What’s Better an Old CD Player or a New One?

Discover the perfect CD player for your audio needs. This video breaks down the essentials-budget, features, sound quality, and durability-to help you choose between the allure of vintage models and the innovation of new ones.
Link to the TDA-1541 Players: bit.ly/3V2OiI7
New CD Players:
Yamaha CD-S303: howl.me/clUOtz9zOaK
NAD C 538: howl.me/clUOueMHEZP
Cambridge Audio AXC35: howl.me/clUOuOVu3fC
Rotel CD11 Tribue: howl.me/clUOwBhwByB
Primare CD35 Prisma: howl.me/clUOxu2fkly
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0:00 Intro
1:15 Why Vintage?
3:37 New Players
7:46 Qualify Yourself
#cds #cdplayer #vintagetech #hifi

[@kevinh96]

One often overlooked way to get a great sounding CD player for a budget price is to consider some of the high end DVD players from the early 2000s. I have several dedicated CD players from Technics, Sony and Panasonic as well as a new Audiolab Omnia but one of my favourites is a Pioneer DV-737 DVD player from the early 2000s. It is built like a tank, looks fantastic in it's champagne gold finish, has digital outputs and sounds absolutely excellent and they can be bought quite cheaply on Ebay.

[@mykandrew]

I’ll have to check that out, thanks Kevin!

[@deadandburied7626]

I use Pioneer Psd 701, a 1990s CDP. Nice warm sound and also has a digital optical output. Bought new at the time.

[@alanrogs3990]

Yes, because they are DVD players people tend to sell them cheap even though they were over $1000 when they were new. But old expensive CD players tend to still be costly.

[@rayr4320]

I never stopped listening to CD. I used to own phillips CD player. It lasted about 20 years. I have owned Audiolab CDs, but they failed prematurely. Now I own Sony CD/SACD player. Mine has the same specs as the newer Sony (UBP-X800M2). Very inexpensive and it doesnt sound any different than higher priced units. Repeat after me- "It doesnt sound any different" and I use 3 Pass labs monoblock amps to play my music (CD). Prices are going back up on the sony...it used to be had for under 100 bucks.

[@MovieGuy846]

My Sony, DVP-S7700, DVD player would be in that category of being a great DVD and CD player. Build quality in this unit is excellent right down to the copper chassis and separate power supplies for better isolation. But regardless of that, my favorite sounding CD player is my Pioneer, CLD-3030, LD player that sports twin Burr Brown PCM-56 DAC’s along with a 4x oversampling / 16 bit digital filter. None of my other players sound as warm as this baby of mine.

[@karlisdizbite6432]

I Have Nakamichi Stasis system and for CD player I have Nakamichi CDP-2 with TDA1541 chip inside. The sound is heavenly.

[@rogerking7258]

I've just bought my first CD player in 35 years. The old Philips one was still working fine, but the new Rotel is definitely superior in sound quality, sounding clearer and more transparent, but not by a country mile. It feeds into a 50 year old Rotel receiver that has been re-capped and which sounds as good as modern amps in an inflation adjusted equivalent price range.

[@SteveClarke-iu4ps]

I have two vintage CD players: Marantz CD63 KI Signature that I bought brand new around 1995 - £400 then and a Meridian 200 CD transport and the complementary 203 DAC - the bit stream version circa 1990/1 I think; Ebay purchase back around 2005. Both are working fine for their ages and don't miss a beat. I mainly use the CD63 KI and use it as a transport (into a SMSL DO300EX DAC) - the sound from it's own internal DAC is nice, a bit soft and not as detailed compared to todays DAC's. Not fatiguing at all. The Merdian 200/203 is a beast and weighs a ton. The transport is a Philips CD1 - if I recall correctly. The DAC/ bit stream chips are TDA's but can't remember what? Sound : very musical, full and not analytical. It's a toe tapper. It comes out from time to time as I like to mix things up a bit. A friend has the CD63 MkII CD player still going in daily use - only needed a draw belt change. Worth looking into if you are after a vintage bit of kit.

[@frankr8271]

The Denon DVD-3930Ci weighing 25Lbs Circa 2008 is pretty amazing and plays most anything

[@bradgiesbrecht6543]

TECHNICS SL G700. This player has everything you need. Built in headphone amplifier. Playback of Redbook, SACD & MQA CD'S. Stream anything you like. Incredible build quality. I've had this piece of gear in my setup for the past 3 years. Brought new life to my CD collection. KEEP THE CD ALIVE !!!

