Early CD players with digital outputs.

[twelvebears]

Guys.

Wonder if you can help me out here.

Trying to hunt down an early model CD player with a bomb-proof CD transport to use with my Beresford, ideally one of the REALLY early ones BUT I'm struggling to work out which ones have a digital output, as it seems that some of the earliest ones didn't (why would they? How could any one think of external DA conversion?!!) and if the eBay ads don't show the back it's hard to tell.

Any ideas?

[DaveK]

Hi Steve,
What year constitutes "early" ? I have a Cambridge Audio DVD57 that plays almost everything and anything, complete with rc. I've had it for a while from new but can't remember when I bought it. You may have a loan of it if it will help but I find it's flexibility too valuable to let it go permanently.
Cheers,
Dave.

[twelvebears]

Hi Dave.

I looking for one to buy, and by early, I'm thinking 1st generation of at least 80s...

[DSJR]

Make sure you can get a machine with a laser that can be replaced, as some of the classics cannot now be repaired - I think my CDM1 based machine is now one of these

Many of the early models had sh*tty clock drivers, so you will almost certainly have to do some updating. One of the Meridians (201 or 207) may just about be serviceable and Bob Stuart was one of the first to work on the clock circuits..

I think some of the Sony's from the mid eighties may still be serviceable, such as the 502/505/555ES and the models that came immediately after (577?/777?). Pioneer did a lovely machine, the PD91, which shouldn't need an external DAC to do its stuff.

One last one that you may not have considered - the Linn Karik. Linn don't want to know, but I understand lasers can be got (they're a Hitachi type I think) and if you know someone who can fit and set them up right (adjusting the brightness correctly etc.), you will have a pleasant sounding integrated player (if the music isn't too complex) and a lovely transport which works slickly and tracks bad discs well too...

To be honest, i bet a modern cheapy like a Cambridge 640C would probably be at least as good as an eighties dreadnought if not as "solid."

[Yiangos]

Actually,i believe none of the early players' transport can be replaced.Most manufacturers
nowdays use cd-rom mechanisms instead of regular ones,so,when the thing goes "pop" you are left out in the cold

[Beechwoods]

I looking for one to buy, and by early, I'm thinking 1st generation of at least 80s...

Steve - none of the 1st Gen CDPs came with digital outs. I think it was around 1987 that the first SPDIF standard output decks came onto the market. This was relatively late in the day given the first CD's hit the market in late 1982.

Happy hunting. There are some very nice early CDPs around, some at very good prices.

[trailer]

Look for something that has the clock updated (Trichord etc). If you can get hold of one of Trichords modified Pioneers you'll have a very good machine.

[MartinT]

I used to own a Pioneer PD-91 (from the Elite range). It was built like a tank, looked gorgeous and, most importantly, had S/PDIF out. It sounded pretty damned good on its own, even better as a transport.

[symon]

Look for something that has the clock updated (Trichord etc). If you can get hold of one of Trichords modified Pioneers you'll have a very good machine.

Don't know if this is early enough, but this deck is damn fine and this one specifically has the updates referred to:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pioneer-PD-S70...d=p3286.c0.m14
If I could afford it right now, I would get this.

[Alex_UK]

Don't know if this is early enough, but this deck is damn fine and this one specifically has the updates referred to:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pioneer-PD-S70...d=p3286.c0.m14
If I could afford it right now, I would get this.

Don't go advertising it, I've been watching that one for days!

Does look nice, doubt it will be a "bargain" though with the early interest on it already