Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Sooloos Better than CD?

Although some of the music on my MC200 is from HDTracks, the majority so far is from ripped CD I've owned for years. For some time now I've read the incoherent ramblings of audiophiles claiming that ripped music from CD sounds better than the CD itself. Absurd, madness, delusion ..... except, I'm hearing things in my ripped music that was less apparent to me when listening to the CD. Often it's flaws in the recordings, so not necessarily a good thing, but have others had a similar experience?

Hi,

One you have a lossless bit perfect rip, which you have. It's all about the jitter, the 861v6/ID40 is about as good as it gets (it's been reported that for two channel systems the 808.3 and now the new 818 lift the vail further).

Do a Google search (see link above) for 'Jitter' or 'Jitter Sooloos' and have a read, there has been a lot of discussion on this topic.

Regards,
Carl

Yes, I've read some of it. I guess some things you just have to hear for yourself - not so much to belive it perhaps, but to experience it.

You could try MC200 direct into 861 (I presume that's possible, co-axial in) and then compare to 861 via ID40. The difference should be a bit perfect input from a noisy environment and SPDIF (both of which produce jitter) vs bit perfect direct to processor (with a lot less jitter). ish.

I've listened to my MC200 into my 861 via the ID40 and the SpeakerLink connection.
I was disappointed with the SpeakerLink. The ID40 sounds better than my 800 did.

The Sooloos via the 808.3 ID40 is very good.

However, the same piece of music - in CD form, via the 808.3 is a tad much better. Friends who came over for this "A" "B" comparison had the same experience.

I agree Jerry. Close, but no cigar!

Reg

So the extra shielding on the 818/ID41 is perhaps needed to get closer or surpass the ROM drive in 808.3?

Here is Alan Sircom's (editor of Hi-Fi+) take on it:

http://www.ultrahighendforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7364

Hmm, wonder how he is getting the "equivalent" audio files on a HDD with SACD...

Ken

I had an 808.3 for the better part of two years, one of which was playing CD's exclusively. I then got an MC200 to go into the ID40 card of the 808.3. As soon as I did, I never played another CD again. Without going into a lot of audiophile detail, the MC200/ID40 sounds less digital and more like music than the same CD played over the 808.3. I currently have an ID40 in my 861. Same conclusion as with the 808.3/ID40. I am so sold on the music server approach I have an 818 on order.

Try as I might, I couldn't distinguish between CD and Sooloos through the ID40 in the 808.3. I haven't spun a disc in a long time. I wouldn't go so far as to say Sooloos is better than a disc spun in the 808.3.