[@rene_magritte]

My good old 1987 Pioneer PD-M50 (PCM56P-J Burr-Brown DAC chip) still rocks my world!

[@chrissmith7669]

Demon DCD 2560. bought it 35 years ago and still kicks butt. Lol. I’ve intended to do the D/A upgrade for 20 years. Chips are likely long out of stock.

[@heavychevy4616]

the fact that a cd player can be a "nostalgic" thang is quite comical to me... in fact, when i built my car audio dream system 2 years ago, i struggled to find the right one, with all the necessary bells & whistles, ie; time alignment, sound staging, etc., but WITH a cd player... it was a tougher search than what i thought itd be if im honest... always enjoy ur videos, thank u sir

[@DPSingh-px4xu]

You keep talkin' bout' the right stuff Michael....I use a 25 year old NAD C520 which is built like a brick shite house and weighs in hefty...the coax digital out was one of the first to buffer and isolate using a transformer from the internal dac ....so today with a crazy good dac this beast sings better than it did brand new.

[@ShazeemKhan]

NAD is awesome, I miss myC326 BEE. I saw they brought back a similar CD player for around USD 350, any thoughts on this?

[@wFullSnakeOilHighMileageSynthe]

NAD 5000

[@ruthelainefry2076]

I have a Meridian 508 , have owned it for years and it is truly wonderful ,wouldn't change it although I had to travel a long distance to have it serviced by an ex Meridian guy .

[@mehmetcamat4458]

I had an old Marantz CD player from the 90s which I was using up until now but I decided to buy a Roksan Attessa CD transport and connected to my Gustard R26 DAC. I really enjoy more now all my CD collection. The sound got much smoother and natural. The problem with old CD players were their dacs I suppose their sound were edgy and thin

[@mikecoffee100]

Subscribed Thank You good content and very informal

[@hafizamrabz4215]

Can you make a video on mini hifi component system that played casette and cds and also had rca dials at the back. They were dope. In the late 90s and early 2000s.

[@mykandrew]

Not gonna lie those were pretty dope and I had a few throughout my early years!

[@hauskahirvi]

I have a Philips CD960 (1990 vintage or there abouts). I have had it since since about 1992. It is still working fine and the laser and transport is very robust. It plays all CDs with no errors (including CDrs). I have been using it daily for many years. I have only had to change the belts that open and close the CD loading tray. Everything else works fine. In fact I have some components and schematics from a former Philips engineer to make some mods to improve the DAC. I still need to install the components.

[@user-mz6lt2pr9s]

I still have the 1st CD player I bought. A Scott in 1987 and it still sounds good. Still have my 300 disc Sony carousel from 2007. The Rotel RCD 1572 MKII I bought last year sounds the best. Different players for different systems. Still buying CDs. Especially reissues with live music I can’t get through streaming.

[@rayr4320]

The carousels never sound as good as the single CD deck. There are sony and phillips CD players however, that are the equal of the Rotel on the basis of SNR and harmonic distortion. I never got to see a scott player

[@clivepacker]

I’ve had several Rotel models over the years but now run an Emotiva ERC-4 which for me is the absolute best value for money. It sounds superb, it’s well built, and it has digital inputs for my computer and TV as well as a fully balanced design internally (dual AD1955 chips running in differential mode) with XLR analog outputs. The one annoyance is it doesn’t support gapless playback but the sound quality is so good I can overlook that.

[@thomasburns1846]

Excellent video! I bought a Phillips CD680 player new back in 1988 or 1989. It is still working ti this day. I was just listening to some Moody Blues with it today. Good to know it has the TDA1541 chip in it. It really is a good sounding player.

[@Mr74martyn]

Still got my Arcam Alpha5 I bought new in the early 90s for £500. Sounds great and they regularly show up on Ebay for under £50.

[@simonzinc-trumpetharris852]

I've got an Alpha 7se and it's awesome, especially with an op amp upgrade.

[@grayfool]

I still use my mid ninieties Rega Planet. It sounds good, looks good and different, and has a digital output. And Rega supports it with parts. Highly reccomended.

[@peterlundskow4061]

Glad you made this video. I have been buying CD again like crazy lately & have a well built JVC that takes 3 CD in separate drawers & also records. I am happy with it. I use a Black Ice tube DAC going around the JVC's DAC.

[@denizekin80]

I recently picked up a Cambridge Audio CXC V2 cd transport, open box for half the full retail price. Running it through a Schiit Bifrost and I’m quite satisfied. Fits well with my modest system. Good luck to everyone in their search for their ideal player!

