[net.audio] Choosing a CD player: Give me a break!

schley@mmm.UUCP (Steve Schley) (01/13/86)

In article <207@myrias.UUCP> dgt@myrias.UUCP (David Tang) writes:
>Ken Pohlmann in his ProAudio column (Digital Audio, Dec. 1985, pg. 96)
>outlines an interesting method of CD player evaluation.  The technique,
>although not foolproof, should serve to separate those players worthy of
>furthur consideration and careful listening.
>
>The technique simply assigns an arbitrary point value to the basic
>specifications, design criteria, and features inherent in a player.  The
>total of these points when weighed against the price of the player should
>highlight the "good deal".  The rating is acheived as follows:

Lord, save me from such foolishness...

This sounds all too much like the Consumer Reports techniques for
evaluating speakers, where the measured specs were fed into an
algorithm just as "arbitrary" (Mr. Tang's own word!) as the one
described.

It did not work.  This one won't either.

My advice: do the winnowing by listening to (or reading) someone whose
opinions in audio you trust, be it an audiophile friend, a dealer
(carefully selected, of course), a magazine, or even posters to this
net (shudder...).  Then do some serious, extended listening.

Happy listening.  Or, should you reject my advice, happy adding and
subtracting.

-- 
	Steve Schley

	ihnp4!mmm!schley