Wanted: portable CD player with digital output ... is there such a thing?

[jandl100]

Anyone got one spare?

[Lawrence001]

As far as I know the answer is no (maybe some obscure high end Sony studio model or something). The best I've found is just an aux/line out so you don't rely on the rubbish built in headphone amp.

[Landloper]

Jerry, some of the Sony CD Walkmans released during the years the Mini Disc enjoyed popularity had optical outs. They called it an 'MD-Link' at the time, but it was nothing other than an optical digital out. The following models for example:

D-EJ835
D-EJ785
D-EJ100

The cables used were marketed as a 'Sony MD Link Cable' [e.g.the Sony POC 5B] but they were just Mini-toslink to Toslink cables.

[jandl100]

Thanks, John - very useful.

[Lawrence001]

You live and learn, I thought they were proprietary links...

[Landloper]

I had a natty Sony D-NE10 CD & Mp3/ATRAC Walkman for a while which had a dual purpose headphone/optical 3.5mm out for recording to DAT or MD. A standard optical cable with a mini adaptor worked fine. Perhaps the Sony 'MD Link' cables were extra slim at the mini end as the normal cable was a bit on the 'snug' side because of a slight overhang above the audio out port. The only let was that you couldn't use the remote control at the same time, so no way to check the tracks or times &c. It was - for the time - a very slim portable unit, and was quite expensive.

[jandl100]

Thanks, John - there's a Sony machine on ebay, one of the models you listed, that I have put an offer in for.

[Eaton Mess]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-D-EJ...8AAOSwFO5aFz4w

[jandl100]

Yup, thanks Malcolm, that's on my ebay Watch list already.

[Landloper]

'...there's a Sony machine on ebay, one of the models you listed, that I have put an offer in for....'

Good luck, Jerry!