[@superunknown2812]

About 2 months ago i picked up a used Sony Dvp SR200p Sony Dvd player used for 20 bucks from a elderly couple in perfect condition and just recently Bought a S.M.S.L su 1 dac and hooked it up threw the digital coaxial port in the back,(made sure when i was hunting down a dvd player it had to have that port on the back in order to run a external dac).Now the sound before using the dac with the dac inside the dvd player was actually really good...but with the S.M.S.L su 1 its brought it too a whole other level of sound and i just got it hooked up too some small Edifier R98 speakers for a small room blown away how good it sounds,Soundstage is very wide and its very fast and bright sounding.Whole setup cost me around 230 bucks on the budget end and couldn't be happier

[@paulcridland5230]

I just purchased the Yamaha CDS303 i know it is not high end compared to Primare, Hegel etc but it is what i can afford. I would love to buy better but to be fair it sounds good to me!

[@showstopperrob1097]

Hello Michael, Since 1983 I haven't changed my CD player. Ofcourse I did serviced the player and it's still playing fantastic. I'm talking aout the Revox B225. Upgraded the op-amps and the capasitors. around a half year I did get the chanche to obtain the PRO version a Studer A725 Allmost the same player but with more features. Also serviced by time with better op-amps and capasitors. Then when they company released the Studer A727 I bought that one aswell. It has the the TDA 1541 gold crown I believe the 3 one. This machine is also serviced by time but to be honest the B225 and the A725 which have the TDA 1540 sounds to my ears still better. The players does have the Swis presission and easy to service and parts are easy to get/buy.

[@mykandrew]

That’s fantastic, I need to find one ☝️ I’ve never heard the 1540, I’ll have to go try that as well!

[@richardpoirier2506]

I bought a Sharp Stereo system after I got my tax return last year. It's also Bluetooth equipped. It was the only one I could find. The ones at the stores were crap. I have a lot of CD's and wanted to be able to continue to listen to them. It wasn't expensive either when I bought it off Amazon.

[@user-km6xh5zw9u]

I’m not an audiophile but I do love music. I started actively collecting CDs (again) a couple of years ago. I was using a cheap DVD player for playback since even entry model new CD players start at around 300 bucks and the budget concerns are real. Last year I took the plunge and bought an Onkyo C-7030 and have been happy with it. It’s not a Denon or a Marantz but the build is certainly superior to a standard DVD player and the DAC is good enough for my ears. Keep ‘em coming Mike!

[@andrewbrazier9664]

Onkyo C7030 an excellent budget choice. As you say very well made under the lid. I have the Onkyo C7070 still my main player which I love. My newer player on my 2nd system is a Rotel Tribute - a good budget player there are still a few around dealers 👍

[@henrikvl1704]

Running the digital out of a 1986 sony cdp950... into the amp dac, it is full of features and it just keeps on going.

[@rayr4320]

That was actually a bad ass CD player. If it is still functioning properly, Its Total harmonic distortion (0.003%) is equal or less than 3,000+ dollar CD players today. The newer Sony CD players are not quite as good but still worth buying relative to a 2,000+ dollar rip off unit.

[@avro66]

Hi Michael, I use a fantastic toshiba SD 900E dvd player, 2009 model, cd dvd audio and HDCD , 12kg built like a tank, sounds wonderful on its own and makes a great transport, I have a second one in mint condition, so I have spare parts if needed,also ripe for upgrading as well.great channel keep up the great content, from a UK subscriber.

[@WayneHatfieldBrotherRidge]

I've got a beautiful five disc Sony from years ago with all the bells and whistles at that time. Definitely a keeper.

[@mykandrew]

I’ve got a Sony 5 disc too! Love it!

[@trumptardtearcollector9867]

That was what I always wanted back in the day I had a 6 disc Cartridge. I believe someone else similarly care ourselves could read the information of the disk and would display the disk name and the track title very cool feature

[@WayneHatfieldBrotherRidge]

It's a CDP-C360X SONY

[@domosautomotive1929]

I have a Sony 5 disc CDP-CE500 that has a USB port and can record to USB but I have never tried it.

[@taidee]

Thanks Mike, we are paying attention.

[@mykandrew]

Thank you 🙏

[@chibugoihegihu6977]

I have a sony MHC VX 77. It works well, although there was a time finding a laser was soo troublesome. I love it. It hits the base well and immerses u in the music. It's 23 years old

[@navinadv]

Funny you mentioned Ken Ishiwata @5:40, the 63Ki or Ki Pearl did not use the 1541. I believe his machines used the Cirrus Logic DAC chip. Marantz’s CD94/95 however did.

