Stand alone CD players

[celticguitar6666]

Hey I am able to post to this section again I was having difficulty earlier*Hi5*.
Anyway I was reading the newest issue of Stereophile and they were reveiwing a New CD player Nuforce $1500. The begining of the review mentioned that new cd only players are becoming obsolete sort of. The de riguer is universal players and why would someone want a stand alone player in this day and age set up for the rest of the article. especially considering his words CD is an obsolete medium 16bit 44hz My question or poll if you like who still uses a stand alone is it newer or vintage and who has spent the big bucks on a high end new gear and see's any difference?
Dwight

[speakerman1]

I have 2 stand alones that are newer. Both are tubed. Yes I do like them very much. So yes if I had the money I would buy them both again. They aren't cheap.

Larry

[celticguitar6666]

I have 2 stand alones that are newer. Both are tubed. Yes I do like them very much. So yes if I had the money I would buy them both again. They aren't cheap.

Larry

Oh Yeah as with most of the new gear the skys the limt I have seen $6000 and up reviewed
Dwight

[Rat44]

I have a Marantz 5001 that plays CD's only.
I was using a Denon before that.
Tried one of the Universal players but many options required a TV screen to set.
My TV and stereo are in opposite ends of the house .

For TV front room use a Blu Ray players spins the disc.
It replaced a Pioneer Laserdisc player.

[hawkster27]

About a year ago, I bought an Onkyo DX-7555 after stupidly selling my Denon DCD-3000, thinking my Oppo DV-983H could handle both DVDs and CDs equally well. Not so. The DX-7555 is nice enough, but can't hold a candle to the DCD-3000. If buying today, I'd probably go with the Oppo BD83SE, which has an enhanced audio section. Bet it still couldn't touch the Denon, though.

[Converse]

The only reason that I have bought a couple of standalone CD players is for setting up a home system for recording CD's to tapes, basically the same setup as we would have had back in the day.

It's funny you mention this as I purchased a Pioneer CD player from a second hand dealer, and the shop attendant said to me, "Are you sure you want to buy this CD player, we have dvd players over there for the same price and they also play CD's?". I said na mate I prefer these older standalone CD players, they have great old features, plus a headphone jack and volume control. Also the old Pioneers had a cassette tape size track shuffle option, it basically shuffles through the tracks on a cd to get the best fit onto each side of a cassette. That's one of the main reasons I prefer the old Standalone CD players, I guess they had more features built in for people to record from CD to tape, I don't think any new CD players have the same sort of features...

I guess I have tried to set up my system so it's as it was back in the glory days of cassettes...hehe...great memories...

*reelspin* *reelspin*

*thumbsup*

[alxwz]

Speaking of great old features, how about that 20-key direct track access feature on the players themselves?

About the only reason to love my otherwise completely unremarkable Sony CDP-415:

http://www.hifi-pictures.net/CD/Sony%20CDP-415/Sony%20CDP-415.jpg

(I had that much better Kenwood DP-1100SG, but it passed away, unfortunately.)

[390FE]

I have stand alone players. My Sony X229ES also has a Tape Edit function. I bought it new back in the early 90's.

17382

17383

I also have 4 portable Optimus CD-3400 players that have Line & Digital Out.

The 2 DVD players (1 portable with built in LCD screen) can play CD's but if I am playing JUST a CD I use a CD only player as they usually sound better & have better function controls for easier CD operation & flexability of use.

Plus I don't like the idea that you have to turn on your TV so you can operate some of these "all in one" players to listen to a CD through your sound system. Just plain stupid & a dumb idea in my book. A CD player all you do is turn it on along with your sound system of choice put in a CD & press play & enjoy. No wasting energy turning on a TV to listen to a CD through your sound system & effectivly shortening the life of the TV in the process.

For the most part I DON'T like "All In One" units because everything depends on that 1 unit & if it fails you got NOTHING until you either get it fixed or can buy a new one. Plus with a combo CD/DVD unit the # of hours put on the laser goes WAY up because you are using it to play BOTH CD's & DVD's shortening its life & when it dies you have BOTH NO music & NO movies untill you can afford to buy a new one.

[El Monte Slim]

I have several Sony ES series Carousel Players, and I think they have a really nice sound to them. They're quiet, work well, allow direct access to the tracks and have the convenience of full-function remote controls.

