Beware! CDs With Bad Sound Quality

[Russ L]

Derek & the Dominoes- Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs

I had this album on both record and tape so I know that it can sound incredible. Beware of this horrible "remaster" of a classic rock album.
Does anyone know if the Japanese import CD sounds good? This album should be available to all music lovers. I don't like starting a negative thread (its not my style) but as far as CD quality goes it may be necessary. -Russ

[Alaric]

Yes! They all seem to be small and round....... stick with the big , black ones. You'll need a turntable to play the good ones , but it's worth it....
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Sorry , but I couldn't resist the opening! I have a few CDs that sound great. I enjoy the hell out of the good ones-don't let previous posts persuade you otherwise!

[wkhanna]

I have had that very same Derek & the Dominoes CD for a while. During that time, the more upgrades I have made the worse it sounds. I also have two Allman Brothers CDs, Beginnings and Brothers & Sisters, that have same issues. They sound so flat and compressed, the more revealing the system they are played on the worse they sound.

I grew up wearing out these LPs and self-made cassettes in spades. They have a great deal of sentimental value and IMHO, represent some of the best examples of true artistry and musicianship from 70's rock genre. I have yet to hear these albums on a good quality TT, but I would wager that even the best LP would still have ambiance of distortion that is intrinsic to how these works were intentionally engineered. That ‘sound’ that classic ‘Muscle Shoals, Southern Rock’ was known for. Still, I believe it would sound much cleaner, open and dynamic than the CD’s I now have.

Actually, my pre-amp has a virtual myriad of tonal adjustments, none of which I use since I always run it in by-pass mode. That is, until I put one these CD’s on. I feel it necessary to ‘Drive’ these selections to at least 85 dB when listening, so doing some EQ’ing by way of my pre, helps greatly to reduce listening fatigue.

I hope to have a TT in my system by the end of the year. When I do, I look forward to comparing the two source media, and my prediction is analog will be an improvement to the issues which generated the original topic of this post.