[@kathk94]

i have the klim nomad portable cd player & absolutely love it! So light, convenient & great for individual listening.

[@mykandrew]

Nice I’ll have to check that one out!

[@LouMontana-wc7nr]

I have a small vintage audio store (both in the junk mall)(located in Southern Colorado) and I have sold a lot of CD players. The most reliable units are Onkyo, Sony and Phillips or so I have learned from the past three years.

[@mykandrew]

Where is it! I want to visit!

[@nunofernandes4501]

I have a Marantz CD6006 that sounds lovely.

[@urbanknish]

Modern Marantz CD players are incredible.

[@dragonfire61]

I'm using the Audiolab 6000CDT CD transport running into my ifi Zen One Signature dac. Superb combo.

[@kevingest5452]

I've had my Rotel RCD 950 since... Sometime in the 90s. I think parents gave it to me when they decided they wanted a multi disk changer. I've always seen it as an appliance that I didn't think much about. It's just there playing CDs when I need it to. I recently A/B tested the analog output against my Schiit Modi DAC and it sounds just as good, and the fact that it's still working 30 years later must mean it's pretty good.😊

[@ShazeemKhan]

As always I'm quite contented with you content lol. Pls don't laugh, guys, I know it's not super high end. I recently scored a minty Technics SL-PD9, only "issues" were no remote and jammed tray (CDs were dislodged internally), so I got it cheaper due to that! The belt was very good too yay! I just tore it down, cleaned it thoroughly & made sure everything is in order. Using the optical out in an external RBG DAC (I know not ultra high end, I will upgrade soon). It's very quiet, reliable, smooth, fun features & very fast to read even my home burned CDs. I ordered a remote for it, hoping to get it next couple weeks or so.

[@turbomustang84]

I'll stick with my yamaha c940 dvd / SACD player / Changer . But I do use a new DAC

[@domosautomotive1929]

A couple years ago I got a Pioneer Elite DV-47A DVD/CD player at a thrift shop with remote for $10. The Pioneer website still had the original listing in archive and new it was $1200. As a DVD player it's outdated being pre HDMI and upscaling but the bonus I discovered after getting home is it will also play SACD which was most likely the reason for the high original price. And yes, it works and sounds perfect.

[@mikeb.7845]

2004 Pioneer DV-440 DVD has sounded great for me for years (playing transported CDs/CD-Rs/DVD-R as it's connected by coax to a Magni MB > Lokius > Magnius. Gorgeous sound for a rather inexpensive setup. The Pioneer is built like a mule and plays everything with a bonus of a good 24/196 Burr Brown DAC is you do not want to use as transport. I feel a lot of people are doing this sort of thing :) Great channel!

[@mykandrew]

That’s a great setup!

[@Bill-ck3lo]

My 2003 Denon DVD-2900 with Burr-Brown DAC's is an amazing player that I love and enjoy today! I had a local guy fix the sliding door, but other than that, this unit is 18 lbs and plays everything you throw at it. DVD-Audio, SACD, Std CD's, and DVD's. Solid and beautiful sound whether 5.1 channels or in 2-channel that I currently run.

[@casualcadaver]

std CD's lol what in the world is this ?

[@Bill-ck3lo]

@@casualcadaver lol a normal CD, not SACD 🤣😂

[@jlcougilljr]

great vid Mike, some may think different but i don't care, i like what i like and that's all that matter for all of us and i use the Denon-5000 as my cd transport, a little over 36 lbs. and copper plated chassis, AL24 processor with 4-DAC 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling D/A converters. 118db S/N , i love it and IT IS A BEAST! i've found a lot of the early 1st & 2nd generation player were built pretty damn good back in the day and i certainly look forward to picking up a unit with the Philips 1541 you've referenced. i think what a lot of the newer and younger folks don't know is that a lot of the older vintage hi-fi gear were built like tanks. NOT that you can't buy high quality tank built gear these days but you WILL pay. this is the main reason i buy quality used gear as i can get very high quality built gear at a fraction of the cost. i good example of this is the explosion of demand and folks buying vintage gear like the silver Pioneer just as an example because folks have learned, although condition and maintenance is everything. truth be known, the whole industry went to shit in 1980-1981 when everything went to computer processing and bullshit plastic housings verses the beauty of the aluminum face gear of our youth. as with all manufacturing companies, the build quality will usually decrease so the companies can pump up the bottom line. BUT as we both know there are many examples the opposite. great build quality can still be purchased but for a price, but i have worked backwards in my gear collecting for decades and i can buy nice higher end used gear for a fraction of cost.