But my favorite is my first. I've had it for over 25 years, and it still works like a charm. Built like a battleship as well.


http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd167/winnabowflash/Vintage%20audio%20album/MVC-008F-5-1.jpg?t=1290999388


I have an ample supply of ES units to last me until I die or go deaf. They'll be no high-dollar CD players for El Monte Manor. I also have a Nakamichi CD Changer that I acquired as part of a "package deal" when I was going for a couple of other items that I really wanted.

I do most of my listening from RTR tape. As long as my supply of RTRs continue to work, that probably won't change. *no*

[LesX55]

Hi all,

Yes,yes and yes.....The Sony ES CDPs are fabulous.
My first was the 222es and in 1990 i got the X55es......sold it in 2010 ( mint )and now have the SCD-1

[speakerman1]

I am now looking at a CD transport with an outboard DAC. Will see if I like it that way. Haven't decided on the DAC. The transports and DACs can get spendy.

Larry

[Warped Bezel]

DVD/CD players have TWO laser diodes, one for each!

If you totally lose one the entire assembly needs to be replaced!


I have stand alone players. My Sony X229ES also has a Tape Edit function. I bought it new back in the early 90's.

17382

17383

I also have 4 portable Optimus CD-3400 players that have Line & Digital Out.

The 2 DVD players (1 portable with built in LCD screen) can play CD's but if I am playing JUST a CD I use a CD only player as they usually sound better & have better function controls for easier CD operation & flexability of use.

Plus I don't like the idea that you have to turn on your TV so you can operate some of these "all in one" players to listen to a CD through your sound system. Just plain stupid & a dumb idea in my book. A CD player all you do is turn it on along with your sound system of choice put in a CD & press play & enjoy. No wasting energy turning on a TV to listen to a CD through your sound system & effectivly shortening the life of the TV in the process.

For the most part I DON'T like "All In One" units because everything depends on that 1 unit & if it fails you got NOTHING until you either get it fixed or can buy a new one. Plus with a combo CD/DVD unit the # of hours put on the laser goes WAY up because you are using it to play BOTH CD's & DVD's shortening its life & when it dies you have BOTH NO music & NO movies untill you can afford to buy a new one.

[thidaho]

I have two early (swing arm) Magnavox CDB500's that are fabulous little decks.....I have no desire for anything else. That's why I have two, just in case*Hi5*

[Warped Bezel]

All in the door, do you mean? I've got one of those type and the door slides on it's own. No display but what a nice sound!

[shadowlord]

I bought a cambridge audio CD-Player about 2 years ago.
i features a dual Wolfson DAC and sounds awesome.

But i can see why the stand alone CDP sales are declining.
Most of today's pop albums have an awful sound due to bad mastering (see loudness war).
So most people won't hear a difference between a stand alone CDP and an all in one unit with this CDs. So why should they bother to buy a stand alone untit.

Plus a lot of young people grow up with their i-pods and file downloads.
So they don't see the need for a CDP. They simply connect their i-pod to an amp/powered speakers. Or even worse.... i see a lot of young people walking around with music blasting from the external speaker of their mobile phone :(


So if they record companies change direction and start producing good quality recordings again there might be a future marked for CD-Players. (at least with the audiophile crowd)

But if not, i'm sure the stand alone CDP will soon vanish from the shelves.
As audiophiles will look for different formats, not plagued by hot mastering.
And the young crowd simply doesn't care.

[perry]

Also the old Pioneers had a cassette tape size track shuffle option, it basically shuffles through the tracks on a cd to get the best fit onto each side of a cassette.

What a great feature (if it allowed a good use of 60, 90, 100, 110, 120 choices)! First time I ever heard of it. I wish my Pioneer PDR-99s had that. Besides being a truly outstanding stable platter analog burner, it is the best player I've ever heard, despite being 20 years old, beating the nice Denon carousel, and Yamaha 10 disc cartridge changer( that had a matching car changer) I have. Just curious, did it also incorporate the time between songs?

[RedGrant]

Well, I don't see the reason for stand alone cd player at all. Basically audiophile grade sources for the music I like are all available in LPs, now if it was only available in cd, then I can see the reason for it.

Still, looking for beogram cd50 just as an eye candy and nostalgic reason.

[thidaho]

This is what a swing arm laser looks like. Also the Magnavox has twin TDA1543 DACs for a really sweet sound

[Warped Bezel]

This is what a swing arm laser looks like. Also the Magnavox has twin TDA1543 DACs for a really sweet sound

That's what I have.

