My surprising test results: high end 80s CD player vs modern low end DVD player

[Vintage_Hi-F]

Hell yeah Balls to the Wall is classic- glad somebody gave me some props for that shit
Hats off to you Vintage Hi-F

OK I did demo some of my ECM label jazz too

Metal heads gotta stick together man.

this is kinda on topic but to use an older high end CDP as a transport would you just plug the analog RCA outputs into the DA (and where would you find one) or would you have to do some internal surgery on the player. I'd like to know for future reference and +1 on the LD player as a transport though finding a high end LD player is harder than it sounds these days.

 

[guiller]

How do you explain the ridiculous prices that people will pay for tweaks and cables?

I think this point would have to be discussed in another thread. Regarding the CDPs, I understand that the more expensive dedicated CDPs (Cambridge Audio, Rega, Music Hall and other models of similar quality) are more expensive than a DVDP because they sound way much better. This is my experience listening to classical music (no amplification or distortion introduced by artistic reasons in the mastering) .

 

[wd409]

Oh yeah, the Yamaha's 480P component output looks good on my Panasonic 1080P plasma, too...no HDMI on this older player...

that probably has more to do with the tv than the player.. the tv will upscale a non hdmi source all by itself.

 

[melofelo]

if anyone has an old cd player as well as a sony mds jb930 minidisc recorder... try running the cd player through the minidisc digital in while it is set to record pause... the in built dacs in the minidisc are superb

 

[DanO55]

Any measurements taken besides "earballing" it? Interested in knowing the fixed level audio output levels with test signals from a reliable test CD. Just curious?

 

[whoaru99]

Any measurements taken besides "earballing" it? Interested in knowing the fixed level audio output levels with test signals from a reliable test CD. Just curious?

It varies by player.

However, those I've looked at have been in the range of 1.5V to 2V using a CD with 0dBFS test signals/tones.

 

[AnalogDigit]

I don't doubt that some of the older CD players sound worse than the DVD player. It would be a cool test with a high-end CD player from the 80's and the 90's and compare that with a new DVD player. To me, digital all sounds the same.

 

[Cogsinister]

My Sony CDP X55ES sounds just great thank you........

 

[whoaru99]

I don't doubt that some of the older CD players sound worse than the DVD player. It would be a cool test with a high-end CD player from the 80's and the 90's and compare that with a new DVD player. To me, digital all sounds the same.

It depends on what one considers "high end". My brother and I did this test with a Denon DCD-1560 which is generally regarded as a pretty good player (although likely doesn't qualify as high end by price). We compared a Denon DCD-1560, Denon DV-2900, Sony DVPS-360, Pioneer DV-578A, and Music Hall CD25 using their analog outputs and using their digital outputs though a Benchmark DAC-1.

For all tests the levels were matched to within a couple thousandths of a volt at the speaker terminals using a 1kHz test tone.

The two Denons and the Benchmark DAC-1 all sounded too close to call no matter the connection...sounded good and no doubt very technically accurate, but seemed like a cool/clinical presentation, IMO. To us, all of the players through the DAC-1 sounded the same and had that somewhat clinical presentation. Via analog, the Sony seemed to lack some soundstage and seemed a bit too soft in the presentation. Not really dull, but just soft, for lack of better terms. The Pioneer seemed a touch less technically precise than the Denons or the DAC-1, but a touch warmer and perhaps wider soundstage. The Music Hall via analog seemed to be the best sound to both my brother and I. Plenty of detail yet pretty smooth and open with a good soundstage and some depth without the clinical sound.

Those were our subjective impressions. But, when we did some blind A/B testing, neither of us scored very well (results essentially equal to guessing) in a "same or different" type of scenario.

I cannot remember if we used my Yamaha C-80 preamp, or the Proceed PRE (thinking the latter due to remote control for easy A/B switching) but not positive. Amp was Levinson No. 23, speakers were Paradigm Studio 100. Speaker cables were short 12ga zip cord, interconnects were combination of Blue Jeans and Monster.

