[strohmie]

I didn't have an amp for the 25S, 14, 311 or 626 when I first got each of them. Line out testing on those was simply done straight away, rather than sending the signal through an amp. The line out for the 14 and 25S was of a moderate enough level with the phones I used (which were low impedance) that I could get an idea of what it sounds like. Not truly scientific, but ample.

The amp I have now, as seen in my sig, is of very high quality. I've used it with the 626, 311, and 303 and the results are the same as I listed above.

 

[averydonovan]

Congrats on your D-5 fractus2. I love my D-14 which I got from strohmie, which as he noted seems to be almost identical to the D-5. Very powerful headphone output. I love hooking my Beyer DT770 Pro's directly to the headphone out, the sound is quite good and I prefer it to hooking the line-outs to my amp. It just brings a whole new life to my CD collection. I am glad you are enjoying yours

 

[fractus2]

Quote:

Originally posted by donovansmith Congrats on your D-5 fractus2. I love my D-14 which I got from strohmie, which as he noted seems to be almost identical to the D-5. Very powerful headphone output. I love hooking my Beyer DT770 Pro's directly to the headphone out, the sound is quite good and I prefer it to hooking the line-outs to my amp. It just brings a whole new life to my CD collection. I am glad you are enjoying yours

Thanks donovansmith. Boy these players really put out some great sound.

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally posted by strohmie I'll add my voice to those people who owned a D-5 (er, well, I owned a D-14, which is nearly the same beast)

Do you, or anybody, know the difference? Or will I have to get a D-14 to find out

The D-50 MK2 on the other hand looks pretty different and seems to have also gone by "D-7"

Gotta love Sony's numbering system

 

[Duncan]

Yes, the D5 MkII had rounded rather than square buttons, and a rounded top part to the lid from my understanding (like the D11)

The D14 from what I gather is the 1985/86 model to replace the D5. Its a toughey as to which would sound the better of the two...

On the one hand in 1984 you had the D5 that to manufacture cost $900, but Sony sold it at a loss ~ at $450, just to get CD players noticed. Undoubtedly the D14 had cheaper parts, they wouldn't want to make an indefinite loss, but whether that extra year of R&D allowed better components, or the same components but at a cheaper price... well, unless we have a D14 & D5 to disassemble then that is anyones guess..

Congrats on the D5 Fractus, glad you like it

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

The D14 from what I gather is the 1985/86 model to replace the D5

On the Sony history site it says "after a year and a half on the market, the D-50 became profitable". That would be spring '86...(when it already had been replaced

)
Or did it only become profitable when they turned it into the D-14?

 

[fractus2]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Yes, the D5 MkII had rounded rather than square buttons, and a rounded top part to the lid from my understanding (like the D11) The D14 from what I gather is the 1985/86 model to replace the D5. Its a toughey as to which would sound the better of the two... On the one hand in 1984 you had the D5 that to manufacture cost $900, but Sony sold it at a loss ~ at $450, just to get CD players noticed. Undoubtedly the D14 had cheaper parts, they wouldn't want to make an indefinite loss, but whether that extra year of R&D allowed better components, or the same components but at a cheaper price... well, unless we have a D14 & D5 to disassemble then that is anyones guess.. Congrats on the D5 Fractus, glad you like it

Duncan, Thanks for your Classic Personal CD Players through the ages ~ A Review [Updated 07/08/2003], I reviewed that many times and it's a great source of pcdp information in the forum (I'm sure at great expense to yourself). My D-5 has a manufacture date of April 1985. Listening to "Take Five" in it now and it's very sweet.

 

[usc goose]

just cause i'm burning time before my friend gets here from la, mine is a d50 designated model, manufactured march 1985. listening to cheer up by reel big fish at the moment.

 

[Duncan]

PeterR

That was more of a guess on my part than actual fact regarding the manufacture period of the D14, Knowing that Sony come out with products once (or now, twice) a year... and with the D5 initially coming out in November 1984 in the Far East... that is why I presumed that the D14 came out at the back end of 1985 through 1986...

Sony sure must've shifted a lot of D5/D50/D50MKIIs to turn around a profit on an initial loss of $450 per unit

Fractus2..

No problem, glad it was of help to you

I've still got to add into that review the D11 and D111... I will do that at some stage in the not too distant future

(Right now, its gotta be said that the D111 & Koss KSC-35 combo sounds really good [edit] - but the dark nature of the Koss compliment the D5 perfectly!!

)

The D5 (and maybe the D14??) is / are the only Discman with TRUE line out... with the same voltage as full sized units ~ I think in essence that that is what Sony wanted... A full sized unit that could be taken out on the road

As has been said by a few people on this thread, even 18-19 years on, the D5/D50 still holds its own...

...A testemant to what was once a great company in this field

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan PeterR That was more of a guess on my part than actual fact regarding the manufacture period of the D14, Knowing that Sony come out with products once (or now, twice) a year... and with the D5 initially coming out in November 1984 in the Far East... that is why I presumed that the D14 came out at the back end of 1985 through 1986...

Hmm, once you think about it, considering the D-7 came out in '86 that actually makes a lot of sense. So it seems they're really counting the D-14 as D-50...

 

[Duncan]

Sounds good...

Almost as if the D14 should in fact have been called the D6...

Hmm... yes

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Almost as if the D14 should in fact have been called the D6...

Nooo, that'd have been logical

BTW, a D-50 is exactly 5" wide x 5" deep - am I on to something?

 

[averydonovan]

On my D-14 it has the original Sony docking cradle on the back, and that unit says it is for the D-50. It has an AC adapter and RCA line-outs on it. Makes the whole unit 7 1/2" long. It does seem to have full line-out volume.

PeterR, 5 inches is nearly 13 cm, and since nobody wants to have a 13 in the name of their product then maybe they chose the model number 14 for the D-14. You may be on to something...

 

[Duncan]

This is the kind of thread that I enjoy the most on Head-Fi...

The investigative / informative (non opinionated) ones

Thanks guys... keep it coming

 

[fractus2]

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