Vintage CD Players?

[Tom Anderson]

I just spent a down morning cruising amazon and ebay for a simple but reliable single-cd player, something good but not fancy. I really struck out on "reliable."
I think we can agree that all that hot new glitz for sale today is worthless junk, and the only rule is to buy the cheapest because it will break within the first month to two years and have to be replaced with more worthless ( but not cheap) junk.
If somebody wanted a solid cd player based on name brands that mean something -- other than the Asian factory du jour that happens to be shipping those new trinkets -- what would be a good choice for a vintage single-disk cd player?
What would vintage be? 1980s? 1990s?
Say it's still in the original box, what kind of deterioration might the parts have just sitting around? Can old cd's be reconditioned as easily as other audio?

 

[Clmrt]

I've had Sony players go forever. I have a 209ES that is rock solid and silent. New to me is a Nakamichi CD Player 4 and it is even heavier and quieter....

 

[SOTA]

I have a fully functional Philips CD-160 (1984 I think) that I have had since new and it just won't die. Now for a cd player that one is early!

 

[geespot]

I was in the same boat. I finally opted for a Denon DVD-2800. This baby sold for $700 a few years ago. I paid $77.

 

[theblackknight]

get a marantz CD-73 or CD-94. or a pioneer P-D70. accuphase made some nice early ones too.:thmbsp:

 

[SOTA]

Does it not feel a bit creepy to be discussing "vintage" cd players?:scratch2:

 

[shacky]

I have a Marantz 73SE that I paid retail for years ago. Don't even want to admit what I paid for it. Very nice and I like having volume control on CD especially for vintage receiver with no remote control.

I picked up a Dennon 560 changer on eBay ~ 6 months ago and love it. Beats the Marantz hands down. Aslo has a volume control. If I'm going to live with vintage I like having at least one source where I can control the volume.

 

[absolon]

I'm using a Philips CD101 (circa '81) in the office, a Mission DAD7000 (circa '82) in the shop and a Toshiba 3950 in my main system for the small use I make of CDs. I expect the Toshiba to die long before either of the others quits. On the other hand, the dual Philips 2940 14 bit DACS in the older pair aren't quite up to the 192kHZ, 24 bit Burr Brown DAC in the Toshiba.

 

[krazyknuc]

My Mission DAD 7000 is still going strong after my tech bathed the drawer switch in deox and got it working again. Plays CDR no problem. Built like a tank with a Massive heat sink.

I also have what looks like one of the first "personal" cd players on the market.
It is a Toshiba Compact Disk Player Model XR-J9.
Has volume control, RCA left/right out as well as headphone out.
Nice for beside the bed.
Even plays CDR but will not usually skip songs, must let the CD play through from the beginning.

Using CD Clone/Slysoft without updating for burning audio CDs.

 

[lukiedog]

I have several Sony CD players from mid-nineties, they still work great, even the changers. The CDP-591 is a good model, you can get them for $20 shipped on the Bay and have phono plug, volume control and on-face track number selection.

 

[gonzomeep]

Denon

Absolutely wonderful vintage CD players! DCD-1420, DCD-1560 have superb 20bit Lambda DA/AD converters, variable output w/remote control, which I agree, comes in handy with a 2 channel system w/o RC capabilities. Solid construction (read: built like a tank), sweet, neutral sound and reasonable prices too. :thmbsp:

 

[Roypercy]

Last year I bought a mint Harmon kardon HK7300 (original box, manuals, etc.) for $25. It dates from 1993, I think, and is a great CDP. Stable heavy transport, plays burned discs just fine, and a very warm, detailed, analogue-like sound.

It replaced a newer (and to be fair much more cheaply made) CD player and so far I haven't found anything I like better. Only thing it's missing is a digital out (which I think its big brother, the HK7500, has). Very highly recommended.

 

[deeder7001]

I have an HK FL8400 5 Disc changer that sounds pretty good. It has an optical digital out on the back as well as the standard outputs. Made in 1995.

 

[mlhm5]

Does it not feel a bit creepy to be discussing "vintage" cd players?:scratch2:

Anything that has an optical out is fair game for a DAC.

 

[bully]

early- to mid-90s would be where i would look. massive build quality aside, play and sound quality have improved since the format first came on line.

 

[SPL db]

I have an Adcom GCD-250 that I bought new in 1984... still looks and plays showroom new! :yes: :thmbsp:

Built like a tank and weighs about the same!

Scott

 

[yosl]

I can understand the desire to have the build quality of a vintage deck but as for sound, a $50 Toshiba at Best Buy will do better. If it's the build quality you want, then bully's advice is probably the best compromise.

 

[ron-c]

All Laser diodes eventually fail in CD players. The older the player the more likely this will be. Spindle motors are the next thing to go. I would buy new If it were me..

Thanks,
Ron-C

 

[rhiohki]

I have a revox B-225 I recently picked up. Thing works like a champ, brick-house build quality and sounds good to boot. As was mentioned before, if build quality is a concern, buy older stuff.

 

[Jygesq]

I have marantz 63 se

early- to mid-90s would be where i would look. massive build quality aside, play and sound quality have improved since the format first came on line.

1997 build , latest rotel 1072 does not sound any better, Apollo
by Rega, does not sound too much better,