YMMV....

 

[Caseworker]

Interesting thread, and I agree. Just last week I purchased an Adcom GCD 575 from the thrift. I just picked it up for a garage player.

It sounds terrible. It actually sounds worse than I thought a cd player could. On some cds it sounds as if there is anolog static/noise on the tracks. I am used to hearing cd players with jitter and skipping, but this brings it to another level.

Maybe I should recap it, or maybe I should just cut my losses and use my $35.00 Toshiba DVD player instead.

 

[JohnVF]

The modern DVD players vary in sound, too. Some better than others. I have an all-region Panasonic that's decent enough for DVDs from Europe but sonically it's about up their with a mid-80s CD player. My Samsung DVD/SACD player is much much better. I still need to try my nearly-new Denon DVD/SACD player on audio CD.

 

[Gibsonian]

I just switched in a early 90's Pioneer 5 disk player (around $130 then) with a Toshiba el cheapo $49 14 oz weight DVD Player (SD-4000). The difference is very audible with the super cheaply built Toshiba easily winning the sound competition. Not even close.

 

[badbadbad]

My 50 dollar magnavox combo player sounds better than any cd player I have tried and Ive been through quite a few.

 

[sanford12]

I was in my favorite high end store shortly after buying a Pioneer DV-515 DVD player and being stunned by how much better it sounded than a Stereo Review recommended Magnovox CD player I owned. Well I had to brag to the salesman who got all huffy and said that no DVD player would sound better than a dedicated CD player. Sometimes you just have to walk away. This was in the mid-90's I believe.

 

[riverrat373]

I'm using a Sony dvd player with my main system in the living room and a cheap $29.00 dvd player for my den system and have no complaints about sound quality!

 

[mufster]

Sony CDP-302 from mid 80s.
NEC CD-810 from late 80s.
Denon DCM-1300 from late 80s.

Would have been better to use high end, rather than mid end players. Those aren't high end. But yeah, suppose your test shows that a modern player beats a mid level from the 80's. I've got a Denon DVD-1920 which is a heck of a player. SACD sounds great, but it can't match my high end 80's cd players playing standard cd's.

Kenwood DP-1100SG
Philips CD960

It was definitely a worthwhile test and shows that low cost modern equipment provides real quality at a fraction of the cost compared to how much they were in the 80's. The only caveat i'd put in is that I reckon cd players from the 80's will outlast a modern cd/dvd player. Using one with digital out coupled with a modern dac could be the ideal combination. I may try that one day.

 

[titanstats]

You don't even have to go really high end. The Cambridge Audio players sound fantastic...

+1 on that -- a Cambridge is the only disc player left in my system.

 

[titanstats]

...why not just use a vintage well built nice looking player as a transport and plug it into a nice new D/A converter. The Best of both worlds.

*Ding* Thread winning answer here.

 

[yrly]

my next upgrade is a Yaqin Tube buffer for under $200.00. i have found out i prefer a warmer more "musical" presentation then a totally accurate one, so until i can afford a hybrid amp that will give me close to both, a yaqin seems like it will fit the bill perfectly

I've seen line level tube preamps for a scant amount more. I was just searching and tube buffered DACs can be had for $200. If it were my money that would be a better investment than a tube buffer.

 

[RickB]

Interesting thread, and I agree. Just last week I purchased an Adcom GCD 575 from the thrift. I just picked it up for a garage player.

It sounds terrible. It actually sounds worse than I thought a cd player could. On some cds it sounds as if there is anolog static/noise on the tracks. I am used to hearing cd players with jitter and skipping, but this brings it to another level.

Maybe I should recap it, or maybe I should just cut my losses and use my $35.00 Toshiba DVD player instead.

Clean the lens and lubricate the laser sled and the static noise might just go away...sounds like it's having a hard time reading discs and having to use so much error correction that it's just dropping data...