[HiWire]

Take a look at the Sony website - there are no more high-end portable CD players, or even MiniDisc players (just a recorder) listed any more. I guess their "digital amp" revolution was short-lived - it will have to continue in MP3-player form. Start combing those eBay listings for Sony goodness - in my opinion, they peaked in 2003 with the D-EJ2000 and have gone downhill since.

I'll have to revisit my mom's D-NE10 (analog amp with MP3 capability)... it was weird sounding when I gave it a brief listen - I doubt that it's fully burned in yet. Next step for me - stock up on gumstick batteries.

 

[TAF94]

I don't believe Sony is done with PCDPs. They are starting to release their new products at the same time they're released in Japan. The new PCDP are about to be released in Japan and SonystyleUSA is getting ready imo.

 

[grenert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiWire /img/forum/go_quote.gif Take a look at the Sony website - there are no more high-end portable CD players, or even MiniDisc players (just a recorder) listed any more. I guess their "digital amp" revolution was short-lived - it will have to continue in MP3-player form. Start combing those eBay listings for

I did notice that the last time I was in the SonyStyle store in San Francisco, there were no high-end PCDP available (or at least not on display). At that time, they were still listed on the website.

 

[Fungi]

I have the D-NE20, probably the very last PCDP Sony's going to make.
It's perfection in terms of portable CD playing (sound might not be as good as the EJ2000)

 

[HiWire]

There are no high-end CD players being sold in Canada's Sony Stores, from what I can see. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony continued to sell a few nice units in Japan, but all you have to do is take a look at the cassette walkman lineup for an example of the end of the line. That is exactly where the PCDP is headed... Sony made great cassette Walkmen in their heyday (early-mid 90s), but the new units don't even have Dolby NR circuits.

 

[oicdn]

PCDP may die, but I don't think CD players ever will. If CD's go away, so does the music industry, as we all know, if it goes to straight MP3 sales, nobody will sell, as there will always be bootlegs/P2P sharing/torrents.

 

[ap3rtis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif PCDP may die, but I don't think CD players ever will. If CD's go away, so does the music industry, as we all know, if it goes to straight MP3 sales, nobody will sell, as there will always be bootlegs/P2P sharing/torrents.

I'm sure like every medium there will be an upgrade eventually. there already is sacd's and dvda, but it hasn't hit the mainstream yet.

 

[Davesrose]

IMHO, the Sony discman died at about 1994.....that was before the portable craze of wanting long battery life. The older pcdps had pretty good headphone outs. Actually, my 1992/ D-808k drives my Senns pretty well without an amp. The D-25 is supposed to be one of the best Sonys that really don't need a headphone amp. But my first real discman is still my favorite portable: the 822k....it had a dsp surround that was pretty good

 

[Fungi]

http://www.ecat.sony.co.jp/tourist/c...&KM=D-NE241(JE)
Looks like there's a new PCDP coming :O

 

[TAF94]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fungi /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.ecat.sony.co.jp/tourist/c...&KM=D-NE241(JE) Looks like there's a new PCDP coming :O

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAF94 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't believe Sony is done with PCDPs. They are starting to release their new products at the same time they're released in Japan. The new PCDP are about to be released in Japan and SonystyleUSA is getting ready imo.

x2

 

[HiWire]

No, according to that page, the D-NE20 and 920 are still their flagship players (can't read Japanese). They were released over a year ago...

I'd like to get the Blue D-NE20 just for collecting's sake... I'd need a voltage adapter for its charger, though.

 

[Tungsten]

Sony was great once. Everything they made was expensive and top quality. Rich kids had Sony stuff. Yeah, good quality costs a lot, always has and always will. Period.
Sony sold out, sold their name which was synonymous with Quality and Expensive electronics by bringing out cheap product lines.

So when you see a company start coming out with cheap stuff for the masses, you know it’s game over. Most of what Sony sells isn’t even made in Japan anymore. Quality is terrible for 90%+ of everything they sell. Compared to the 80’s?? Yes, it really is that bad. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Sony PCDP’s gone? Not surprised at all. But don’t worry. Ebay still has a few

Stock up while ye may. I know I did.

Sony is not the only one to drop like a dead horse. JVC, Sanyo, Toshiba etc., everything, almost everything, they market is thin cheap plastic, made in china dirt cheap, maximum profit margins bla blaa bla. Even their top flagship models seem thin and cheap compared to 20 years ago. Commitment to Quality is just a slogan with no meaning anymore, empty words, marketing tricks. The age of Quality is Temporarily Out of Service.

Potential future economic conflagration and slide of the US dollar will be the shock therapy that might revive their (Sony) corporate thinking. Start making marketing and designing for the top 5% of income brackets again. Not the bottom 95%. Quality costs a lot. Quality doesn’t come cheap. Harsh but deal with it. That’s my theory of Things To Come. You heard it here first. Now where is my crack pipe….

 

[Fungi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiWire /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd like to get the Blue D-NE20 just for collecting's sake... I'd need a voltage adapter for its charger, though.

I have the NE20, but you do *not* need a voltage adapter for the charger. It says right here on the supplied AC apadter that it takes 100-240V. You are in luck, my friend.

 

[HiWire]

That's a big relief. I'm not really a portable collector, but in case anything ever happens to my beloved D-EJ2000... that's my story, and I'm sticking with it

 

[TAF94]

I could care less about the past. If/when the D-930 comes out I'll probably buy one. I see no issues with the 920 either.