Vintage CD players

[Dr. Music]

Pretty sure no one has endeavored inside since she left the factory from the looks of the screws and screwholes.....I've still got the top off letting her spin right now Tin...I just cleaned the rails and slides and applied fresh thin oil, and cleaned the lens with optical lens cleaner..... dunno if I'm dying to take her bottom off at the moment though ......... then again, is there ever a good time? At your behest I believe I will......

 

[Dr. Music]

Very nice! Looks like it's in good shape. I would be curious to see the underside of the boards, if you ever feel inclined to remove the bottom cover. I wonder if that glue is there.

Here ya go, Tin. Not seeing a smidgen of goop. A little hard glue in one spot but she's not anything but solidified.....

 

[japon]

Have too many older cdp's - Pioneer PD-S801, Denon DCD-1400, Rotel RCD 970 BX, Mission PCM II. Will be doing a comparison over the next couple of weeks. Any thoughts on which I should keep - I only need two. Cheers!

 

[Synchro-bias]

Technics SL-P350 (1988)
Technics SL-P555 Class AA (1989)
Both sound great. I am impressed with the players
previous owned a SOny, but it was 1996 so i dont think it would fit the vintage cd player list also had a Phillips Portable CD Player

 

[Tinman]

Here ya go, Tin. Not seeing a smidgen of goop. A little hard glue in one spot but she's not anything but solidified.....

Where exactly is that "one spot"? If you wouldn't mind....

Mine was on the top board, just not visible on your pic. It was a hard spot of glue holding a wire. It also stopped the clock from running.

Interestingly, your player seems to be a slightly different variant. Mine has an extra digital board screwed on top of the DAC board. It sort of looks like yours is a little newer. Maybe they figured this out and re-routed the clock line from the Servo board to the DAC board. If that's true, you should not have any problems.

 

[suthernprog]

Latest addition in my rebuild (from the ground) is a JVC XL-Z444. Got it for 17 bucks at a thrift store and so far I love it. It even plays all my cd-rs which I'd had trouble with on my newer Sony 5 disc changer which I have ditched. Overall, pretty happy.

 

[lorne]

Hi Troubleshoot: Thanks for the pics. First impressions — just my two cents worth — they were not trying to dazzle the punters; they were engineering. Some nice OEM caps. Shielding has been a major consideration. Rigid chassis. You have a single PCM53 DAC chip and a Sony BU-IC laser pickup according the the marantzphillips chart. If you get hankering for more of something this would be an excellent candidate for deck duty. An all round swell find I'd say.

 

[wilkes85]

I never would have thought ANY CD players were good. I would never buy one used. They never last more than a few years. I remember they would break down all the time.

But I haven't had any problems recently with CD players breaking down, because I rarely even play CDs anymore.

 

[Maestro_T]

I recently bought a Denon DCP-570 and decided to compare it with a Pioneer DV-343 DVD player that doesn't want to show anything visual, but will play music.

I wouldn't say there was a WORLD of difference, but the Denon did seem to produce more definition to my ears. Unfortunately, it also seems to be tempermental in that it sometimes doesn't want to play the first or last track on a disc.

It seems to me like CD and DVD players are all tempermental after a little while, and sometimes that's not even with very much use.

 

[TJLitt]

I never would have thought ANY CD players were good. I would never buy one used. They never last more than a few years. I remember they would break down all the time.

I hear the same, frequently. Yet, the Pioneer I list in my sig has been in use, pretty frequently, since the early 1990's when I bought it, and still sounds better than a few I have A-B'd it against in recent years. Maybe it's my ears, maybe it's my system, I don't know why. I am certain a decent infusion of cash would get me a CD setup that would blow the Pioneer away, sonically.
Every option I've tested it against would have cost me less than $600, so I haven't ventured into a higher range. Admittedly, I listen to LPs more frequently, but I like the multi-disc changer idea for mindless listening(parties
and other background useage). Do these Pioneer CD changers have a decent reputation, because, from what I've seen, they sound pretty good and are durable?

 

[lorne]

I never would have thought ANY CD players were good. I would never buy one used. They never last more than a few years. I remember they would break down all the time.