[@stargeeezer]

Thank you for carrying the torch for CD's Michael. I found your channel and have been binge watching for the last few days. I don't buy into all the rhetoric of digital versus analog. I just love music and embrace it all. LP's, 78's cassettes, CD's, reel to reel and even build most of my equipment. I have to admit I have been riding the current vinyl wave but now have been rapidly gravitating back to the CD as the price of vinyl has gotten ridiculous. I am retired and have to live pretty frugally. Analog production has just come out with a dual 45 LP of STP's Core that is supposed to sound amazing. I would LOVE to have that pressing but at $60 its not going to happen. A few months back I found an original CD of Core at a thrift for .75 and it sounds great. Where is everyone's jumping off point? I still love to crate dig for that gem but I myself have stopped buying new vinyl.

[@mykandrew]

I like collecting vinyl if it’s a band I absolutely love and I own it as a collectible. I rarely play them unfortunately. However I am a fan of all forms of physical media! I do champion the CD as my favorite though!

[@rickyiglesias5384]

About ten years ago I bought three late-80s CD decks from my local Goodwill for like $5 each (Technics, Pioneer, Toshiba). Since then, one (Pioneer) has crapped out. The other two are working great still. Those old decks are amazing in terms of longevity.

[@tomcat6735]

The Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck that was for sale at Goodwill for $12 got me on quest too. Back in the early 90s.

[@jaakanshorter]

I have a Pioneer PD-S705 ( stable platter ) I got used, like ~ 20 years ago. I've always used it as a transport from day one. The idea of playing a CD upside down like a record was so different than anyone else was making I had to get it. It's still going strong and the oldest part of my system too. The DAC was good for the time but DAC tech gets better every year for cheaper.

[@edwhitby7302]

I have been using a Rotel RCD965BX for the last 20 years and it sounds great. A few years ago I picked up a French unit called Helios 1. Wow it’s wonderful, almost as good as my 6k turntable setup. Definitely better than any streamer I’ve heard.

[@toneswinger]

I remember a Denon S1 series cd player from the early 90s with a seperate dac and cd transport it was amazing but extremely rare. Just brought a simaudio moon 6 series cd and amp and it's amazing.

[@stuartnorman8713]

I still have a Sony CDP-101 in storage for 20 years!

[@billanders9199]

I have an old Tascam BD200 that I use with it's coax output and it does sound good. It is a solidly built deck. With it's internal DAC it's not horrible but no where near as good as my external DAC.

[@gerardoruiz72]

TDA1541 really rocks, but is so transparent that if the record is great it will sound great, if the record is bad it will sound bad.

[@TS84NO]

Of the CD players I own, my 80's Philips CD150 (with dual TDA1540 DACs) is definitelly my favourite :)

[@urbanknish]

Truth: Any mid-range vintage CD player from companies like JVC, Marantz, Sony, Panasonic or Pioneer are going to sound really great but are almost equal to anything new if they have digital output pair with a DAC. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get really great sound from a CD player if you know what you are looking for. PS I would avoid newer cheap DVD players because their transports aren't as good.

[@paultomaszewski1964]

I have a nearly 20 year old Sony carousel 5 disc changer, DVP-NC85H and it works fine. It gets light use and if I connect it properly (just using as a CD player), I can watch DVD's on it as well. Is it the greatest piece of equipment, no but it does the job I ask it to do. Don't have a big expensive system, (Sony A/V receiver and Infinity Bookselfs from 30 years ago) but it doe s what I want and sounds alright.

[@ridirefain6606]

Already touched on, when considering a CD player, I personally look to new product. My experience with 2nd hand players is all too often they skip. I have tried to Penny-Pinch and acquired two, in both instances I had to spend additional funds to get them repaired. My so-called money saving measure was a fail. By the time it was all said and done it cost more than if I bought comparable new player from the get-go. That being said, if I could trust that it would be problem free. I would love to snag a Sony SCD1, it was such an overbuilt piece that they put everything they had into.

