Best sounding portable CD player?

[The_X]

The best I've heard is my Sony D-777. I got an awesome bargain for it and I love the sound and the looks/form factor. It's actually spoiled me a bit for DAP's and I'm trying to get rid of them now in favor of returning to CD format. For modern PCDP's, I've heard that the D-NE10 and D-NE20 are pretty good. I'm very sad to see them fading away as well, and it seems like every model these days is a "low end" player intended for kids and those who can't afford iPods.

 

[Vicks7]

I have bought a DE920 to use with the Stack - although I have not received it yet, I have heard good things from other headfiers in relation to this PDCP when used with the Stack although I guess with the Stack it is only being used as a transport. I guess the complaint is more with the quality of these players if used only with amps or standalone?

 

[Tungsten]

The Sony D-777 does have a golden reputation. I’ve read the reviews, seen the pictures, I agree it is nice. There is one up on ebay now… looks set to go through the roof in cost.

I would rather spend $500 on a new PCDP that I know has 10-15 years ahead of it in terms of life expectancy. But when you buy something that is already that old… (I’m looking at the .PDF manual of the D-777 now… it has printed inside “Sony Corporation 1995”.)

The Sony D-NE10 and D-NE20. I can’t find any competent in depth reviews and comparisons on these, let alone a solid consensus amongst some head-fi people.

I’m just going around in circles getting more and more desperate and frustrated by it all.

 

[Oddball]

The deterioration of PCDP quality is frustrating, but I feel like it's almost a lost cause now. My DCP-150 is younger than some of the students at my school, but it's still going strong. I do wish that I could get Denon PCDP quality in a portable package though. Even my iRiver imp-550 can't touch it.

 

[Filburt]

There are some older units that are perfectly reliable as well as portable and provide very nice sound. I have a D-335 that I use going to class and I expect it will work for quite a while to come. I actually have two of them, and have one of them for sale (the better of the two cosmetically, basically the same mechanically). The D-465 is nice as well, but I prefer the 335 to it. Some of the older Panasonic players are nice, too, and the transports I've found to be quite robust. It also helps if you know how to repair/maintain these units.

 

[The_X]

No one's ever been able to answer this question to me satisfactorily--How do PCDP's and DAP's compare? For example, would a solid PCDP such as a D777 or a D-NE10 compare favorably to an iPod or an X5?

 

[jefftherhino]

.

 

[D555]

Yes,

I have a portable Toshiba SD-P2000 that has excellent DVD-A characteristics.

Other Toshiba models with DVD-A : SD-P2500, SD-P2600, etc.

Some Panasonic models offer DVD-A as well.

These players tend to have strong audio output as well.

Paul

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tungsten It is the year 2006 and all is bleak and desolate when it comes to PCDP's. Is this it? Anyone who seeks quality build and quality sound has to jump into the fray of ebay and overpriced, 15+ year old machines with questionable life expectancy left in their lasers? So it’s really come to this. The end of the road for PCDP’s? Today, in the year 2006, if I wanted to buy a brand new PCDP… all there is to choose from are these ugly plastic Sony and Panasonics? No other manufacturer? And the sound from these new PCDP machines… shockingly bad? Is there no alternative? What is an aspiring audiophile to do? Shrivel up and die? Curse the modern days we live in that can’t produce a PCDP that equals a low end machine of 1990? Those iRiver ones looked good, but then they discontinued them!!! I’m going nuts here, help me!! I want a new PCDP without the worry a vintage one will bring me, without the doubt, the suspicion, the fear of it’s short remaining life, laser pick up's with thousands of hours on them and of old electrolytic capacitors about to leak and corrode…

There was an Aiwa unit that some members were excited over.... I forget the model number. Silver, rounded corners, clear plastic blister-packaging... typical stuff. if you saw it for $30 at target you'd walk right past it figuring it was just the typical 2006 junk.

I forget the model number, I passed up on one, NIB a couple weeks ago on ebay. Iit was ~$18.

**edit**
discussion thread here...
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=51579

I agree with filburt... theres some DIY involved with keeping the older units running. It can get tricky too.

Garrett

 

[The_X]

That Aiwa is the XP-EV501R. I own one and it sounds great, I paid $40 for it a few years ago. A pair of rechargeable AA's would last 30-40 hours in that thing, and it even accomodated in-line remotes and had defeatable anti-shock. Sadly, not even those are available anymore. Mines is a bit glitchy after a horrible treadmill accident due to a snagged headphone wire. I'd like to get my hands on another, fully working one sometime soon.

