Well I guess this starts with the fact that I've bought many CD players. In fact they are my most common item.
In fact I questioned why I kept buying them until I found the one I've used for a long while now.
Now, I was always under an impression that different CD players sound different. I'm not sure why I thought this, but I did. I was constantly searching for one that sounded "right". I couldn't find it though.
Well, then I found a beat up Technics. An SL-PC33 to be exact. Labeled with a mash DAC and an front plate that comes out with the tray, I thought why not? What's $10?
This leads me to when I got home and plugged it in. I immediately noticed something different, mostly in the low end. I could never figure it out. Today my best guess is because of the imperfections on the mash system, being the first one-bit DAC it actually had noticable difference due to tolerance and such.
Anyway, yesterday I pulled out my old RCA CD-9500. It's a big ol changer. 301 discs I guess. Anyway, I hooked it up, and again, I noticed something different. This time it was more of a feeling though. There was no real audible difference, maybe I had to turn up some bass or something, but other than that it sounded the same. But it was a nostalgic feeling. It reminded me of the somewhat depressive time of when I used this changer. I have no real explanation for this but I thought it would be cool to share.
But this brings me to now, I'm currently downsizing and organizing. Deciding what I do and don't need. And I realize the ease of use of the RCA, the massive capacity, the size and everything. And I like it all. But part of me wonders if I should keep both. Part of me wants to get rid of the Technics, and that it doesn't matter, it's just a CD player.
I guess the moral of the story is, do any of you guys have ideas like this? Any sort of explanation? I know CD players matter so little, but I've had interesting experiences with them.