Vintage CD players

[thedelihaus]

My best vintage cdp was, and I hate to admit this as I have an issue with the company's music branch policies, a Sony LD player.

I digress, just for a moment- the issues I have with sony are the proprietary issues with music rights management such as the recent debacle of their cds adding software to your operating system under the guise of it being something else, and the continuing issue of the compressed formats they choose to use not being compatible with other mp3 players/computer software programs.

That off my chest, part of the enjoyment of using this LD player was the GIANT tray that would come out of the unit to swallow my little disc in the center. I don't recall the model number, but it was an older unit, possibly 1989, to 1991, surely top of the line, and it cost my friend well over a grand. When he upgraded to DVD only, it became mine (with about 30 or so films) for the sum of a beer. I recently passed it on to my friend after a recent move by less-than-gentle movers rendered the player inoperative on CDs. He also got my laserdisc collection.

The movers were unsupervised due to the fact I was in the hospital at the time. Otherwise, everything, especially the hi-fi gear, would have been moved by me alone.

 

[Urizen]

The best I have heard is a Pioneer PD-75 c.1991. The build quality is top notch. :thmbsp:

 

[smollett5]

I've got a few CD players which someone might term vintage at this point in time. I've got a circa 1987 (?) Magnavox CDB 650, which sounds excellent. I have a CAL Delta transport- Sigma tube DAC combo (1992) which sounds amazing. And I have an Arcam Delta 270 which has wonderful playback. Hard for me to pick the best, but I might go with the CAL duo. They all have shown superior reliability.

 

[lorne]

1420-1503 wrote:

I like my Sansui CD-X701i from 1986.

It has XLR balanced outputs, digital out (including optical), it uses a high-quality Sony ES tray/transport that's very very smooth. The downside of the Cdx-701 is it won't accept all cd-r's.

In Japan, I think that your player is the CD alpha 707i. The flagship of the series was the considerabley more expensive CD alpha 901i. The latter was a beautiful machine with a skeletal, copper-plated chassis, two lasers (from the pics anyway), twin potted transformers etc. The full series was the 907i, 707i, 607i and a DA designated as DA-alpha 607i. For each price range Sansui delivered quality that would be enviable today.

I have a 607i. Very smooth in operation. It does not read all the music that my cheap Toshiba DVD does, but the tone is the least objectionable of all my older CDP's. For my tastes, it betters my Marantz CD-6000OSE which is still a current model. So perhaps technology has not caught up to build quality. I am wondering if it would respond well to recapping. I'd like to use it as a transport (CDT).

BTW: the 607i reads any CD-R I put into it. Could it be that your laser is aging?

 

[andy]

1420-1503 wrote: BTW: the 607i reads any CD-R I put into it. Could it be that your laser is aging?

I was just aligning a CD player and noticed that the RF output from the pickup when playing a CD-R was about half that of a pressed disc. It's certainly possible for a failing pickup to cause problems with CD-Rs first.

 

[bjarmson]

I didn't make the move to CDs until around 2000, when my new car came with a CD player. Still didn't have one in my main system until a couple of years later when I got an Onkyo DV-S525 DVD/CD player. Started to amass a considerable CD library then. Problem was the sound quality seemed terrible on some CDs. That along with a desire to get better DVD picture started me researching DVD players. To make a long story shorter, from reading reviews and watching current eBay prices, I decided to pick up a Sony DVP-S7000 (1st generation, top of the line, $1000 new, now can be had for around $100). Tried to cheap it out with the first one (listed as having intermittent sound problems with DVDs, it did which drove me to buy another—the first unit I'm keeping as a parts unit), but it had incredible picture quality and the CD sound (no problems) was fabulous. Bought another (both with shipping totaled less than $200) and have great picture quality and great sound (both DVD and CD). Anyone seeking one less unit in their main setup (if you use it for video as well as audio, might want to try the S7000 as an alternative to a stand alone CD player.

bjarmson

 

[gener8tr]

Reviving an old thread, here.

