[durian]

you're welcome, Duncan. i always like to give credit when it is due. by the way, overlooked one of your posts:

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan ...snip ...anyway, will everyone please shut up about how great other CD players are!! - I'm trying to cure myself of this PCDP collecting illness that head-fi has passed to me, and all you guys are doing is fuelling it... making it worse!! Muhahahaha... keep up the good work!

have a suggestion that might just work--stop reading the threads and start enjoying your sound system!

 

[Duncan]

Durian...

...I've temporarily cured the illness by reverting back to my main rig...

(please ignore the fact that i'm looking at picking up a D35 and a D303

)

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan (please ignore the fact that i'm looking at picking up a D35 and a D303 )

FWIW my D-303 gave my D-35 a sound sonic thumping. I wound up selling the D-35. Still, some of the features on the D-35 just don't appear on any other player. It has some rather unique functions designed for recording from CD to cassette. Given the popularity of the cassette format today, those features may be of limited use

 

[davidmiya]

I just figured I'd post this complement the: "Classic Personal CD Players through the ages" thread. Since Duncan was hoping to get pictures for his PCDPs, I did a bit of searching around (and asking around) and got a few.

Here's a few links:
Vintage PCDP Gallery Thread
David's Vintage PCDP Gallery

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hirsch FWIW my D-303 gave my D-35 a sound sonic thumping. I wound up selling the D-35. Still, some of the features on the D-35 just don't appear on any other player. It has some rather unique functions designed for recording from CD to cassette. Given the popularity of the cassette format today, those features may be of limited use

Yes, some features (fading stuff etc.) aren't that useful anymore. But others, like the built in clock, the track calendar, the numerical buttons are still great.
As far as the sonic thumping goes, I'm not so sure. I haven't really compared the line outs a lot yet (note that the 303 puts out 1.5V vs the 0.6V from the 35, so make sure to match the levels), but I gave the headphone outs an intensive listen yesterday. Driving the HD600s at not too insane volume it's a very, very close call. Maybe a little more detail from the 303, somewhat more warmth and texture from the 35, but I'm very hesitant to declare a clear winner...

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by PeterR Yes, some features (fading stuff etc.) aren't that useful anymore. But others, like the built in clock, the track calendar, the numerical buttons are still great. As far as the sonic thumping goes, I'm not so sure. I haven't really compared the line outs a lot yet (note that the 303 puts out 1.5V vs the 0.6V from the 35, so make sure to match the levels), but I gave the headphone outs an intensive listen yesterday. Driving the HD600s at not too insane volume it's a very, very close call. Maybe a little more detail from the 303, somewhat more warmth and texture from the 35, but I'm very hesitant to declare a clear winner...

I'm pretty much a line-out always person, but I did a bit of comparing between headphone outputs of DCP-150 and D-303 yesterday (more coming on this later). The short story is that the headphone output of the D-303 is much weaker than the line out.

 

[PeterR]

Yes, the 303 will produce a little over 1mW into 300 Ohms

 

[Tina]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hirsch I'm pretty much a line-out always person, but I did a bit of comparing between headphone outputs of DCP-150 and D-303 yesterday (more coming on this later). The short story is that the headphone output of the D-303 is much weaker than the line out.

a line-out person! ditto!!!

a lot of audiophiles are wondering why is it that old school sharp md's have better headphone out sonic performance than old school cd's. i've seen this for myself. BUT, no md unit can match the sonic capability of a good cd lineout coupled with a high-end amp. and the d-303 is the king of the hill, IMO.

if you are a headphone out person, there's more to life than an easily skipping classic pcdp. for line-out's, $$$ decks are kings. but if you're looking for an office desktop unit or a transportable one. the d-303 is extremely too good to be true unit compared to a lot of mediocre lineouts these days.

<don't stop buying. don't stop comparing. don't stop reading. the truth is out there. we're a long way fromm audiophile nirvana.>

 

[PeterR]

So I guess I'm pretty much a headphone out person. PCDP (D-35 or D-99 at the moment) + folded up 7506 are a nice compact but good sounding combination that doesn't take much space, I don't want to take an additional amp with me. At home I have much better CD playback anyway, so really no need for the line out except for curiosity.

 

[purk]

PeterR,
I once had D-35 and the headphone out on this player is really awesome. I would rate it slightly higher than the D-303. However, my D-35 is very skippy unit and has now die.

Anyway, D-303 is definitely the best in line out business on Sony Discman. I agree to that.


Tina,

I agree with you on the headphone out of Sharp MD player/recorders. For myself, I love the headphone out of the Sharp MD-SS323 so much, that I go ampless or leave my iPod at home.


Purk

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by PeterR Yes, the 303 will produce a little over 1mW into 300 Ohms

It seems to be enough to drive the Sony R10. After that, anything else is anticlimactic. I used a Fixup Supermini to drive the R10's out of the line out of the D-303 or DCP-150. I used a Grado adapter to drive the R10's straight out of the headphone jacks.

Basically, the headphone jack of the D-303 was muddled. There was an enormous difference switching to the line out. Everything seemed to clear up, and the player started playing music instead of hiding it. The DCP-150 was another story. I was seriously wondering if an amp was needed at all. The differences between the headphone jack and line out with Supermini were quite subtle. Still, the high end textures were superior out of the line output.

The lineouts of the two players were close with some kinds of music ("Overload" and "Alternate Theme" from On the Shore by Friends of Dean Martinez). However, switch over to vocals ("The Green Man" by Roy Harper) and the Denon shows what it can do. The vocals have a depth and texture that the Sony just can't touch.

Now, if I use something like the HAP-03 instead of the Supermini, the differences are bigger still. Oddly, the HAP-03 seems to be more sensitive to differences between lineouts of pcdp's than my modded SHA-1. Go figure

 

[Duncan]

Hmm...

...I need to get hold of one of those Denon units... it sounds like it could well be comparable to the D211 out of its headphone out...

...It puzzles me why the D211s headphone out is better than its line out... but it seems like, with Hirsch's comparison above... that the Denon is from the same league... interesting

 

[davidmiya]

If you get Denon.. would you mind selling it to me

 

[Duncan]

David...

I have first refusal on a DCP-100 (and also a D303)... Not sure how that compares to the DCP-150 (will have to search the archives on that one)... but cannot pick it up for 6 weeks or so...

...I'll try to keep you updated

 

[strohmie]

I remember Hirsch had a comparison between the DCP-150, 100, and D-303...I think the 100 and 303 were on the same level, with the 150 soundly thwacking both.

With everything Hirsch posts, I want a DCP-150 more. If only I had $200+