[@DuncanWEDD2019]

What about 'modding' a vintage player? Is it still worthwhile/ viable? I bought a Marantz CD85 used, as long ago as 1992. Loved the looks and build quality, and was sold, even then, on its 'lab tests' in reviews, and especially its potential for upgradability. Well, ten long years later, in 2002, had a 'Trichord' clock upgrade and 'digital output board' installed, by Trichord themselves (I'm no tech). Cost me more than I paid used for the player in the first place. Result? The proverbial 'Night and Day'. Easily the best upgrade I ever made, from soft, 'smeared' and even 'woolly' sounding (good bass weight was all, really, as far as I was concerned), to open, dynamic, detailed, with a huge soundstage; and what about that bass weight? Can follow bass lines as with great vinyl. Foot tapping stuff! In the end I have never felt the need for a newer external DAC, even though my machine has been especially modified to take full advantage (the CD85 has the TDA1541S1 'Single Crown' DAC chip [one]; and already featured digital out as standard) in 'transport only' mode. Yes, up to 35 years old now...

[@EricB256]

Please beware of players whose drawers are mounted only on one side. The 80s era player that I used in my teens was built like that, and it resulted in the drawer hanging down ever so slightly over time, which affected playability of some pressings because the CD was now playing at an angle to the laser. Also, my parents' player from the 90s has issues since the early '10s of only being able to access tracks from 1 to 10 directly anymore: every number you enter that is greater than 10 will always only lead you to track 10. Also, the less developed error correction from late 80s and 90s players may enable you to detect if a CD pressing does not have top quality but that does not help you if you want to play the music. Also, these old players may not play back CD-Rs at all. And for someone who has bought his fair share of albums on CD-R directly from artists, that is an important point. I finally replaced the old player with a new Denon in '22 and am very happy with it. My bass reflex speakers from the 80s on the other hand, now that's another story.

[@ibleebinU]

Let's see...Accuphase 55v main system, Sony X555ES secondary system, Sony CDP-C8ES gym, 2 Sony CDP-X222ES players (1 at each drum kit). Vintage cd players were built to last and are beautiful looking pieces of kit.

[@antwanalston4572]

To me both because most of the time they will last and sometimes they will not last long it depends what cd players you get mike I love this video I got 9 or 10 walkman cd players this summer I'm definitely getting me another cd player that way i don't have to worry about buying another I got 2 or 3 spots to go at to buy another cd players trust me where im at there are more cd players where im at and thanks for champion the compact disc im the same way I champion 3 formats cd players walkman cassette players and vinyl record players physical media is always king great video much props and respect

[@mykandrew]

Agreed 👍

[@shaneduncan2924]

I've always stayed with Sony CD players particularly cdx 400 disc chargers I have 4 of them full

[@jacobwebb9587]

I read your review of the lyngdorf cd-2 and it was convincing. I want to match it to my lyngdorf tdai 3400. Now I got a recommendation for denon dcd a110 aniversary and it looks promising (35% more expensive. Can you advice for better choice?

[@maidsandmuses]

If you have the funds, why not both? The third option you did not mention: modernise a vintage player. Upgrade capacitors, roll the opamps if you like. I did that to two Marantz CD80 players (both TDA1541A) and I love them. A few pointers re. older players: - Anything over 20 years old you really want to replace the electrolytic capacitors; they have had their best days - The Philips CDM radial transports are near indestructible, especially the ones using a brushless motor to spin the CD like e.g. the CDM1 mk II. They are also very easy to calibrate/adjust as there is only one adjustment for the laser current (50mA, the corresponding test point is usually calibrated to 50mV), and one adjustment for the focus offset (test point usually 400mV). - If an older CDM transport player skips, the laser is rarely at fault. *As* *long* *as* *the* *laser* *current* *hasn't* *been* *messed* *with* *by* *a* *previous* *owner* these semiconductor lasers have a _very_ long lifespan. The far more likely culprits are aged electrolytic capacitors in the servo circuitry as well as possible wear on the motor bearings or disk hold-down bearing - Many older players do not play CD-R/W, but are fine with CD-R discs (if you burn your own CDs) - bonus fact: a fair number of older players offer _index_ skipping in addition to _track_ skipping. That feature pretty much disappeared from the marked post 1995.