Last night I pickup up a Technics SL-P500 at a used CD shop for $25.00. What a bargain! Other than a couple of light marks on the top, the CDP looks and plays like new... especially considering it was made in May 1986. I love vintage electronics. Here is a link to the photo:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/cdplayers/slp500.htm

 

[redd6054]

I have three vintage [ in my books anyway ] CDP a denon DCD 910 with the optional wood sides and remote, and 2 pioneer elite players PD M90X, and a PD M910. They are all built in 1990 which is 15 years, a lifetime in cd players. The pioneer elite I think sound the best.
cheers Wolfgang

 

[soundweasel]

none -- it was a quick reply to posting on vintage CD players

Consider a Tivoli CD player (same folks that make the Kloss radios). Grossly overpriced at $199, but it has that "old school" look, and I'm sure they'll start showing up in thrift stores before too long. Here's a link to Amazon (hope it works)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...-4926178-7707312?_encoding=UTF8&s=electronics

 

[Damage]

Yamaha, too, though they seem more fragile.

The most fragile I have ever seen. Laser must've been elmer's glued into alignment.

 

[Kiwi]

I have got a Denon DCD1015 , probably not vintage but has 2 18 bit Burr Brown Dacs and I realy like it. It gets fussy about what discs it reads and while I would like to replace it , its a matter of what with , esp on a budget.

Dave

 

[Yamaha B-2]

The most fragile I have ever seen. Laser must've been elmer's glued into alignment.

Which model(s) are you and bully and dr*audio speaking of? I've no problems with my CDX-1100 and CDX-1120. From 1988 and 1992.

 

[SoCal Sam]

Sony CDP-701es w/orig remote. Built like a tank in May, 1984. Has a huge power supply hanging off the back and cooling fins for the output. Internal chassis has loads of copper shielding. The top cover at 4mm thick reminds me of armour plating. I cobbled this one together from two machines. Has no problem with CD-R's.

Denon DCD-1500 w/orig remote. Sept., 1986. Twin DAC. Fixed and variable analog outputs. Very nice sound.

Luxman D-109. TOTL 1986. Great sounding CD player with loads of audio capactors. The mains are Elna. The transport is pure Sony ES with the metal tray and linear motor. The audio caps give it a nice warmth that really compliments my vintage gear. No problem with CD-R's. Analog and digital outs.

Philips CDB-610, the little Belgian brother of the 650. Unlike the modder's favorite 650, has just the analog outs and no digital out. Made in Belgium and can read anything.

Sony CDP-302. 1985. Nice 2nd generation basic CD player that is built like a tank. Has the same metal transport tray and linear motor as the D-109. The entire CD transport is isolated just like the high-end stuff. Sound is a little bright but good enough.

My favorite so far is the D-109. The DCD is getting a good listening to lately so that may change.

 

[Damage]

Which model(s) are you and bully and dr*audio speaking of? I've no problems with my CDX-1100 and CDX-1120. From 1988 and 1992.

Any of the CDX series. I have had several of them cause I love the red display. They have never survived a move. Right now I have two CDX-520s, one will only played if tilted on its back, the other won't work until you skip to like the last track, and then give it a nudge.

 

[wajobu]

Well, another vote for Yamaha...I have a vintage 1988 CDX-900U...a very nice machine and it has served me well and sounds great. The CD drawer motor at this point could use a servicing, but...

 

[Yamaha B-2]

Any of the CDX series. I have had several of them cause I love the red display. They have never survived a move. Right now I have two CDX-520s, one will only played if tilted on its back, the other won't work until you skip to like the last track, and then give it a nudge.

Interesting. Mine both came from CA via Fedex and work perfectly. In fact, the CDX-1120 was banged so hard by them that the drawer was a bit off-track and I had to remove the case and set back on. Didn't bother it a bit as far as performance is concerned. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Charlie K]

Another vote for the Pioneer PD-65 Elite. Built like a tank and sounds great. I used one with various tube and/or solid state rigs for years. I don't think a new DAC is even worth the while with these, I've tried it. Plug and play.

 

[Bogframe]

I bought this Magnavox new in 1989 and it still sounds and works as good today as it did then. It even plays minidiscs! Not to mention that it's a 16 bit (Whatever that means )

 

[Damage]

Hey, its very possible the CDX-1100 and up are totally different beasts.

Interesting. Mine both came from CA via Fedex and work perfectly. In fact, the CDX-1120 was banged so hard by them that the drawer was a bit off-track and I had to remove the case and set back on. Didn't bother it a bit as far as performance is concerned. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[john_w]

Hey, its very possible the CDX-1100 and up are totally different beasts.

Wouldn't surprise me. It seems that the upper-mid-fi Yamaha stuff is some of the best stuff out there for it's targeted market. But yes, they have put out their share of BPC as well!