montesquieu
04-04-2019, 13:38
I bought this from Matt 'Schneiderhan' back last autumn: https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?61013-Sony-CDP-555ESD-masterpiece-from-the-late-1980s-%A3300
I have really enjoyed this both as a player and as a top notch transport, but it's surplus to requirements now that I have reorganised my second system around a smaller footprint. It's actually an astonishing bit of kit for the money it costs nowadays and totally challenges any notion as to whether there's been any improvement at all in redbook since the late 80s. The pedigree of this one and the fact it's been fully serviced makes it an outrageous bargain in my book.
(Arguably things went backwards for a while before the same approach used in the TDA1541A here was rediscovered in later years). To say nothing of the battleship build.
I'm looking for £300 for this and my preference is collection or a meet-up in the M3/M4/M25/A34/M40 'triangle'. Not keen to ship it as it's such a fine example.
I couldn't describe it any better than Matt did so I'm going to pinch his description:
A masterpiece, one of the top of the range Sony players from the late 1980s, cost was £1,000 back in 1987. This is the one with the Philips DAC. Build quality and attention to detail is amazing - look at the size of the power supplies! Sony's best transport mechanism - the KSS190A, plus the legendary Philips TDA1541A. Produces a wonderful, clear and rich sound with real presence and depth. For more information see - http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-CDP-555ESD.html And it's beautiful too, to my eyes anyway. In very good condition, two small nicks at the front (see pic) but barely noticeable.
In full working order and recently serviced by MikeP (not sure if he’s a member of AoS but he’s well known on pfm and is a very good egg who knows his way around these players like few others). Work included: -
Cleaned laser upper lens.
Cleaned and lubed the tray mechanism/guide rod.
Relubricated laser sled guide rails.
Lubricated the electric motors and also the bottom bearing of the main platter/spindle motor.
Adjusted PLL frequency.
Adjusted focus bias.
Adjusted focus gain.
Adjusted tracking gain.
Adjusted EF balance.
Belts also recently replaced. The story behind this player was that it was owned by a guy who worked for a studio in Switzerland over the summer - this was part of the rig he had at his home in Switzerland and so it had limited use (plus he told me that he listened to the radio most of the time). I bought it in approx 2014 - it's had very little use since then. So hopefully it should be good for a while yet.
Mike converted the player to run at the proper voltage (240V, not 220V), and has a UK plug. Original remote control included.
https://i.imgur.com/YrPMH3s.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wSRQ66c.jpg
I have really enjoyed this both as a player and as a top notch transport, but it's surplus to requirements now that I have reorganised my second system around a smaller footprint. It's actually an astonishing bit of kit for the money it costs nowadays and totally challenges any notion as to whether there's been any improvement at all in redbook since the late 80s. The pedigree of this one and the fact it's been fully serviced makes it an outrageous bargain in my book.
(Arguably things went backwards for a while before the same approach used in the TDA1541A here was rediscovered in later years). To say nothing of the battleship build.
I'm looking for £300 for this and my preference is collection or a meet-up in the M3/M4/M25/A34/M40 'triangle'. Not keen to ship it as it's such a fine example.
I couldn't describe it any better than Matt did so I'm going to pinch his description:
A masterpiece, one of the top of the range Sony players from the late 1980s, cost was £1,000 back in 1987. This is the one with the Philips DAC. Build quality and attention to detail is amazing - look at the size of the power supplies! Sony's best transport mechanism - the KSS190A, plus the legendary Philips TDA1541A. Produces a wonderful, clear and rich sound with real presence and depth. For more information see - http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-CDP-555ESD.html And it's beautiful too, to my eyes anyway. In very good condition, two small nicks at the front (see pic) but barely noticeable.
In full working order and recently serviced by MikeP (not sure if he’s a member of AoS but he’s well known on pfm and is a very good egg who knows his way around these players like few others). Work included: -
Cleaned laser upper lens.
Cleaned and lubed the tray mechanism/guide rod.
Relubricated laser sled guide rails.
Lubricated the electric motors and also the bottom bearing of the main platter/spindle motor.
Adjusted PLL frequency.
Adjusted focus bias.
Adjusted focus gain.
Adjusted tracking gain.
Adjusted EF balance.
Belts also recently replaced. The story behind this player was that it was owned by a guy who worked for a studio in Switzerland over the summer - this was part of the rig he had at his home in Switzerland and so it had limited use (plus he told me that he listened to the radio most of the time). I bought it in approx 2014 - it's had very little use since then. So hopefully it should be good for a while yet.
Mike converted the player to run at the proper voltage (240V, not 220V), and has a UK plug. Original remote control included.
https://i.imgur.com/YrPMH3s.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wSRQ66c.jpg