[@ericelliott227]

With the prices of new CD players these days, not to mention the scarcity of them, in my opinion the best option is a slightly older player (or very high-end DVD player) that one can likely pick up for $200 to $300 or less. I would recommend looking at slightly older Marantz CD players such as the CD5003 thru the CD6006 units. They used to be around $200 to $300 new only about 4 years ago (YIKES!) and are built like a brick chicken house. One can likely pick up one of those for $100 to $200 at worst. The prices for CD players today are outrageous although the Rotel CD-11 is not too bad at $400. Cambridge also has a $400 player. Marantz smoked a bunch of dope when they priced the CD6007 at $600 which is a carbon copy of the previous players all the way back to the CD-5003 with the only change being the model number, shame on you Marantz! It is good gear, but they should have left the price alone, its a $300 player by any standards and definition. Marantz was changing the model of their CD players and other gear about every year or two. They would just up the end number by one digit. I have a Marantz CD6002, I think or it could be a CD5004, I forget, but it has weight to it (around 17 pounds I think) and solid. It was around $300 new when I got it and that was only about 8 years ago.

[@andrewbrazier9664]

You might find a Rotel Tribute new at a good price as they were a limited time manufacture enhanced varient of their entry level model. I own one. Not heavily built but very good sound for the price 👍

[@user-mu2dp9hg4o]

When the CD player was launched back in the 80’s there was a concern regarding the life of the laser diode. However, history has shown that the disc loading tray was the weak link in the design. This mechanism has rubber drive belts that perish and must be replaced. The drive motor can freeze with age, and other moving parts require servicing as the grease becomes sticky. Another risk with buying a vintage player is the cost or replacing the electrolytic capacitors. The early Japanese CD players I owned didn’t last. I had to buy an expensive Meridian 206 player to get 30+ years of trouble-free service.

[@couchpotatter]

Bit OT, been trying to find whether you’ve done a video review about Brennan B3 Jukebox that rips CDs onto SSD/HDD (2TB storage) in FLAC format. Internal 20+20 watts amplifier.

[@giangvu7902]

Just like anything in life, paying more will generally get you a better product. There are still plenty of high quality CD players out there, but it won’t be cheap.

[@mykandrew]

I’ve noticed the used market is getting a bit pricier!

[@maidsandmuses]

@@mykandrew It is indeed. I fear many older players that could have been rejuvenated with a few new caps ended up on the electronic waste pile due to skipping. And many of the better players were at some point popular with the NOS and clock-upgrade crowd, so fewer unmodified ones are around... ☹

[@ShazeemKhan]

As we say in Trinidad: Cheap thing ain't good & good thing ain't cheap

[@domosautomotive1929]

Quality, cheap or reliable.....pick 2

[@davehall1924]

What about quality DVD players? I have targeted second hand Denon, Pioneer DVD players that also play SACDs. I am using an external DAC on one of my systems and the internal DACs in other rooms. Thoughts? Is a dedicated CD player better? My last dedicated CD player was from the mid 80s (Philips) but the laser died about 20 years ago. Sold it.

[@domosautomotive1929]

I have a Pioneer Elite DVD that plays sacd also. I got it at a thrift store for $10 with the remote.

[@davehall1924]

Exactly. Excellent quality and inexpensive as folks stop buying and playing DVDs

[@tomcat6735]

I still use the Rotel RDV-1092 DVD player for my cd's and dvd music and it still is the one that I compare to the new Rotel cd players and Arcam FMJ-BDP 100 DVD player I got at E-Bay. Got it for $100 at Craigslist some 12 years ago. CD players are going away except the very high end ones. Mind you I have over 100 hours playing/burning time before I judge how good it sounds.

[@mykandrew]

Well I’m trying to reach out to manufacturers that still have players available to test them out, hopefully I’ll get a few in the coming weeks! Don’t lose hope if CDs are still selling they’ll still make them.

[@tomcat6735]

@@mykandrew AudioLab is one that is still relevant. I still use the old Audiolab 8000AP for all the pre-amp.

[@laruku82]

Hi Mike, so do you think the TDA1541A dac chip cd players are much better than the MHDT LAB TDA1541A external dac?

[@CollectingRetro]

The MHDT will be far better. I own the Orchid with upgraded output caps. The old CD players won't run the chip in NOS mode and may have varying levels of performance in their output stage.

[@The_Dylboy]

Ive been using my ps1 lol, ive got the 5501 model and just replaced the laser.

[@urbanknish]

I did get the 1001 PS1 out of curiosity. It does sound as great as the legend says. Kind of goofy but hard to beat.

[@The_Dylboy]

@urbanknish yeah they really do sound great, I think the 5501 has the same dac as the 1001 but only has the AV out.

[@johnshaw359]

Get vintage something with TDAxxxx, if you want music. Or R2R for newer.