Possibly your experience would be different with high-end players that are now affordable for more of us due to their vintage — and views and opinions like yours. I almost refrain from saying this, because regardless of whether the issue is a matter of experience, ignorance, informed opinion or all three, the pressure remains low in the market of high-end, vintage CD players. They certainly are not everyone's cup of tea for reasons we discuss here. The average consumer may not want to apply.

But, I have to say that diminishing prices are not quite the case in Japan. And so we may be left to choose a conclusion: we enthusiasts of the islands are either wankers, or we have noticed something. Just trot over to HiFiDo and see what some of these units are selling for — with warranties in many cases!

But I haven't had any problems recently with CD players breaking down, because I rarely even play CDs anymore.

I use a basic model Micro Seiki with a British arm and an American cart. I modified the TT in a number of ways and moved the Xformer outboard. Then I called it quits. Diminishing returns and the cost of old vinyl here in Japan called on a much higher income and committment than I was able to justify. We each have to make our own choices, and each choice will be the correct one in most cases. I am sure that you have made the correct choice for you.

If I pay $40 for a bottle of estate bottled claret I will be expecting an exhilerating experience. I will be so expectant and critical that if the wine is anything less than exemplary, I will feel disapointed, let down and anxious. Anybody with my income would be stupid to buy such wine in the first place, but let it stand for argumant's sake. A carefully selected table wine costing a mere $4 or $5 can be very enjoyable. The derived pleasure can be equal to that of a bottle three times the price. Moreover the pleasure is increased by not having invested a week of lunch money or a new pair of shoes. For me, much about audio is like that.

If I had coin, I'd have a $10K rig spinning an entire room full of collectible vinyl, and banks of hand-made push-pull tube gear driving the best Tannoys and or Maggies the planet ever saw. But I like what I got — CDX-1020 and all. See my signature.

And you are right. They fail. They all burn through laser pickups at some point. But even the most expensive ones do not come up to what it costs to re-tip even a modest MC cart.

 

[Joe P]

I am still using my Sony CDP701es, as my primary player, since I got it new around 1990 I guess. It works great, and sounds really good to me. I am looking for another player for a different system, possibly an Adcom GCD 600. I have always been intrigued by the Carver SDA "t" models with the tube output, but never heard much about them good or bad. Mostly Carver is one of those companies I have always wanted a peice from, but don't need another amp, sub etc.

 

[bobrown14]

A carefully selected table wine costing a mere $4 or $5 can be very enjoyable. The derived pleasure can be equal to that of a bottle three times the price.

Cheers to you as I sip a glass of old vine Zinfandel whilst listening to local Jazz on my (ahem) radio. Reading your post makes me want to throw on a record. Nice!

I think the point is that there are PLENTY of old (vintage to me is pre 1980) good CD players out there for a very good price. If you do your homework you can find a good one in decent condition. I've got a few good old ones - Tascam 401 MK II and an old Sony - both still play the tunes and can stand up to the newer stuff. I've got an HHB 830 and it's mother/sister Pioneer PD-609 (with the SMS crap - HHB without, Identical otherwise). Hard to say which sounds better. Do some homework - it's why we are here.
There are some VERY nice older units that will sound superb. Vinyl is still better when you run the good stuff and have mint- condition vinyl. [shields up]

Love digital and i love analog. Heck if I'm too tipsy to mess with LP's then I will merrily skip along with my old CD player and NEVER hear the difference. (no pun).

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Yamahalic]

Vintage Yamaha CDX-2000

My starter systems consisted of some newer (late 1980's, early 1990s) CD players that were very typical of today (good specs, VERY lightweight, cheap sounding disk tray mechs, cheap feeling buttons, cheap case construction), then....I purchased my Yamaha CDX-2000 (the jewel of my components). This is one "vintage" CD Player that may straddle the definition of "vintage" to some, but it was definitely designed in a vintage way, with some an audiophile design mentality.

Visual Candy:
This is my first (and only) component with wood sides (solid wood structural, not just decor), which is very "vintage". It also has an industrial design type brushed aluminum case that begs to be seen.

Structural and Operational Bliss:
The disk tray mechs are very smooth and substantial sounding, a pleasure to operate. And, this baby weighs in at 16kg (35lbs 3oz), so I am "moved" very time I have to move it. Pretty much every part of this player was well thought out, and designed to impress.

