[Dragnerok X]

Despite the fact that the retail music market has all but entirely gone digital-download, I have and continue to buy all of my music in CD format, because it allows me to easily play my music on anything, at the highest bit-rate available, while still providing a physical backup should my computer ever suffer a catastrophic hard drive failure. While I would ordinarily just rip my CDs into some digital music library to sync up to an mp3 player, my collection has grown to the point where such would be a massive hassle. In short, I just want to be able to take a CD or two with me along with a decent portable CD player and quality headphones. While I've certainly never heard of audiophile-grade portable CD players, and I doubt any exist, what can you recommend for the best of what's on the market?

 

[deadhead12]

Hey, I don't have any recommendations but a quick search brought up this thread.  It's pretty old but idk how much things have progressed in the area of manufacturing quality PCDP's.   I'm sure some there are some members here that can help you out in the form of a recommendation.  Good luck.  

 

[3602]

ALO sells some NIB Discman D-25s with a replacement battery. Be advised: that battery recharges quite badly inside the player (charges for 20 minutes, then it stops) so you'll need a universal charger. Also that battery lasts for an hour and a half at Volume 2.
Or, you could get yourself one of those less high-end Discmen, with large plastic bodies and 4 AA's as power. They can last for 5 or 6 hours.
I also have a Discman D-33, which is exactly one of those plastic-bodied, quad-AA powered players. Although it says Dual D/A Converter System on the top cover, I only found one DAC chip inside. It still sounds quite fine, but nowhere as smooth as the D-25s (then, well, if you like a more balanced sound, go D-33). I pair the Coppers with D-33 and EW9's with D-25s, as I get quite balanced, but differently flavored sound signatures.
And uh, if you can find a working Discman D-555 for cheap, get that. Although these units can go $300+ on the Bay.
Several old Technics are also considered quite good (XP7, XP5) but you have that inherent rechargeable battery problem. Either the internal pack is too small, or the external pack is long dead and no replacement is being made.
I'm searching for a higher capacity battery for the D-25s. So. Get them old D-20 and D-33, or maybe a D-T model (with a radio) if you just don't want the battery hassle.
Have fun.