[Moolok]

I bought my first ever CD-player back in 1992 while still in high school. It was a slightly used unit but practically a new one. I still have it and use it weekly. It's Sony CDP-295. Picture below is not my unit since I didn't bother to unpluck it for a good picture.

Good stuff. Do you remember what did they used to call the part on the right with all the individual numbers? I think it was a "calendar" or some other similar nonsense.

Yes, I believe it was called calendar display.

 

[Moogs]

Anyone sitting on a 100 count disc player that had the 4 big sleeves? When the 5 disc carousel came out I thought it was Gods gift and I'm an atheist.

 

[highendhifi]

Just having a bit of fun with vintage players. I set out to see how poor they were to validate my old opposition to them (I was a committed vinyl fan) but this Sony CDP103 is not half bad at all! I'm amazed.

 

[highendhifi]

 

[Mike F]

Just having a bit of fun with vintage players. I set out to see how poor they were to validate my old opposition to them (I was a committed vinyl fan) but this Sony CDP103 is not half bad at all! I'm amazed.

 
Anything sounds better than audio from a computer! 

 

[I barefoot]

Most music these days is recorded in a computer, edited in a computer so I guess it is fair to say most of us listen to music from a computer.

 

[Mike F]

Most music these days is recorded in a computer, edited in a computer so I guess it is fair to say most of us listen to music from a computer.

Well, I'm pulling your leg of course, but I still think there's a difference between music from a computer (even if it's doing nothing more than file storage and retrieval) and a really good dedicated source - whether digital, or analogue.

 

[highendhifi]

I have to say I can't quite believe hit good it sounds. It's not up there with my Bryston bcd1 but it's almost on a par with (the £5K) McIntosh MCD550 player. It's fed via the isotek sigmas and chord signatures into pmc mb2se's so I guess it has a lot of help but even so, I really had expected a nails down the blackboard screech and that just isn't there.
Maybe it is the MP3 effect lowering standards that generally, we don't expect as much and assume that the old tech must be awful.

 

[2leftears]

Maybe it is the MP3 effect lowering standards that generally, we don't expect as much and assume that the old tech must be awful.

Spot on. MP3 compared to CD was a MASSIVE step backwards. MP3 is like looking at a 6-bit 10kpixel reproduction of a painting. The proponents then try to convince you the difference is not noticeable by showing you a Mondriaan.

I am still using my 1991 Marantz CD80 players (with caps and opamp upgrades). They run circles around MP3.

The last generations of multi-bit players (early 90's) were really good. Then a period of not-so-great 1-bit delta-sigma players replaced them. Great in theory, but the noise shaping implemented in those early players was, frankly, bad. Then over the last 20 years or so noise shaping theory, algorihms and implementation gradually improved to the point that the one-bit players now match or often better the old multi-bit players. Obviously comparing players of similar value when new (inflation-adjusted).

 

[highendhifi]

+1

 

[Numbers]

Dont own any vintage cds players but i if did ill love to own the denon DCD-3500 lovely piece off gear lol

 

[HPiper]

I listen to a Sony NS999ES every day. I have yet to hear anything that sounds better.

 

[Numbers]

  I listen to a Sony NS999ES every day. I have yet to hear anything that sounds better.

Very nice sony ES range made some very nice gear they built some great amps too from that range .

 

[BrownBear]

I don't use a full size CD player anymore, but I do occasionally break out my JVC XL-P40. It's a portable cd player, I think from the mid 90s, not entirely sure. But I picked it up fairly cheap and I really enjoy the sound, it's unlike any other sources of mine. It seriously impressed me. I think vintage CD players can sound pretty good, honestly.

 

[wahsmoh]

Spot on. MP3 compared to CD was a MASSIVE step backwards. MP3 is like looking at a 6-bit 10kpixel reproduction of a painting. The proponents then try to convince you the difference is not noticeable by showing you a Mondriaan.

I am still using my 1991 Marantz CD80 players (with caps and opamp upgrades). They run circles around MP3.

The last generations of multi-bit players (early 90's) were really good. Then a period of not-so-great 1-bit delta-sigma players replaced them. Great in theory, but the noise shaping implemented in those early players was, frankly, bad. Then over the last 20 years or so noise shaping theory, algorihms and implementation gradually improved to the point that the one-bit players now match or often better the old multi-bit players. Obviously comparing players of similar value when new (inflation-adjusted).

I purchased an EAD CD-1000 Series III over the summer. It was a bit of a hassle because during shipping it was damaged and I spent some time shipping it to repair places. I'm glad that Noble Electronics still services EAD's (different than Noble Audio).
 
The first main issue I had was the transport mechanism of the Pioneer has a lense that is glued in place and over many years of heat the glue detaches and the laser lense comes off. This had to be fixed and fortunately they found the lense and it wasn't damaged. That was problem #1
 
Next problem was just a factor of age. "Greg found that you had an open trace on your data signal at U418 - added jumper; have signal on O/P now, drilled bracket hole in chassis for Spanton xfmr." Whatever that means. I am not educated whatsoever with electrical engineering but I'd asumme that U418 is a location on the silicon board where something is terminated.
 
I had all the caps replaced and voltage switched from 220V euro to 120V. They even found an old Cary CD-300 remote which uses the same IR receiver and chassis as the EAD CD1000 and sold it to me recently since I didn't have a remote. A+++ for EAD products if you decide to go the way of the PCM63P-k
 
This is a very very analog sounding player. The PCM63P-k sounds excellent. I think for 16-bit redbook it's got all the detail you need without throwing in oversharpened images. People used to this will think it sounds rolled off but that is not the case when I listened to certain CDs I am more than familiar with through the HD600 and BH Crack. Simply a wonderful sound. I would think it could only be better with the HD800S or modified HD800 and BH Crack.