Sony PlayStation 1 - Interesting

OK! It's here and I hooked it up and YAY! It worked! And it sounds ****ing good! This is now the SCPH-1001 which is supposed to be "the one". Now I have a cool video game player too! I'm going to try to fix the fuses on the 5001 and see if I can get it working. Total spent so far... less than $40.

I hooked it up the to the CR-2020 and blasted :Led Zep 3 through it because I'm pretty familiar with that CD and wow! It rocked.

Pictures and comparison with Sony DVP-S7000 coming soon..maybe this weekend. I'm going to blindfold myself hand have one of my kids switch between the two.
 
PS1 is an enigma

Here is what Stereophile Mag's JA said after testing it


Overall, this is a pretty poor set of measurements. I wonder, therefore, if the "magic" of the PlayStation 1's sound lies not in its technical excellence but in the fact that it smears over and disguises much of what is wrong with typical CD sound quality, to which it adds a touch of low-level compression from the linearity error. Certainly, when I recently listened to a PS1 as the source in a system comprising an inexpensive Cayin tube integrated amplifier driving Definitive Technology Mythos ST speakers, it sounded relaxed and informative in a manner I would not have expected from this measured performance.—John Atkinson


:music:
 
Frank Sol said:
PS1 is an enigma

Here is what Stereophile Mag's JA said after testing it


Overall, this is a pretty poor set of measurements. I wonder, therefore, if the "magic" of the PlayStation 1's sound lies not in its technical excellence but in the fact that it smears over and disguises much of what is wrong with typical CD sound quality, to which it adds a touch of low-level compression from the linearity error. Certainly, when I recently listened to a PS1 as the source in a system comprising an inexpensive Cayin tube integrated amplifier driving Definitive Technology Mythos ST speakers, it sounded relaxed and informative in a manner I would not have expected from this measured performance.—John Atkinson


:music:
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Interesting. I can also play it through DefTech speakers, the older BP2002 and my B&K Reference 50/Outlaw 750 combo and see what happens there as well. Did Atkinson say which model number he was using? It is however, nice to see the press admit that a shitty video game console is capable of sounding good.
 
JA tested the SCPH-1001 via RCA outs which BTW is not the best way to do it for SQ although is the easiest

Long time ago 'Sam Tellig' of the same Mag posed that the plastic/rubber 'grabber' in the center that locks the CD in place has a positive effect on SQ. He was not speaking of the PS1 but a Walkman CD player but I guess it applies to the PS1
 
I can't believe I found the sound of tapes I grew up with in this little digital thing. I have expensive players I just don't use anymore since I bought for pennies, just out of curiosity, a PS1. Now I only use the PS1. Because it sounds like tapes, just without the hiss. It's simply an enigma to me this thing. Have they done it consciously or it was just a happy accident? I don't know but I have never ever heard such an analog digital player before.
 
MannyE said:
OK! It's here and I hooked it up and YAY! It worked! And it sounds ****ing good! This is now the SCPH-1001 which is supposed to be "the one". Now I have a cool video game player too! I'm going to try to fix the fuses on the 5001 and see if I can get it working. Total spent so far... less than $40.
Pictures and comparison with Sony DVP-S7000 coming soon..maybe this weekend. I'm going to blindfold myself hand have one of my kids switch between the two.
Click to expand...

I also have the DVP-S7000. I just don't use it anymore since I got the PS1. It is just collecting dust. Going to it from PS1 it's like smelling the digital stench again.
 
I haven't had a chance to do the comparison yet. Work and then the stupid hurricane got in the way, but the meadery is almost done and once I'm back to making delicious fermentables, I'll get the test back on the front burner.
 
By the way, I tested both outputs (RCA and AV ones) and the magic only happens through the RCA output. The AV output is already very good, but for the real magic one should go with the RCA output, imo.
 
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Andrei said:
I can't believe I found the sound of tapes I grew up with in this little digital thing. I have expensive players I just don't use anymore since I bought for pennies, just out of curiosity, a PS1. Now I only use the PS1. Because it sounds like tapes, just without the hiss. It's simply an enigma to me this thing. Have they done it consciously or it was just a happy accident? I don't know but I have never ever heard such an analog digital player before.
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Folks like the old PlayStations as the sound is warm and analog sounding. None of that digital glare that causes listener fatigue.
 
Andrei said:
By the way, I tested both outputs (RCA and AV ones) and the magic only happens through the RCA output. The AV output is already very good, but for the real magic one should go with the RCA output, imo.
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That was my results as well. I have an unmodded 1001 that I had to replace the laser assembly with one of those newer PS1's, near the end of the run. Had to dremel off a plastic piece that got in the way, plugged it in and put together, never DREAMING it would work. It does.
I also have a heavily modded 5501. Both sound tremendous.

Poultrygeist said:
Folks like the old PlayStations as the sound is warm and analog sounding. None of that digital glare that causes listener fatigue.
Click to expand...

And there you have it. That's why they're so loved.
 
I know that some users recommend using the AV output (as it bypasses the op-amp), but the circuit that gets the signal to the AV output also involves a video signal and most certainly that can't be good for the sound.
 
I also have 1001. I bought mine a couple years ago but I don't listen to many cd's. Has anyone modded a ps1 to act as a dac with a 3.5 mm input jack?
 
TransEuroexpress.JPG

Playing this morning.

This sounds great, however acoustic material seems to be sublime through the PS1.
 
I realized my pictures in this thread disappeared so here's one of my modded 5501. I always use it to test gear. It's remote sensor is internal.

P2100004.jpg
 
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I had 4 of the desired PS1's. Purchased for $5 each from a consignment shop. They had well over 100 PS1s stacked up and I sorted through them to find the "good" ones. Have listened to each and compared to my reference CD system. Must say that the PS1 is not my cup of tea. Way overly worm and rolled off. I was very surprised by how much they altered the sound of my favorite CDs. Like they had been remixed.

That said, I guess I can understand why some people like them. If one likes a very warm sound and considers accurate high frequencies to be harsh, then the PS1 may be what they are looking for.
 
Tom Bombadil said:
That said, I guess I can understand why some people like them. If one likes a very warm sound and considers accurate high frequencies to be harsh, then the PS1 may be what they are looking for.
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That's a good point! I think that's why I like them. I often complained about my Pioneer gear seeming "harsh" on the high end. Maybe I just don't like it when it's too bright.
 
This info. is years old but "Stereophile" still list it in their 500 or so listings of good equipment. It's been listed there for years.
I have 2 right now. Both need a cap job but still sound good. My models are the SCHP 1001.
 
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