Is my tunrtbale good or is my CD player crap?

Now I have got the new stylus my turntbale just makes mince meet of my CD player. In comparsion my CD player is lacking bass and sounds lifeless.

It also sounds a bit digital.

My question is this is just because Vynil is better or becuase my CD player is crap? If so I how much would I need to spend on a new CD player to make it sound as good as my turntbale?

Specs:

Project Debut II turntbale
Sony CDPXE530 CD Player
Marantz PM6010OSE amp

 

I think that you may be expecting a little to much of your CD player TBH. At less than the price (I've seen it at £106.99) of your TT, and knowing that to match a good TT, even a fairly low end one like the Debut you have to spend some daft figure (from memory and from past comments on forums) like three times the price of your TT, your Sony is unlikely to blow you away

 

OK, one more bit of iconoclasm and then I go home. I have never found this vinyl superiority. My LP12/Ekos/Klyde combination sounded much the same as my Mimik CD player, and the Mimik was substantially cheaper than the LP12. And, yes, the LP12 was set up by the Zürich Linn man. I don't dispute that vinyl sounds superior in some situations in some set-ups to some people, but this isn't universal and, as Gershwin had it, it ain't necessarily so. OK, I'm outa here - the sun is shining and Musik Hug is having a CD sale...

 

You and me both Tones, you know what I said in the last thread about vinyl, but in this case I just thought I'd answer his question from a "sitting on the fence" POV

 

This isn't really a debate and which format is better. I was simply stating that my turntable is sounding far better and I wouldn't have expected such a big difference.

I'm stuck with my CD player anyway due to finacial restraints )I would rather spend the money in a club and holidays etc).

If I was to buy a good £200 CDP would this be quite a lot better than my 530 or just a slight improvement?

 

I think you'd need to spend at least £500/£600.

Obviously less if you find a good s/h bargain.

 

Oh dear. You have digitalitis! The cheapest cure I can think of is a second-hand Arcam Alpha 9. These are down to £300 now. Start saving

ps. it has to be a '9'! The '7' and '8' are not in the same class, SE or not.

 

Its not really a problem I just didn't want to end up being a vynil junkie but it looks like I already am

I just miss the convenience of CD at times.

 

Just enjoy it then. I personally am delighted that I'm not.

 

Perhaps your set-up is sympathetic to the extra bass and mid-range clout of vinyl?

 

I think the problem is the my system can be quite revealing so maybe CD player is just not warm enough for my amp and headphones.

 

Well, my Rega 3/RB300/Ortofon 540/Flutterbuster (~£500) wees all over the Naim CD5 I now have - even though that's a) far superior to my old Rega Planet and b) 2.4 times the price! Even with the Flatcap on it I reckon vinyl will still rule!

Even my lowly NAD533/getting on Ortofon 530 trounces my CD players when with good vinyl (it's not as forgiving with worn or mistrackey vinyl as the other Rega), but A Certain Ratio's "Early" comp is rocking out on it right now and the bass lines are funky as hell!!

 

amazing trade - where are the speakers I ordered?

John

 

A certain Ratio, you really are 'mad for it'. I could have gone to see them a couple of years back in Stockport I had no idea who they were at the time though. I've not really heared much of Vinni e Riley's stuff.

I guess I am probably better of using my CD player as my second source then and maybe just buy a new turntbale instead of of a CDP eventualy.

One of the things that influenced this thread was I bought Attompshere on a 12" original Factured LP it is one of the heavy duty pressings and it just made my CD version sound like Victor Meldrew.

When graduate I have dreams of having a Rega P3 on my shelf.

By the way John I sent them via Trotter's Indepent Couriers.

 

Basslines are one area vinyl really seems to wack CD. Walking bass tends to sounds like it's got a broken leg on CD.
Another well-known area is cymbals, although that seems to be as much a case of the quality of the guy at the controls as the format (same probably goes for bass).

 

I do admit that I find softer songs such as ballads sound better on CD because you can't hear any crackles, on lighter music you can always hear crackles which can be enough to distract from the music. For most more upbeat stuff you can never hear the crackles anyway.

My Bee Gee's The Record (Greatest Hits) CD sounds better than the Bee Gee;s stuff I have on vynil for this reason.

I am not at all anti-cd its just my taste of music seems to prefer the vinyl sound.

 

Yeah - more often than not, on CD the drummer sounds like he's asleep... Bass on vinyl just seems "better" - but then is that as it's quite bloomy? Mind you, the P3's bass seems more "accurate" than a more basic version of the LP12, but then there is less of it...

Vinnie Reilly did a lot of work on Morrisey's "Viva hate" album - "Every day is like Sunday" is awesome. I'd like to hunt down some of the solo stuff...

ON that ACR record, it has that tune from the bit in 24 Hour Party People where they play the Hacienda and virtually no-one turned up Great tunes....

 

From experience, I've found pretty much all CDPs <£200 have failed to do much for me - and I've owned two Sony's - both were bright soundung. The Marantz was very good when I auditioned it versus the NAD C521BEE, but I ended up going for the NAD, as it offered a warmer sound that was less bright and more 'vinyl' sounding, IMHO.

Also, some CDs are just crappily mastered, compared to their vinyl originals. The better the CDP you get, the more badly recorded discs will show up, unfortunately.

I'm a Debut II owner as well and now feel that both my CD/LP sources are both a decent match for each other. I'd audition the NAD C521BEE or even look at the C521i - I've seen it advertised for about £150 - both players would give you the warmer sound you're looking for.