Old (vintage) vs new CD Player DAC differences?

[Chrispy]

Making me think as to the last time I used a dedicated cd player....probably 15 years ago. I just use whatever dvd or bluray player I have in the system and these days just rip a cd on receipt and play the file and not the disc itself (except for SACD which I can't rip with my setup). I think I still have my old Sony changer in the closet, probably still works just fine....might have to put it in play just for the heck of it..

 

[mlloyd1]

I wouldn't underestimate early/mid-'90s Sony CD players. By about '94, CD playback qualified as a solved problem. Stereophile measurements, while in parts archaic and hard to interpret, seem to indicate good performance for this model, certainly to the point of audible transparency.

As a happy owner of a CDP-x779ES, I agree. This is definately NOT a machine to underestimate ...

 

[Chrispy]

As a happy owner of a CDP-x779ES, I agree. This is definately NOT a machine to underestimate ...

Or over-praise?

 

[mlloyd1]

Or over-praise?

That depends. The point I'm making is that it is a nice anchor piece in spite of it's age. If one "outgrows" the sound of the electronics or desires change, one can always get an external DAC. The transport is the same hardware as used in some very nice Accuphase products of the time period. I enjoy the sound of the player by itself and also find it sounds fabulous with my Cambridge DACMagic or a friends borrowed Benchmark DAC2.
As with any old machine, no matter how good or reknown it is, you can be at risk of laser assembly failure. I've found in well-built (and well-cared for - so chose carefully when buying used!!!) transports, the laser assembly lasts a good long time and is very rarely the first thing to fail. The real problem comes when a machine starts to misbehave and someone attempts to fix it it by getting the laser power cranked up. Although true laser problems are rare, turning up the power laser power might mask problem symptoms for a while. It skips again, power gets cranked up more, etc. then fzzzzzzt, the laser's magic smoke leaves and you are now the sad owner of a well-built boat anchor . If you even find a known good replacement laser, the original problem was never fixed, so back on the merry-go-round you ride .... fun, fun, fun ...