[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tungsten I obsess over small compact electronics devices

Then you HAVE to get a Sony D88

 

[adam917]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncan Then you HAVE to get a Sony D88

Is that the 8-cm -only Discman? I thought that was D-82...

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncan Then you HAVE to get a Sony D88

Was that the Health & Safety violation / CD Player For Ninjas I witnessed in your possession some time back?

 

[warubozu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam917 Is that the 8-cm -only Discman? I thought that was D-82...

Both the D-88 and D-82 were 8-cm (3 inch) cd discmans. The only exception is that the D-88 has a corner slot cover on the side in which you can flip over to expose a slot that will allow the D-88 to also play 5 inch cds. It looks pretty cool with about 3/4 quarters of the 5 inch cd expose outside of the D-88 while playing. The D-82 on the other hand is a 3 inch only cd player. The D-82 was the first of the two 3 inch PCDPs that sony had produced. The 3 inch models dropped after the D-88 as the 3 inch cd format didn't catch on as Sony had hoped it would.

 

[Duncan]

Bangraman, adam917...

As warubozu said

- like having your own personal angle grinder

 

[fewtch]

BTW, since the thread title mentions the 80s... from my experiences so far, it seems to me that as you go backwards from 1991 or so, PCDPs increasingly suffer from "digititis" in the highs, which manifests as grain/glare and harshness in the upper registers. I'd really be cautious about the 80s all-metal players, as there's a good chance one could acquire a durable, solid piece of gear that will provide 'crappy sound forever'

. Some of them are apparently good though.

 

[ILuvSony]

Okay,

Here is MY 2 cents. I have 5,000+ CDs. I started collecting when they first came out...(some of you were not even born back then!).

I went from 8 tracks (my grandfather's) to LPs (that is a record that spins for those who are still in middle school)

, to cassettes (yes, there were walkmans before discmans), to CDs. And for a minute, I thought MDs and DATs were going to take over before DAP thing-a-magigs showed up.

<Oh, and for a while I thought DCC (Digital Compact Cassettes) and MDs were going to duke it out like VHS and Beta. Of course, MDs are still around- although SONY killed it by not allowing anybody else to produce the pre-recorded versions- and I have seen a DCC once and never again> ANYWAY...

I have over 3,000 LPs and 10,000 cassettes. LPs get scratched and it is impossible to find stylus (and by the way, Shure was more known for stylus before headphones), oh, also a stylus is NOT that plastic stick you use on a Palm or a pocket PC but the "needle on the record".

Anyway, cassettes have crapppy sound and get caught and .... you know...tangled and ugh....

So, I love my CDs- (although I still think records had better sound... not as digital) and will never get rid of them. I actually own (giggle) an unopened, wrapped "USA for Africa" CD with "We are the World" and also the now impossible to find "Milli Vanilli" CD. (The "Milli Vanilli" fiasco/saga is a WHOLE different thread for a separate portal).

When I was in my late teens to mid 20s, I NEVER went ANYWHERE without my discman. For most of you who are beyond 20s, you know how fun and crazy it was to be between 15 and 25. You never had any money, you always (at least I did) partied and never got tired, and (for guys) every 2 seconds you were thinking about either sex or food (while listening to PCDPs).

There you go. All the kids now are all about PlayStations, X-box and iPods. Our generation had Atari, Nintendo and PCDPs. Also I now have money to buy those $400 PCDPs I always wanted but could never afford.

And my parents were NOT going to spend $400 on something they thought I was going to drop and break. (i.e. bb gun in "Christmas Story").

Well, I am older and dumber now, but have some money.

So I go and buy watches that cost as much as a car, buy pens that cost 10 Ben Franklins, buy sports memorabilia that cost most people's 6 months pay. Yes, I am a collector (and that is only a fraction of what I collect- coins, stamps, faberge eggs...)

But I also own one of Nintendo's first Donkey Kong II (JR-55, 1983, color double screen opens horizontally) and Mario Brothers (MW-56, 1983. color double screen opens veritcally) "Game & Watch Multiscreens" (yes, back then you could only play ONE game per unit- I just realized that these games are 23 years old, lol), Nintendo SNES, first game boy, amongst a myriad of PCDPs (including 2 unused D-25s, D-E925, D-777, and a brand, spanking new D-NE20 I will NEVER use but save...etc). Okay, my parents took VERY good care of me as far as providing 'toys', even 'till this day.

