[TAF94]

I'm looking to get a new pcdp and was wondering if anyone has either of these models and any recommendations or advice about them?

 

[spaceconvoy]

I have the SL-CT700, which I like a lot (not as much as the panasonic I got in 1999, but it was the best I could find on the market in 2003). Definitely better SQ than my X5, great full sound, good stereo presence and seperation, good detail but laid-back sounding, a little grainy and bass-heavy, but I like it that way.

Ok, doing a little research, turns out the SL-CT720 will probably be totally different. I thought it might be pretty comprable, but it has D.sound. I'm not sure what it does, but I remember when I bought my player that all the panasonics I tried with D.sound sounded like crap (can't remember why exactly, but I remember them as being muddy).

I have no experience with that kind of Sony, so that's all the help I can give you (i.e. not much). I'd say to look for an old Panasonic pre-D.sound.

 

[HiWire]

Get the Sony... they have different approaches to music, and diversity is the staff of life

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I don't care much for any of the Panasonic PCDPs made since the year 2001. You see, the ones with the analog amps sound murky and grainy; the ones with D-Sound (with remastering mode disabled), too bright and slightly shrill.

 

[Sparky191]

I also have a SL-CT700, but personally I wouldn't rate the SQ that good. My MD, iPod Shuffle, and Zen Micro are all much better than it. Maybe mines a duff one though.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceconvoy I'd say to look for an old Panasonic pre-D.sound.

Actually, you'd have to look even further back than that. The analog-amped Panasonics made since the advent of the so-called "no-skip" anti-shock circuitry all sound muddy and lifeless. I've measured one such model, the SL-CT790, which rolled off in the highs (though not as badly as the 2001-2003 Sonys from the headphone out), and they have a mid-bass hump while dropping off severely in low-end extension. These analog-amped 2001-2003 Panasonics simply cannot reproduce 30Hz as accurately as other PCDPs - at 30Hz, the output of those analog-amped 2001-2003 Panasonics (at the headphone out) is already down by -3dB, whereas other PCDPs are within +/-1dB at that frequency.

 

[TAF94]

Well, it's pretty clear I'm going with Sony. Good info. I'm looking at the D-NE320 and D-NE920 now too. So if anyone has any of these, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle_Driver ...muddy and lifeless. ...

That would be how I'd describe my SL-CT700.

The 920 and DNE1, 10, 20 have all had ok to fair reviews on this forum if you do search on them. Certainly they seem to the best of the current model PCDP. Theres some contradictory opinions on them. Most people favor the 920 because it has a screen on the unit itself so you can use the line out, and see what you are doing. The others don't have a screen on the unit, and you lose the use of the remote if you use the line out. The one exception seems to be the older DNE1 which you can keep the remote and still use the line out.

None of that is from personal experience. Only from what I've read online. I nearly bought one, before I decided to go with a DAP instead.

 

[Mr Do]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky191 That would be how I'd describe my SL-CT700. The 920 and DNE1, 10, 20 have all had ok to fair reviews on this forum if you do search on them. Certainly they seem to the best of the current model PCDP. Theres some contradictory opinions on them. Most people favor the 920 because it has a screen on the unit itself so you can use the line out, and see what you are doing. The others don't have a screen on the unit, and you lose the use of the remote if you use the line out. The one exception seems to be the older DNE1 which you can keep the remote and still use the line out. None of that is from personal experience. Only from what I've read online. I nearly bought one, before I decided to go with a DAP instead.

My pick would be the sony d-ej2000 if you only need cd playback. It has a line/optical out that is seperate from the remote. I still use mine with my canal phones and nothing else.

Do!

 

[TAF94]

Since the new line of 2006 cd walkmans will be out soon I decided just to buy a lower model. I got the Sony d-ne319blue and it is fabulous. It has the best bass boost I've ever heard.

 

[azncookiecutter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAF94 Since the new line of 2006 cd walkmans will be out soon I decided just to buy a lower model. I got the Sony d-ne319blue and it is fabulous. It has the best bass boost I've ever heard.

Agreed. I have the D-NE320 right now, and it is amzing, considering I got it for $50 USD. Although it has a hissy amp, the bass boost really gives ny ER-6is a nice low-end, without requiring an amp. Although don't even bother burning disks with Sonicstage. They clip your files like hell when converting them, and sound like crap when you play it with the PCDP.

 

[HiWire]

This makes me so glad to have straight-Redbook playback and an analog amp

I expect Sony and other manufacturers will eventually improve the quality of their digital amps to equal analog amps, but not any time soon. Check out the Stereophile reviews of the Channel Islands digital (err... Class D, anyway) amp:

http://www.ciaudio.com

I have high hopes for this new class of amplifiers. It's time to bring the technology into the 21st century.

 

[djbnh]

For some, it might be a thought to NOT BUY SONY, and in some way help the effort to get Sony to stop with their flawed anti-copy software....

 

[TAF94]

If Panasonic would get with it, I would buy a pcdp(maybe 2006). My panasonic shelf system will play scratched cd's without a hitch, while every sony pcdp I've had always has trouble with the same cd.