[@pzboyz72]

I was led to believe that in terms of the laser assembly which reads the 1.4Mb sigma delta stream off the disc, there are only two models in existence. Is this true? If so it makes a nonsense of many issues audiophiles bring up.

[@JingoLoBa57]

My Audio Research Reference CD9 is a classic in any year…

[@jamesschneider3828]

I have been looking for a player with digital out or a transport that is about the size of the old Walkman cd players. I want to use it with my ifi zen signature dac and 6XX signature amp stack. Just want to keep everything diminutive.

[@tomcat6735]

Just get a MP3-4/WMA player, Sony makes them and are digital files.

[@urbanknish]

There are several Sony Walkman models with digital out. You can find lists of them online. Sony CD Walkman D-EJ925 is my favorite (I have 2 backup units too!!!).

[@phatjbl]

I'm a fan of old and new models. I do have a weakness for higher end pioneer dvd players and bluray players. I love the pioneer dv 969avi. It plays sacd too. Also the pioneer 71 bluray players. The now discontinued oppo bd 95 and 105 universal players are great. I think panasonic made a fine player in the UB9000 universal player. The sacd format is terrific but becoming increasingly rare. Some bluray audio discs are being released and I see the benefits of those. Way more titles were promised but high quality streaming I suspect are taking some of the wind out of the sales of that market. I like the Nad and Rotel cd player of today too. I buy records but 100% admit to playing cd 70% of the time as it's easy. Records are great but I very much dislike the noisy lead in after I pay $80 for a record even after a clean on a proper record cleaner. Like your presentation style.

[@marioplus321]

What is your say on using dvd players for playing cds?

[@jamesschneider3828]

I’m using a Sony Blu-ray player on my headphone set up. What is nice it decodes SA cd’s.

[@urbanknish]

If it's a modern Sony, I think it should be fine. If I was going to get a DVD from ebay, I would target Marantz, Denon or Onkyo. They made some top end DVD players with great sound.

[@klaire_kay]

Great video! I really like the t-shirt but you don't seem to cater to any ladies styles?

[@mykandrew]

Thanks, I know I’m sorry. I’m trying to get some fresh designs in the coming weeks. The online shop is fairly new. Keep checking back, I’ll get some cool stuff up there!

[@shipsahoy1793]

like everything else in life, the correct answer is "it depends!"

[@mykandrew]

Pretty much! 😂

[@stevenxho]

Mitch! 👋

[@Trojan0304]

Use old Sony dvd player & Technics P9 , both are 5 disc players.

[@TheDookistan]

My one issue with modern CD players is they are boring. They are all the same basic black box. Sure there are some that have style, but they are boutique and stupid expensive or temu junk. I would love a good quality player that displays the album art, looks good sitting on a shelf, durable and sounds good. But won't be priced so high it's comical. For most people's systems a DVD player will be more than adequate.

[@LouMontana-wc7nr]

Man do I agree!

[@jeffdewe]

I'm still waiting for the day when Sony comes out with a new Walkman for the masses, I mean why aren't record companies coming out with a new format, Sony or Philips would be a leader in this. Something like the Nintendo Switch cartridge size, where you can clearly see the writing and has an added image. You see online music is great as long as you are online, or lets say if Sony acted like Nintendo, Nintendo users paid for games that played online with the Wii, Then they Brought out the Switch, and Shut Down the Wii servers!!! Its better to have Media that you paid for in hand then Trust the big players to do the right thing!!.

[@andreastresky8691]

I own 2 really vintage players and a slightly newer one: Phiips CD303 from 1984, Philips CD304 MKI from 1985 (both silver), and finally Sony CDP-195 (black). The CD304 is my favourite one, it sounds fantastic together with a 1976 Marantz Receiver. It´s got good looks, it´s really heavy and feels like its carved out of a massive piece of metal. Just love it.

[@Yiannis2112]

If you're new, get a used one. If you already have one and you want to replace it get a better one, new. Unless you find a hi end one used.

[@kodtech]

In an audio line, the most important is: the end of, and.... the beginning! A CD is neither!

[@simonzinc-trumpetharris852]

What's that in English?

[@kodtech]

@@simonzinc-trumpetharris852 music (what you listen) and speakers (how you listen)

[@tony714keene]

Older rack cd player is better because if 1980's cd player that has higher quality dac than today's

[@wp7310]

Nothing made in china for sure :)

[@LouMontana-wc7nr]

I watched the whole program to find Andrew's best choices. Thanks guys for the great recommendations.

[@mykandrew]

Thanks! 🙏