Aural Ecstacy:
I was SHOCKED how much better this player sounded! Later, I reviewed the specs and discovered that higher level components, even from days past, can still produce state-of-the-art sound by today's standards.

Bottom line...good vintage CD players can be quite a fulfilling experience, with some attributes (most notably in construction) that can only be had with the extreme high end CD players of today (read: very expensive).

 

[gener8tr]

Reviving an old thread...

Yesterday I picked up a BSR CD-316X CD player (February 1986) at a rummage sale for $5.00.

The little unit was covered in dust, but other than needing a good windex cleaning (and compressed air blow-out) it is near perfect without a single scratch or mark on the cover or face.

I tested it first thinking the transport would be shot, or the laser would be all but toast, but to my surprise everything tested perfectly (including FF, Reverse, Time Remaining, Advance Track, etc.).

I took it home, cleaned it up and it now looks and works as good as new.

Haven't had the chance to test it against any of my other vintage CDP's, but the internals include some SONY parts, so I'm guessing it's at least decent.

Anyone own an old BSR back in the day?

 

[aenimo]

Hi!

As this thread is now reviving, I wondered if anyone here would have any old CD player's ads to share for my website.
Moreover, It's now possible for any vintage CDP owner to upload pictures of his player and write a short review about it. Of course this player shouldn't be reviewed in the online pages yet, and good quality pictures are required.

Anyone?

Thanks a lot

This website: http://vintage-audio-laser.com/

 

[Len44]

Visual Candy:
This is my first (and only) component with wood sides (solid wood structural, not just decor), which is very "vintage". It also has an industrial design type brushed aluminum case that begs to be seen.

Structural and Operational Bliss:
The disk tray mechs are very smooth and substantial sounding, a pleasure to operate. And, this baby weighs in at 16kg (35lbs 3oz), so I am "moved" very time I have to move it. Pretty much every part of this player was well thought out, and designed to impress.

Aural Ecstacy:
I was SHOCKED how much better this play sounded! Later, I reviewed the specs and discovered that higher level components, even from days past, can still produce state-of-the-art sound by today's standards.

Bottom line...good vintage CD players can be quite a fulfilling experience, with some attributes (most notably in construction) that can only be had with the extreme high end CD players of today (read: very expensive).

VERY impressive!!! :thmbsp: I was able to latch onto the CDX-2020 model a couple of years back, and it too is one superb player. Highly recommend this series. :yes:

 

[KentTeffeteller]

aenimo,

Excellent web site now bookmarked. Please publish an English translation if possible, many AK members would appreciate it. I own a Magnavox FD 1010SL which I have owned since 1983. Never once let me down in all these years and still sounds splendid. My documentation is missing. PDF's of your player documentation would be a nice touch for download. Thanks for an excellent site. I do need to learn French passably. :tresbon:

 

[aenimo]

aenimo,

Excellent web site now bookmarked. Please publish an English translation if possible, many AK members would appreciate it. I own a Magnavox FD 1010SL which I have owned since 1983. Never once let me down in all these years and still sounds splendid. My documentation is missing. PDF's of your player documentation would be a nice touch for download. Thanks for an excellent site. I do need to learn French passably. :tresbon:

OK, Thank you!!

For sure I would publish an English translation if I had time enough...and if I my english was better. A bilingual website needs (IMHO) a perfect translation and as the content of my site is technical orientated, it's an even more complicated task.
However, I intend to do it sooner or later, and as you may have noticed on the site's mainpage, I am searching for a person who might help in this translation.
As for the technical documentation, I will probably add PDf files within the next 6 months. These files should contain at least the schematics for some players (the entire manual is a lot of work to scan), which could help in case of trouble with one's player.:yes:

As far as your Magnavox FD1010 is concerned, I would be glad to include pictures of it in the website, knowing that I own several early Magnavox players (all bought from the USA), but this one is missing (In fact I own the CD101 Philips version).
It's up to you if you feel like picture it, write a short comment, and upload these documents on vintage-audio-laser. Of course, I would copyright it for you.

Let me know if you are interested in that idea. Anyway there's no hurry.

 

[tubeboob]

Magnavox CDB-610

Put my vote in for the 1989 Magnavox CDB-610 cd player. Well built and with sonics that surprise.

Cheers