Sony Playstation as audiophile cd player?!?!

[HatchetJack]

Not trying to convert any non-believers but I have been listening to
my ps-1 #5501 on a long rainy day and it sounds wonderful hooked to
my Marantz 2250b and e-waved hpm 100's. Hate to admit it but it sounds
just as good if not better than my 1,000.00 turntable setup .Very detailed,
and revealing but not too harsh or warm.

 

[Darkspeed]

the superior audio hookup on even the 1001 was the multi-av tap rather than the rca hookups unless the unit was modified.

This is key, you can't just hook one up and listen. There is a bit'o modding to do.

 

[HatchetJack]

Yeah, I have read all that too but my ears tell me otherwise. My unmodded
5501 sounds better than my 1001 and much much better than my panosonic
DVD player.

 

[lashing]

resurrect - its true. The output is lower and the PS1 is definitely rounder. There is a rolloff on both ends of the spectrum. Bass and treble are lower for sure. But the harshness of many CD players doesn't exist on the PS1 (must be the 1001 not any other models). It is in fact a very round sounding CD player. Looks like crap, no display and the controller is crap as a remote but the PS1 makes CD's sound like vinyl. At least in my tests that's what I found using my CD player, turntable and PS1 all with the same album. Its a good source I certainly don't feel bad about using in the workshop.

 

[Waterland]

I'm also on the skeptical side, I have a PS1 that I bought new in 1998 or 99 that i took very good care of, so maybe I'll try it. Personally, the best CD player I've owned is my Sony Blu-Ray player for the simple fact that it will read and play any CD I put it in, no matter how scratched or scuffed. There are CD's I have that I thought I'd never be able to listen to again because they skipped so bad or wouldn't play at all in other CD players, they play like nothing's wrong in the bluray player. I doubt the PS1 will be able to read those damaged CD's as well.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I picked up four PS1s from a local thrift shop. They had them on sale for $5 each. Just wanted to play around with them. Got two 1001 and two 5501. I've compared each type to some of my other CD/DVD players, but not against each other to date. Interesting sound profile. Definitely more rolled off in the highs and warmer in the mid-bass. Probably the least accurate CD player I've ever heard. But in a way where I could see some liking it. I had a 1001 playing some 50's rock & roll the other day and it was pleasant.

 

[lashing]

Definitely more rolled off in the highs and warmer in the mid-bass.

Yup that's pretty much it. Its a warm sound. Definitely a rolloff in both highs and lows. However many CD players today has a boost in the highs and lows to make people think they sound fuller. But both those ranges sound artificial. I am of course talking about the standard big brand offerings. Those players tire the ear fast. The PS1 lacks bass to me but at least the bass it has sounds tight. Many players just fizz bass out these days to my ears. The "polk speakers" bass I call it because every set of polks I have tried has this muffled big undefined blanketed bass. I've played live in metal bands for my youth and I never heard a kick drum sound as bad as it does coming out of a set of Polks.

I don't think anyone is ever going to find a $20 thrift store device that is the be all end all of sound but it is a good player compared to thousands of much higher priced big brand offerings. Audiophile? I don't think Sony was shooting for that. For whatever reason the simple chip/output setup sounds better than many mass market players but I think that's where it ends. My theory is Sony just tried to get a good laser that would reliably read games and probably got a deal on those DAC chips. It worked. I certainly hope the big ticket offerings have more to offer than my PS1. I am using my PS1 now to help me choose a good CD player. All I want is something that is as warm but with the full spectrum of frequency ... not to much to ask but nothing sub $500 has bettered the PS1 yet.