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Why are CD Players so uninteresting?

Many CD players are interesting.... even more so when you take the top off!
But media/MP3 players? Those the most boring pieces of hardware around.
 
SuperjazzyJa said:
You have the right to your opinion and I respect it. I just happen to feel opposite of how you do. Listening to CDs, even on a cheap player like my first CDP, sounds a lot more real, detailed, etc than what I can hear from a record even on the best TT, tone arm, cart, needle combo out there. Never forget, every ear/brain combo is different.
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That is EXACTLY what it is a opinion ! Thanks for understanding! As apparently others did not "TOOL THE BAIT"

SoCal Sam said:
Glad no one tool the BAIT... Caps and extra periods added for effect.
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Ok, enquiring minds want to know.

Does Tool the Bait have anything to do with fishing? :)

I know what you mean, but can't resist. Darn typos...
 
Not strictly CD, but:

There is plenty of (industrial) beauty in this one.
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What bugs me about a lot of the black gear is that the white print is so small on the controls you can't read it in low light. It's much easier to see dark type on a light surface. What, are they trying to save ink? Just make the font big enough to read without searching for my glasses and turning on a light. Sheesh.
 
toxcrusadr said:
What bugs me about a lot of the black gear is that the white print is so small on the controls you can't read it in low light. It's much easier to see dark type on a light surface. What, are they trying to save ink? Just make the font big enough to read without searching for my glasses and turning on a light. Sheesh.
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You just described my old HK CD carousel to a tee... Goldish printing on a black plastic face... Damn near impossible to read without a flashlight!
 
Right after the changeover to all black face gear I walked into the local HiFi shop looking to buy. As I walked up and down squinting at the faces on the gear I decided that I shouldn't have to work so hard to read the controls and walked out. It's only been in the last few years that my interest in audio was renewed. Today I keep a small flashlight near my rack.

BillWojo
 
I think it's because they're so much more efficient to design as drawer style, as opposed to turntables, which are more efficient as top loaders. Or cassette decks, which are most efficient as front loaders.

Remember top-loading VHS? Once the engineers figured out how to make reliable front loaders, top loaders disappeared pretty quick.

The blandness comes from not having anything to show off from a drawer-type design, so the affordable ones just gave up on it.
 
Smaug said:
I think it's because they're so much more efficient to design as drawer style, .
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What does 'efficient' mean? It lets people pile up a lot of items in a cabinet. In the 1980s, the taller your 'stack', the more impressive. The purists would have something minimalist, where a top-loading source would be quite OK.
Now what is the first part of almost every CD player or LD player to break or malfunction? The drawer loading mechansism - gears or belts.
 
steerpike2 said:
What does 'efficient' mean? It lets people pile up a lot of items in a cabinet. In the 1980s, the taller your 'stack', the more impressive. The purists would have something minimalist, where a top-loading source would be quite OK.
Now what is the first part of almost every CD player or LD player to break or malfunction? The drawer loading mechansism - gears or belts.
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I would love to have a top loader. One of the old Marantz/Philips/Magnavox top loaders would do.
 
I have the B&O CDX, thanks to the input I got from this thread. A lot of great suggestions led to it. I am loving it! And it does add a touch of class to my stack! McIntosh and B&O make for a great display that looks and sounds wonderful! I almost bought a second one to go into my other system. Unfortunately, the cosmetics were not very good so I passed.
 
Top loaders are -or can be- cool, but they can bring some placement issues to the rack. Of course, I usually want my main disc spinner on top anyway, so maybe not. :confused:
 
let me tell you what would make them interesting...fully universal, include HDCD and reversible absolute phase. maybe include streaming options that would be easy to implement. NOW you might have a digital player that is as interesting as a good analog player (LP of course) but that also needs to be available for full on enjoyment.,
 
Top loading CD players would offer fantastic reliability if people were careful with dirt and dust and never left the tops open as they are way simpler to implement.

Due to 'laser emission' fears and expensive warranty claims for damaged laser heads (from curious fingers and spilled drinks), complicated drawer mechanisms with their associated issues became the norm. Also, the CD player needed to go in the stack- after all, the turntable was still king.

Once the TT was dead, we started to see carousel style CD players designed to sit on the top of a rack (Technics et al). Personally, I like putting the Disc straight on the spindle and putting a puck on top- it's more interactive than watching a CD disappear into a slot or drawer.
 
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