ez@houxj.UUCP (E.ZYJEWSKI) (07/26/85)
This a simple questions for any audiophiles well versed in digital equipment. What does the term "digital ready" mean? Are we speaking here of wider frequency range equipment? Are my eight year old speakers no longer good enough if they are spec'd 30-18k (or whatever they are spec'd at)? I have a nice pair of NS-500 Yamaha speakers which produce great sound no matter what type of music I care to listen to. I do not own a CD player (write to Jack Palance); I DO intend to buy one some time in the future. However I refuse to believe that this audio equipment I have that has seriously, stood the test of time, is outmoded in light of this digital age we're in. Don't get me wrong. I've been fascinated by the clarity of some of the CD players I've heard and am very impressed with many, especially the CD-2 Yamaha. But what is "digital ready" equipment? Are many of the analog mastered recordings done today on CD "digital ready"? P. S. Is anyone from Buena Park on this net that can answer my questions? Ed Zyjewski houxj!ez AT&T Info Systems Holmdel, NJ
karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (07/27/85)
To illustrate the true importance and value of the term "digital ready", let me relate an actual conversation between yours truly and two salesmen in a large New York area home electronics chain. This firm is well known for its truly obnoxious (as only a New Yorker can be) ex-DJ spokesman whose ads account for half the income of all New York radio and TV stations. Me: "I'd like to check out this pair of Sennheiser HD420's on one of your CD players before I buy them. Here's a disc I just bought; I'd like to hear it." Salesman #1 [in manner of aforementioned TV personality]: "You can't use THOSE headphones with a compact disc player! You have to use DIGITAL READY headphones with a compact disk player!!" Me: "Uh huh. [eyes narrow] Look, you and I both know that you're giving me a load of crap. So why don't you just let me check these out before I buy them?" [Salesman #1 begins to fume violently.] Salesman #2 [low voice, to Salesman #1]: "Look, this guy knows better, so just do what he wants." This should adequately illustrate the value of "digital ready" and who it's valuable to. Phil
prg@mgweed.UUCP (Phil Gunsul) (07/27/85)
[] Wow.. I have a set of Electro Voice Marquis that I have owned for over 20 years and have a CD running through them. Am I missing something!!?? It sounds great to me. Phil Gunsul -- AT&TIS -- Montgomery Works
rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (07/28/85)
[] No, you aren't missing much. It's just that your speakers were digital ready a bit before their time. :-) -- "It's the thought, if any, that counts!" Dick Grantges hound!rfg
greg@olivee.UUCP (Greg Paley) (07/29/85)
> This a simple questions for any audiophiles well versed in digital equipment. > > What does the term "digital ready" mean? Are we speaking here of wider > frequency range equipment? Are my eight year old speakers no longer good > enough if they are spec'd 30-18k (or whatever they are spec'd at)? ... > > Ed Zyjewski > houxj!ez > AT&T Info Systems > Holmdel, NJ If anything, the frequency response for digital equipment could be more limited on the upper end than that for analogue equipment, some components of which boast response up to and beyond 40 kHz whereas current home digital equipment cannot offer any signal higher than 22 kHz. Whether that makes and audible difference, all I can say is "God only knows" - the fact that I may not hear or perceive it doesn't say that someone else also can't. Generally "digital ready" refers to the equipment's capacity for the increased dynamic range supplied by digital recordings and playback equipment. This would refer to the power handling capacity of the speakers and the amplifier's ability to supply sufficient power for loud passages without clipping. Another meaning I've seen given to "digital ready" in advertisements for preamps (whether alone, or as part of an integrated amp or receiver) is the inclusion of a high level ("aux") input whose sensitivity is reduced so as to avoid the overload problems that can arise when feeding the outputs from some CD players into the standard high level inputs of some preamps. Of course, this is unnecessary if the CD player has a line output level control, as the Magnavox 3040, for example, does. - Greg Paley
ark@alice.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (07/30/85)
> Another meaning I've seen given to "digital ready" in advertisements for > preamps (whether alone, or as part of an integrated amp or receiver) is > the inclusion of a high level ("aux") input whose sensitivity is reduced > so as to avoid the overload problems that can arise when feeding the > outputs from some CD players into the standard high level inputs of > some preamps. Of course, this is unnecessary if the CD player has a > line output level control, as the Magnavox 3040, for example, does. Every CD player I've seen has a maximum output of 2V with the level controls, if any, turned all the way up. This should not overload any well-designed preamp. One nice thing about digital devices is that it is possible to put a sharp upper bound on their output level.
mikey@trsvax (07/30/85)
I read somewhere about a year ago that "Digital Ready" was just a different wheighting curve for power distribution. I don't remember the example that was given but it went something like a normal speaker is rated 100 watts. This means that depending on where the crossovers were, the midrange would have a rating of about 40 watts and the tweeter would have a rating of maybe 20 watts. The same speaker rated "digital" would only be rated 75 watts because the new rating favored the higher frequencies. I don't remember there being any actuall difference in the speakers themselves. mikey at trsvax
karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (08/02/85)
On a more recent to the store mentioned in my last posting, I noticed that the box for the Sennheiser HD420's now carry the "digital ready" stamp. Identical headphones, new box. No doubt they're "new and improved", too. Phil