Hey, I like "stuff" and I was a nice kid who took care of his toys. (I played with them, then promptly took the battery out, cleaned it and put it back in the box). You should see the bottle of cognac in a Napoleon porcelain book my Dad bought for $700 in 1980 that I "borrowed" from him and have stashed away since then. I don't even want to know what THAT is worth now. (How many kids in grade school think THAT far ahead....lol).

There you have it. LPs, cassettes, DATs, DCCs, MDs and DAPs may come and go, but as long as I live, I will ALWAYS have my CDs and PCDPs. Trust me, I will have a working, portable D-777 with 5,000+ CDs 10 years from now and that is simply.....PRICELESS!

One last thing...if you are EVER looking for that elusive recording (whethere it be a cassette, LP or CD, ask me and chances are very good I might JUST have it... I will burn it for you and send it over...As my mom ALWAYS says, "what are you going to do with all those dam* CDs, take it with you when you die?" So I might as well share while I am still alive.

Happy listening.

 

[D555]

Picked up my first CD's in 1984 and a player shortly afterwards. The CD's have lasted and sound as good as the day they were bought. One day, the last CD player will be made but I think there's still life in the format.

It sure was/is fun loading up that D5 (which I still have -- and it works!)

With the D-555 I hear music and detail I just don't hear with other PCDP.

Paul

 

[kramer5150]

For me its bang for the buck, and transportable versatility. I dont really place much value in having 1 small portable $250 DAP, capable of holding all my CDs. Im perfectly happy swapping CDs in / out of my PCDPs when at home. When Im on the go I use my creative muvo.

There is the SQ issue too. If I want a more relaxed sound I use my panasonic MASH players. If I want bass slam and aggressive mids I pick one of my magnavox players. For an open, spatious, slightly bassy sound I grab my sony.

All my players were around $15 on ebay.

fewtch brings up a good point... none of my players are older than 1993.

Garrett

 

[warubozu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILuvSony Also I now have money to buy those $400 PCDPs I always wanted but could never afford. And my parents were NOT going to spend $400 on something they thought I was going to drop and break. (i.e. bb gun in "Christmas Story").

That's also partially the reason why I have amassed a rather large collection of vintage PCDPs. The other reason is the sound quality of some of them. Back in the early 80's to late 80's and early 90's when the D-25, D-555, DCP-150, AZ6819 etc. where available in electronic stores I could never afford to buy them. At that time I had just entered college and had only a part time job that wasn't paying me much. My parents wasn't going to buy me any of those PCDPs stating that they were all too expensive and that if I wanted one I would have to work and pay for it on my own. Every time when I had managed to save just enough to get a particular model, it was discontinued and a new one would be released. Now fully employed with a good paying job, I can now afford to buy those vintage PCDPs that I once couldn't afford. Sort of like a second opportunity for me. Now that my collection is complete and no longer having any spare room at my place to store them, I've stopped hunting for vintage PCDPs and just watch some of the insane prices they go for.

 

[ILuvSony]

Where else can you purchase vintage PCDPs besides e-bay?

Joonmo

 

[markmaxx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILuvSony Where else can you purchase vintage PCDPs besides e-bay? Joonmo

The 2 PCDP I have found, were on the for sale forum here on head-fi.

 

[ejoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallstreet If you compare DAPs that use flac and vintage PCDP players with both amped, they should both have similar SQ.

I won't agree with this. The sound stage on my newly acquired sony D-33 beats my ipod 5G easily even with apple aac lossless with lineout through an xin amp with hd600. The D-33 clearly offers more dynamic range than the ipod. I'm listing to classical music BTW.

The downside of D-33 is it takes 4AA for only 8hr playback. Had to be used with a mains.

 

[ILuvSony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ejoy I'm listing to classical music BTW.

Nothing beats listening to classical music over the loud speaker on a scratched up LP. Try listening to "Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture" with REAL cannons in the background with the volume cranked up.

The neighbors will call the police.

LOL.
Joonmo

 

[Peyotero]

That's what i thought. Now you realy killed my urge for a dap.

I think i'll wait.
See, i'm using the d-33 as a refference point. Since it's so cheap, i wouldn't compensate for anything less with an expencive modern dap.
Maybe i'm fooling myself. I suspect Rio was the last chance for something along the audiophile lines in the mp3 era.
I think apple (or other top of the line company) will go for better video playback, not sound.