[Dazen1]

The market for CD players has taken a massive hit in the last 10 years. If I'm honest, I think the differences between a standalone unit and a universal player are fairly small and anyone serious about CD playback need not spend a fortune.

A reliable, well made transport is all you need. If I were looking to spend a lot of money on a CD player then I would probably be looking at products like this (http://www.psaudio.com/ps/products/description/perfectwave-transport?cat=audio).

[Skywavebe]

From a service point of view,
The linear tracking CD's were the thing to get. These are the ones without the worm gear. These were coil and magnet operated usually in the ES line of Sony. The Philips units were also of the same characteristics in that they did not use a worm gear but a hard drive type of swing arm. That is what is in the Magnavox. So no matter if it swings or slides in a straight line, the coil
drive is the way to get to other songs fast and without skipping.
Of course the ES line of Sony also made use of many improvements over the regular consumer line in the conversion section. I am sure there are improvements to be made by guys like ANT but in general the Burr Brown D-A converters did a good job and were the standard of the time.

[thidaho]

That's what I have.

I'm going to have to check it out......might steal your momma cat to live in my barn also*eyepop*......plenty of grub and heated water for her and mice up the ying yang!*Hi5*

[Redfox]

I still use a cd 16bit/44Khz only. I have had quite many, from various brands, but now I am satisfied with a modyfied Copalnd CDA-288 Mk II special.
I know there's newer formats out there, but I did not hear something else so speaking to my ears. i like the big McIntosh though. But I prefer and keep my Copland.
I am going to listen to Rega's new cd-player versus McIntosh versus teh new Copland. That's going to be fun.

I will never, I repeat never buy a multi product. I am looking for an extra of thse Coplands, just to have spares. I repair it myself. Just installed a new gear for the tray, modyfied with a XO clock and pwr. supply, and minor other mods. More on it's way. But for now, I enjoy my tcd-3014a = musical heaven.

Speaking of converters, I have not heard anything more musical than BB PCM63P-K.
Just my two pence.

Cheers,
jacques

[Converse]

What a great feature (if it allowed a good use of 60, 90, 100, 110, 120 choices)! First time I ever heard of it. I wish my Pioneer PDR-99s had that. Besides being a truly outstanding stable platter analog burner, it is the best player I've ever heard, despite being 20 years old, beating the nice Denon carousel, and Yamaha 10 disc cartridge changer( that had a matching car changer) I have. Just curious, did it also incorporate the time between songs?


Hey there Perry, sorry for the delay in reply mate, I haven't really been back to this site in ages until recently and for some reason I couldn't check my past history or settings until tonight. It kept telling me that I wasn't allowed to check these or I didn't have the authorisation or something, but all is good now, the forum is working great!

I just turned on the old Pioneer CD player to double check the settings. After you put a CD in the player it will show you the total time of that CD and how many tracks are on it. (I think most CD players might have done this also). But there is a button called "AUTO PGM" on this model. It is printed on the front panel so look out for this button on the player if your searching for an older Pioneer model with this feature.

So just chuck in a CD that you want to record onto a cassette. Hit the "AUTO PGM" button and just type in using the track number buttons any size length of tape from as small as a 1 minute tape (30 seconds per side..lol). Or as high as a 99 minute cassette (closest to a 100 minute tape). You can type in any size of tape in between these numbers. So that includes all your classic sizes of 60, 74, and 90 minute tapes. Yes it seems that it didn't cater for the bigger size cassettes. The highest I can choose with the keypad is 99 minutes.

Yes I think it does incorporate the time in between the songs as it selects the songs that will be played in sequence for each side of the cassette as a total length.

It will then show you which songs are for side "A" and which ones will be for side "B" of your cassette. When you hit play it will play all the songs to be recorded on the first side of your tape, then it will pause when it's finished playing the first side of songs, so you can then turn your cassette over and get it ready to record the other side, once your ready just hit the play button and it will play the songs to be recorded onto the other side.

I don't use it much these days as I usually just record the tracks in the same order as they are on the album these days and don't stress to much about the blank space left at the end of the tape. But back in the day when I recorded tapes for listening to on my Sony Walkman to and from work everyday, I used to make tapes with this feature all the time to try and minimise any length of blank space on the ends of the tapes before it would switch over to the other side. *bigthumbsup*