Hi-Rez Highway New high resolution SACD releases, players and technology.

---

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Hi-Rez Highway ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

SCD-1: Don't forget those filters! [long]

Posted by bublitchki (A) on December 27, 2004 at 10:32:50

In trying to wring some more service time out of my SCD-1, particularly as a red book CD player, I've taken to experimenting with the five filter options: standard and options 1 thru 4. Here are my informal--unscientific--observations (so don't knock my brains out regarding my "testing methods"--there weren't any).

For a very long time--at least a year--I'd been using the "standard" filter setting almost exclusively. It seemed to satisfy me in that it at least allowed the high frequencies to come through fairly intact. But something about the sound continued to bother me. It still suffered from "digititis." I seriously considered buying a new DAC. Everyone else on these boards tried to convince me to go in for mods, but frankly I wasn't in a position to start packing and unpacking the tremendously heavy player.

One day, on a whim, I decided to go back to the digital filters, and for no reason in particular settled on "2." Now, a month later, there's no going back. My red book CD listening experience has been transformed. On good CD's...not a hint of digititis. Compared with good analog, there's still no comparison: the sense of scale and the huge soundstage and the depth and dimensionality are largely missing. But the top end is far more effortless and delicate, and beautifully-recorded massed strings, such as those on the xrcd of the Munch "The Sea" disc, come through sweetly and relaxingly, just as they do on the LP.

The problem with those digital filters is that most people, I feel, switch around from filter to filter, making A-to-B-to-C-to-D-to-E comparisons. This is facilitated by the remote control, which allows one to switch from filter to filter from one's listening seat. It's a nice feature, but deludes one into thinking that this is the way to compare the actions of the filters. In fact, their effects can only be evaluated by listening with a particular filter engaged for the longer term. In my case, this was something on the order of several weeks, after which I became convinced that I'd hit upon the filter setting that provided me with what I considered the most analog-sounding red book CD reproduction from the player.

As in most things audio, your mileage may--and no doubt will--vary. As for me, I'm deliriously happy to have hit upon this particular free mod, so to speak. There is no question that switching around randomly from filter to filter is not the way to go: you will hear only very minor differences, and you will conclude absolutely nothing of any use. Only by long-term auditioning will the real sonic effects of these filters become clear, and their true value revealed.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

The Cable Cooker

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---