Cool Find - Old Magnavox CDPs

Just found this today - a Magnavox FD3030SLD1. Also better known as the Philips CD-303, apparently. Old 'first generation' CDP. Here's some pics from the net of the Philips version:



Tracks fine (according to the quaint time and track displays), but no output. :sigh: Will have to figure that out...

Heavy as the dickens. Makes a nice bookend to my previously found Magnavox FD2040SLD1 (aka Philips CD-204):



The 303 seems to have the same transport as the 204 - a good thing, as that sucker will track absolutely trashed CDs. I have a copy of Peter Gabriel's first solo CD that has a huge gouge, and the 204 just plays right on through it (albeit, interestingly, with a regular 'tick', just like an album with a scratch!:scratch2: ). No other player I've ever encountered can play that particular CD without collapsing in a heap of stutters and, then, a final fatal error...

Anybody else have experience with these models? I guess I could use schematic or service manual assistance on the CD-303.

Just thought I'd share...

I've got many Belgium made Magnavox and Philips CDPs and changers, almost any using the swing arm pickup will track just about anything. Just the nature of their better players I guess. Most of them sound pretty good. I have about a dozen or so various models and the performance is pretty consistant with anything 1987 or earlier. I think as long as you stick to ones made in Belgium as opposed to Mexico most of the Magnavox players of that era were pretty good.

Just for the record my old MCS 6801 (essentially a circa 1984 Technics w/ pitch control), will track just about anything as well.

I had one of those -- briefly -- that "worked" 100% properly except nothing came out of the analog outputs. A dump find. I futzed around with it for a bit, then left it on the freebie pile at the NEARC antique radio fleamarket one day. I wonder if anyone got it going? It was very heavy and seemed quite well made.

Saw a similiar one on that auction site last week and briefly considered going after it. I have become intrigued by the first generation of cd players since prcocuring a P-D70. They truly represent a brief and unique phase of gear.

Nice find.