Conference hips::uk_audioo

    Mmmm,
    
    	My stratergy exactly. But I'd go for a CD player with a good
    transport and a Philips chipset so I can use the remote from the LK-12
    :-)
    
    	But I here distant sounds of thunder from the Naim camp...
    
    		Rik
    

    Now that the CD player is gone, sell the CD's and use the money to
    get more LP's while there are still LP's around to get, and enjoy
    them.
    
    Bill, who hasn't started down the CD path yet. 

    I am in a similar dilemma to Dave in .0, except I don't have any CDs
    yet - unless you count the one HFN/RR gave away a few months ago.
    
    I would advise against going for the state of the art just yet, for two
    reasons: one, it's still a very fast-moving target, and two, it doesn't
    always mean better sound. I am tempted to go for a good basic multibit
    player like the Arcam Alpha or maybe the Delta if lots of features are
    wanted; the basic transports are similar and fairly well executed. Then
    when the DAC situation settles down, get a good add on model. The
    trouble is that each time I get tempted I figure out how many records
    (or maybe the latest Linn fronntend upgrade) I could buy for the same
    money, and put it off yet again.
    
    Bitstream and MASH, the latest 'n' greatest, ultimately sound boring to
    me. The nearest I've ever got to really liking a CD player was when I
    heard a Micromega Solo in a Linn triamped Isobarik system, but then it's
    1500 pounds. The latest Stax DAC had a good review from Chris Breunig
    (a dedicated Linn user if I remember right) in the latest HFN/RR, from
    what I recall that was a multibit design; but then the Stax is into
    four figures sterling price-wise. This makes me think that what I am
    tempted to do as above would be a waste of money, and I begrudge paying
    Micromega/Stax prices for something that may not measure up to what I
    have already.
    
    The CD player manufacturers may be laughing all the way to the bank
    with all the movement in technology, but not with my money - not yet
    anyway. I'd go with Bill's suggestion in .2!
    
    Dave 

    Gidday dave (and Dave....!)
    
    I had this problem (still do!) All 500 Lps reside in New Zealand but
    since being here in Germany, CDs are priced to take you away from $20
    LPs (NZ BTW costed $11 per Lp when I left in 1986!)........like you,
    nothing Cd wise came close for the sound, or if it did, it cost even
    more than my LP equivalent. 
    
    Recognising that CD information retrieval is in its infancy and hence
    costs are still high for the cutting edge (thay always will be i hear
    you say), then it figures we must all wait until the cutting edge
    technology filters down to an acceptable price (it's relative to
    music/hifi nuts like us). I see some light at the tunnel's end with
    outboard DACs and mechanical isolation of the transport (sound familair
    to you turntable addicts!?).........so now I am just waiting until the
    prices become resonable instead of these laughable prices of present.
    
    So, what did i do meanwhile...........bought a multi CD player for
    DM650 (yuk!) which keeps my wife happy and plays happily in the
    background all evening long as move about the place.........when it
    comes to  a serious 'session'....out come the few savoured LPs on the
    turntable...you're right about the asprins.....works wonders when the
    multiplayer is on..............a good red wine also works........I
    think 1992 will see a pair of separates in the house, Meridian 200 or
    600 series if I can find a 2nd hand one (joke!)..........just sit tight
    for a bit longer until the manufacturers start competing against each
    other with a wider range of converters etc and then the monopoly on
    price will fade. 
    
    cheers fjeff

re: .-1

Ahhh a kiwi in germany, gid'day mate...

Tend to agree. Went into my local hi-fi shop the other day, listened to the Quad
CD player (not good) and the Meridian 600 separates. Nice, but the amp/speaker
combination wasn't helping. We're talking about $10K NZ here which is way out
of the park as far as I'm concerned.

Given that I know that Deltec are coming out with a Transport, that Linn are
doing something (and Naim ??), seems that spending money on LPs and waiting a
year or two is the way to go.

Trouble is will I be able to buy LPs in a years time ?

(just picked up a new (good) John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers for $1.95)

    The CD is a two box design.
    
    One box transport - top loading
    
    Other box DAC + PSU(s).
    
    No details on type of DAC (Bitstream / Multibit) but it's probably the
    latter.
    
    Naim are makeing no ``great claimes'' for the player only that they
    would enter the CD market when they could make a player that was
    goodenough - apparently this CD is so.
    
    Interestingly the only people the hear it have _not_ been able to
    compaire it to LP-12, ARO ...
    
    Naim have been developing this toy for 3 years.
    
    It will be ``doing the rounds'' along with their new DBL speaker at
    your local Naim dealer.

Spent an interesting evening with a gentleman who runs a company who distributes
LPs, CDs and tapes for the record companies over here.

He was unequivocal in his assertion that the only reason that vinyl isn't being
produced is that the record comapnies make *much* bigger margins on CDs.

An interesting side effect of this is that people down here have virtually 
stopped buying new unknown artists because of the cost of a CD ($29-$31 NZD
i.e. about 10 quid), instead the top selling CDs are compilations by known
artists.

Very sad for the new music industry which I have a bit to do with. Makes it
even harder for a new artist to make it.

As a personal aside, said gentleman (who is trying to sign up my partner to a
recording session with some other musicians), has offerred me LPs at wholesale
prices, and access to all his catalogues....