best a second-rate CD spinner and should be avoided at all costs.
Feel free to send me your CDSII and I will gladly ship you a Cambridge CD4 at my own expense anywhere in the world.
- GregB
Insert Witty Signature Line Here
Posted on: 19 December 2001 by Vik
let's stop this once and for all
"and it applies to all CDP's, not just those from Naim"
(I'll include) ....of any era, of any technology.
Not to mention that playing a track, and then re-playing it, will yield better results the second time onwards.
Posted on: 19 December 2001 by Rockingdoc
What's all this track hopping about anyway? You are supposed to put a record on at the beginning and take it off at the end. The only advantage of the CD is not having to change sides.
Have you all got the attention span of gnats or do you only buy compilations?
Posted on: 20 December 2001 by Ali
Stallion, thanks --at least I now think that I' not going completely batty! It seems from your and some other comments that there has been a discussion of this on the Forum before.
Paul Stephenson
I would still be interested in a Naim response--thanks
Ali--not quite so confused now
Posted on: 28 December 2001 by Charlezz
Give me your Flash remote if you don't use it!!
Thank you in advance.
Charles
Posted on: 29 December 2001 by bam
Greg wrote in response to Woodface
"Naim is clearly wrong in this case and Woodface's comments demonstrate the flawed design of the CDSII."
I've read this sort of reaction before. I don't understand it. I think Woodface was saying that when you pay £6k for a CDP you don't expect its sound to be affected by whether you use the remote control or not. Greg, your response suggests to me that you think this is fine because the sound quality of a CDS2 is so good. Is that right?
