I own an old sharp single disc cd player that was manufactured in 1991. My question is, what are some appreciable differences between an inexpensive cd player thats about 15 years old (besides no digital inputs)and a brand new one? At this point my player has only sentimental value but I'd like to keep using it until it dies. the model # is DX-200. thanks.
I once compared a 95 Model sony cd player which was mid price but without digital outputs. I compared it to the Pioneer universal DVD Player DV565a and the result was the sony was as good. The fancy Pioneer coulden't top it.
New cd players are often much better than old ones. An old friend of mine who is an audio dealer recently (a couple of years ago) replaced his several year old 8k DAC and transport with an NAD C542 as he felt that the NAD offered better sound.
Micahel, with a cd player you are livin' on borrowed time after 7-8 years.
Nuck, the fact remains that cd playback gets better all of the time. We have just reaced the point where it consistently sounds like music. Take the Saturn and Apollo for example. Performance not even considered possible 10 yrs ago can now be had for less than 1k.
True enough, Art, however, the build of transports past, in conjunction with anti-jitter present make for a convincing reason to keep the oldies intact. Particularly when used in conjunction with some more available converters, a case can be made for an upgraded unit for equal money to the new models. This veers away from the OP, sorry, but a few mainstream mods can make a kickass player from a sows ear. Silk purse not included.
Intersting discussion! I own a Sony CDP X77ES (1991). Build unbeatable (17 kg!), great transport mechanism (heavy and solid drawer), lovely sound, and.............the laser unit died. It turned out that the laser unit of this particular type of CD player is not available any more, at least thats what my dealer told me. The other day I ran into a Sony CDP-777ES, and I am tempted to buy it (€350). But what if the laser unit breaks down? Would this one be available? How can I find out? Where are laser units like this produced? Anybody has a clue?
Very early CD players used very highly specified metal transport mechanism in even the entry level models. The famous drives were things like the Philips CDM1. There are still players working today with these mechs in them. That's 25 years which ain't bad in anybody's book.
However, the CD laser mechanism was originally designed to be a cheap, easily replaced item with just a 7-year lifespan. It's not unusual for good players to go on playing for 10 - 15 years but the reality is that the laser mech will eventually call it a day.
Of course, apart from the laser mech, the rest of the machine is also ageing (just like the rest of us). This means that things like the output caspacitors will have got a bit more tired and not be quite up to spec. Now, there is actually a benefit to this. Many early players were considered to have relatively hard treble outputs. Tired electronics have a tendency to dull the treble so in fact the unit probably sounds a lot mellower than it used to. Of course, if the caps degrade too much then the player will sound harsh (and occasionally pop softly). As for the digital electronics such as the DAC itself, the clock, etc., they are less prone to ageing defect since the amount of power they tend to be steady-state items with a steady amount of power going through them. It's mainly output capacitors and transistors that age obviously.
I bought my Magnavox / Philips player when they were new in about '82 or '83. It was the original 14 bit toploader with no features to speak of. Build like a tank, with even a double thick, like thermopane, top lid and all metal construction. Where can I get the laser replaced and it recapped? It was a landmark design and I'd like to get it fixed. It was in continuous service for 20+ yrs.
I could not resist, I bought the Sony CDP-X777ES. The sound is unbelievable: smooth and clear and a beautiful bass. I brought my Harmon/Kardon HD 970 to my museum.... I promised the dealer to light a candle every night, to pray that the laser unit will last for 20 more years. In the mean time I will keep on looking for people who are able to REPAIR the laser unit, instead of replacing it.