 

[andyshedd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_X No one's ever been able to answer this question to me satisfactorily--How do PCDP's and DAP's compare? For example, would a solid PCDP such as a D777 or a D-NE10 compare favorably to an iPod or an X5?

A DAP with a good DAC is better than an average CD player, because when the music is ripped from a computer CD drive, the drive does a better job of getting the data off the disc than a normal CD player can. Assuming that the DAC doesn't mess up the signal--you will definitely get better sound--assuming that you didn't get your mp3s from a questionable source. Of course compression in general is up for debate. But lossless compression is pretty much a given for good sound.

 

[Tungsten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_X No one's ever been able to answer this question to me satisfactorily--How do PCDP's and DAP's compare? For example, would a solid PCDP such as a D777 or a D-NE10 compare favorably to an iPod or an X5?

That is the kind of question I would ask. 4 years ago I figured out on my own that ripping a CD at 320 and putting it on my Sony MZ-R900 MiniDisc resulted in detection of a whole new depth and clarity to music – all the usual revelations of new sounds and depth! What with the detailed Treble and Bass controls the MD has that are so clear and precise with no distortion… even slow motion and speed up... hard to beat.

Still, there are so many strategic advantages to being able to play a CD directly, without the computer middleman. The flexibility, compact footprint and low power requirements of a PCDP are just too irresistible!

Home CDP units are so expensive and seem to be mostly empty metal boxes, (thin cheap stamped metal), tiny circuit boards inside, and suspiciously plastic parts and hair thin wires to the transport. Quite disappointing actually.

You have to throw at least $2500 at the problem for them to give you some good parts and a solid chassis these days.

I keep slipping into the delusional vision of somehow being able to defeat this equation by getting an old PCDP… at least it’s small and well built and represents top quality I can afford!

 

[adam917]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tungsten That is the kind of question I would ask. 4 years ago I figured out on my own that ripping a CD at 320 and putting it on my Sony MZ-R900 MiniDisc resulted in detection of a whole new depth and clarity to music – all the usual revelations of new sounds and depth! What with the detailed Treble and Bass controls the MD has that are so clear and precise with no distortion… even slow motion and speed up... hard to beat. Still, there are so many strategic advantages to being able to play a CD directly, without the computer middleman. The flexibility, compact footprint and low power requirements of a PCDP are just too irresistible! Home CDP units are so expensive and seem to be mostly empty metal boxes, (thin cheap stamped metal), tiny circuit boards inside, and suspiciously plastic parts and hair thin wires to the transport. Quite disappointing actually. You have to throw at least $2500 at the problem for them to give you some good parts and a solid chassis these days. I keep slipping into the delusional vision of somehow being able to defeat this equation by getting an old PCDP… at least it’s small and well built and represents top quality I can afford!

Don't older portable CD players skip even when tapped a tiny bit? That's what my friend's old Sony D-303 (from November, 1991) did. It skipped badly...

 

[Tungsten]

Quote:

Don't older portable CD players skip even when tapped a tiny bit? That's what my friend's old Sony D-303 (from November, 1991) did. It skipped badly...

True. If a player skips that bad it could probably benefit from a tracking pot adjustment. I’ve been lucky with my old cheap Sony PCDP’s in that they are quite stable.

I picked up an old Sony D-11 (1990) from a pawn shop for $20 Canadian last month. It plays while held in any position and doesn’t skip unless you really rap on it tap tap tap in rapid succession. It is a big heavy all plastic brick that runs on 4AA and sounds… well, I can’t say because I’m awaiting some good headphones...

That’s right, my wallet is just another statistic. The latest victim of head-fi... Just 5 weeks ago I didn't know anything about PCDP's or headphones

 

[adam917]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tungsten True. If a player skips that bad it could probably benefit from a tracking pot adjustment. I’ve been lucky with my old cheap Sony PCDP’s in that they are quite stable. I picked up an old Sony D-11 (1990) from a pawn shop for $20 Canadian last month. It plays while held in any position and doesn’t skip unless you really rap on it tap tap tap in rapid succession. It is a big heavy all plastic brick that runs on 4AA and sounds… well, I can’t say because I’m awaiting some good headphones... That’s right, my wallet is just another statistic. The latest victim of head-fi... Just 5 weeks ago I didn't know anything about PCDP's or headphones

Wow. By the way, how do portable DVD players sound with CD-DA & MP3, providing you restrict youself to line-out or even headphone-out? Do they sound better than digital audio players like flash and HDD players? About how much more wattage do they have when compared to any portable CD players?