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Thread: Modern versus vintage CD players

  1. #1
    Join Date: Dec 2015

    Location: Alicante. Spain.

    Posts: 1,885
    I'm Adrian.

    Default Modern versus vintage CD players

    I'm toying with the idea of buying a digital source and am interested in the cream of the cream of Sony, Pioneer from the 80s. But, are they fixable if anything goes wrong, and do they really lose out on sound
    quality? I'm talking the best of the best from that era - so not cheap even now.

    Any thoughts...
    Technics SP10 mk2
    Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
    Miyajima Shilabe cart
    Hashimoto HM-X SUT
    Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
    Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
    The Truth linestage
    Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
    Cary 805c SET amps
    Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
    Townshend Isolda speaker cables
    Cardas Golden Presence interconnects

  2. #2
    montesquieu Guest

    Default Modern versus vintage CD players

    If you want vintage look I'd go audio research .. good performers too. Look hasn't changed much either since the original CD1 reference in the early 90s so plenty of options and price points.

    I had a Pioneer Elite something or other that was very good but not sure I would put it up against my current audio note DAC ... the ARC would compete though I think.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,772
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Mostly they are fixable but you are still taking a chance. Asking prices for the rarer stuff doesn't really reflect that, unfortunately. That will change as CD continues to become a quaint relic from the 1990s. Despite that there will always be some residual value in the best players though; I mean you can't pick up a working Sony Elcassete machine or a Nakamichi Dragon for buttons and you probably never will.

    As for sound, the improvement of digital since the 1980s has been mostly in the mind and the marketing departments, IMO of course.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Dec 2015

    Location: Alicante. Spain.

    Posts: 1,885
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    I was thinking top of the Sony chain, not the es range. I too had an elite and agree Tom - not the ultimate but looked lovely.
    Technics SP10 mk2
    Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
    Miyajima Shilabe cart
    Hashimoto HM-X SUT
    Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
    Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
    The Truth linestage
    Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
    Cary 805c SET amps
    Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
    Townshend Isolda speaker cables
    Cardas Golden Presence interconnects

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

    Default

    Often not repairable or very difficult sourcing the parts and getting increasing more so as tempus fugits... I'd avoid.
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  6. #6
    Join Date: Dec 2015

    Location: Alicante. Spain.

    Posts: 1,885
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    I guess even if it comes with a 12m warranty that doesn't mean most of that time won't be spent on the bench.
    Technics SP10 mk2
    Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
    Miyajima Shilabe cart
    Hashimoto HM-X SUT
    Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
    Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
    The Truth linestage
    Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
    Cary 805c SET amps
    Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
    Townshend Isolda speaker cables
    Cardas Golden Presence interconnects

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    Often not repairable or very difficult sourcing the parts and getting increasing more so as tempus fugits... I'd avoid.
    Agreed. Plus, there's a lot of modern budget DACs out there that'll outperform vintage CDPs, without the issue of failing transports - modern transports unfortunately probably won't last 20+yrs like the vintage stuff is / was.
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Location: penzance,cornwall uk

    Posts: 358
    I'm paul.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    Often not repairable or very difficult sourcing the parts and getting increasing more so as tempus fugits... I'd avoid.
    spot on and so true....spare yourself the heart ache and cost

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2017

    Location: Cheshire UK

    Posts: 843
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    There is a small community after certain vintage players but they know what they are doing to service and restore them. They know what mechanisms they are looking for and often have spare parts to hand. The lampizator crew as I call them and a surprising number of people in Yorkshire

    I was only interested in the first players for nostalgia. I soon got out when they were difficult to repair.

    You would be far better putting your money towards the units currently produced

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jun 2009

    Location: KEW,Richmond

    Posts: 64
    I'm Philip.

    Default

    My Audio Research CD1 is still performing anybody else still using one?Think it cost me £300 a couple of years ago bin fodder when it fails though!

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