List of CD players that can decode pre-emphasis

Mentioned/discussed within this link (reply #5 +) as being considered
part of Copy-protection circumvention;
Pre-emphasis detection in EAC

 

Please add this one to the list:

PIONEER DV-79AVi

I *finally* conducted a test for proof. Burned my Howard Jones' Humans Lib pre emphasis CD (without applying de emphasis). No doubt about it. Playing the burned disc was unlistenable. Man, hearing a CD with pre emphasis not properly decoded is SO painful to the ears!

I don't know why a Pioneer tech gave me misinformation about this player. It most definitely has the de emphasis technology. This explains why my C2K disc of The Wall still sounded good, despite being under the impression that it wasn't applying de emphasis. I was baffled after receiving erroneous info. Add this player!

 

Nice!
Which Human's Lib- Japan or German ?

 

German WEA Target! I love how it sounds.

 

Thanks for the info Gerry. The flag is SUBQ on this one. Japan carries the same mastering with the flag TOC.
And agree, nice sounding disc!

 

Surprised that there are no NAD CD players in the list. My NAD C 546BEE does decode pre-emphasis.

 

I have an Astin Trew 3500+ player which blinks its upsampling light (it is solid in colour when I turn on the upsampling to 96/24) when apparently playing Japan pre-emphasis discs like the half black-face REO’s Hi Infidelity, Macca’s Pipes Of Peace (Japan for UK) and the black triangle True by Spandau Ballet. Can anyone confirm that it is really decoding pre-emphasis discs and if it is, does the decoding sound ok to ur ears? I don’t find them too trebly so perhaps it does decode PE discs but I find something not quite right with the sound (can’t really put my finger on it).

 

I see why it shouldn't not be detecting the SUBQ where these flags are located, as it is a dedicated cd player. I don't think it's been confirmed or denied yet if True carry's it or not.
Hi Infidelity is just plain and simple a poor recording (imo), Pipes of Peace I found excellent sounding.

 

I can confirm that the Chord Qutest handles pre emphasis. I use my Parasound CDP-2000 pro as transport connected by SPDIF, and decodes Pre emphasis by itself. I go back and forth and there's no difference between the killers highs that were on my Denafrips Ares (that not handle it) -btw, the Qutests vaporizes the internal DAC of the Parasound on sound quality-. I'm too happy with this new !!!

 

Great to see that this very helpful thread is still open! People keep asking about pre-emphasis and whether their player can decode it, I always send them here.

 

One more player for the list - DENON DVD-2910. It will apply compensation provided the CD has PRE flags. I kept this player because it can also play SACD and DVD-A, and now it has proven to be very useful again. It does not, however, have a pre-empasis indicator light or display - it should, IMO, but that's another story.

 

The Parasound D/AC-1000 that is advertised for sale locally to me has a Pre-Emphsis light on the front.

 

I'm not sure I understand this response, and a few others like this that you have stated to try the digital out to hear the difference? Are you saying the digital out doesn't pass the de empisis flag? If that is so, then why does the Parasound D/AC-1000 (and I'm sure others) have a de-empsis light on the front?

 

Does the disc you're using- the flag in the SUBQ location? I do have a couple players (not all) that will detect and EQ via out digital if the flag is table of contents. None SUBQ.

 

I'm not sure why it would matter where the flag is located since the player is obviously reading it, but in most cases the digital out won't be EQ'd. That's the job of the DAC.

 

Correct, so I'm not sure what's at play here.
I do have a couple players that will EQ table of contents on the way out via digital as I stated.
None I have will detect the other flag location.

 

I don't own the DAC. It is listed for sale.

 

The old Denon DCD-820 I used to own had a "empsis" indicator that lit up.

 

I can check PE on my new CD-S1000 tomorrow. I am very surprised no one has reported on that one yet.

 

Ahh, you did get one, congrats George!

 

Thanks, if I want to cover all bases, which discs should I need to check? I have these and plan to check The Wall. If I check Dark Side, will that do it?


* Barbra Streisand - Guilty - 35DP 7 (says no when I put it in EAC)

* Beatles - Abbey Road - EMI CP35-3016 (Black Triangle) (no EAC, in subcode)

* Journey - Escape - 35DP 6 (no EAC, but likely in subcode)

* Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (US Motown) (confirmed in EAC)

* Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon - CP35-3017 (no in EAC, but in subcode?)

* Pink Floyd - The Wall - 50DP 361~2 / CK2 and related masterings (confirmed in EAC)

* Toto - IV - 35DP 12 (no EAC, in subcode?)

* Michael Jackson - Thriller - ESCA (confirmed in EAC)

 

If a player detects pre-emphasis on a disc it will include a PE flag in the SPDIF stream so that external DACs can decode the data properly.

 

Right, EAC- only an old pre-beta after a scan can detect SUBQ (if cd-rom is compatible)
Escape-Sub/Moon-Sub/IV-Sub/Abbey Road-Sub

 

Hi @Starwanderer,

Yamaha CD-S1000 can be added to the list.

 

Hi @Starwanderer,

The Marantz SA-KI Ruby can be added to the list.