Should I get a late 90s CD player or something current?

[Mart68]

I've actually had rips where it didn't fail but there were obvious errors (audio drop outs, glitchy noises) in the ripped audio file. This was with some pretty scratched up CDs, though.

That's what I meant by 'fail.' - You don't get degraded sound quality you just get drop outs or weird noise.

 

[kyuu]

That's what I meant by 'fail.' - You don't get degraded sound quality you just get drop outs or weird noise.

Ah sorry. I thought by fail you meant the software throwing an error and not completing the rip.

 

[post]

Lads, I have a tonne of CDs and would like to put them use. I do stream at times but I prefer to use a CD player as a transport with the DAC(also an AK chipset) in my integrated amp. I am unfamiliar with the quality of this particular transport/laser and whether this would be a sound investment if used, both as standalone unit as well as a transport.

The used CD player I am considering(£200) which I can get hold of has these specs:

24 bit dac - AK4324VF,

I believe it has a Sony Transport - KSS-213C which is found in a few Audio Note and Accuphase players.

Alternatively, would I be better off getting a brand new CD player like an entry level Denon DCD 900NE(not sure of the transport) @ £400 with an internal ES9018K2M Dac that plays 24- bit/192-kHz, as well as DSD 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz tracks (not SACD though)?

Let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

In response to - "Should I get a late 90s CD player or something current?"

A late 90’s cd player is too old.

There has been many improvements in audio engineering during all this time (thats more than 2 decades). New improved components - lasers, servo and DAC, low noise, power efficiency, more features etc. Plus, the engineers also have acquired new knowledge and skills have access to better tools that was not available before. Also, components like capacitor have a lifespan (5-20yrs), cd players with this old components will eventually die sooner rather than later.

Misinformation being spread in youtube and internet by non-engineering hifi influencers that you can just get any cd or bluray players to play or rip your cds.
Contrary to this, CD players are not the same. Good well designed cd players are able to extract more information from the disc.

There are many factors why some CD players are trash. Quality of the laser, control of vibration and power all contributes to a well designed player (other factors- jitter, error correction, many more). This is the reason why some cd players are able to produce a little bit more detail and resolution while others cannot. It’s more obvious in the highend if you listen closely. A good cd player is able to produce those reverb trails, clarity and detail that is otherwise lost in poorly designed cd player.
Then finally, a good DAC (internal/external) influence the overall sound.
But if you are just building an average sound system and not a hifi system, by all means buy just anything. What is important is that you enjoy the music.

 

[Dimitri]

Then finally, a good DAC (internal/external) influence the overall sound.

Ahhh...and you were doing so well....

 

[kyuu]

This is the reason why some cd players are able to produce a little bit more detail and resolution while others cannot. It’s more obvious in the highend if you listen closely. A good cd player is able to produce those reverb trails, clarity and detail that is otherwise lost in poorly designed cd player.

Nope, sorry, that's not how digital audio works.

 

[Yasuo]

CD players are the new vinyl!

 

[Mart68]

In response to - "Should I get a late 90s CD player or something current?"

A late 90’s cd player is too old.

There has been many improvements in audio engineering during all this time (thats more than 2 decades). New improved components - lasers, servo and DAC, low noise, power efficiency, more features etc. Plus, the engineers also have acquired new knowledge and skills have access to better tools that was not available before. Also, components like capacitor have a lifespan (5-20yrs), cd players with this old components will eventually die sooner rather than later.

Misinformation being spread in youtube and internet by non-engineering hifi influencers that you can just get any cd or bluray players to play or rip your cds.
Contrary to this, CD players are not the same. Good well designed cd players are able to extract more information from the disc.

There are many factors why some CD players are trash. Quality of the laser, control of vibration and power all contributes to a well designed player (other factors- jitter, error correction, many more). This is the reason why some cd players are able to produce a little bit more detail and resolution while others cannot. It’s more obvious in the highend if you listen closely. A good cd player is able to produce those reverb trails, clarity and detail that is otherwise lost in poorly designed cd player.
Then finally, a good DAC (internal/external) influence the overall sound.
But if you are just building an average sound system and not a hifi system, by all means buy just anything. What is important is that you enjoy the music.

You're right about old CD players probably not having much life left in them.

The rest of it isn't so accurate. There's a member here who tests old CD players, I think so far he has not found one that has any audible issues.

That's not to say there won't be some especially at the rock bottom 'no name brand' price level. But any player from the big Japanese names, from any era, will be notionally perfect. The rest is marketing.

 

[DanielT]

I have done it but it is a very tedious process. Glad it’s over.

Burning CDs. This is something that you let children or grandchildren of an appropriate age do. I'll leave the question of child labor aside.

Jokes aside. For those who are used to streaming music and do so without a problem, there is absolutely no reason to keep a physical player. Just burn it all.
That's if you want to keep what you bought instead of renting music.It is of course a possible combination of both owning and renting (which many on ASR do; vinyl/streaming).

Another reason to keep physical players/discs is precisely because they are physical. Then holding and popping CDs into the player. The physical tactile feeling that it gives, that is.

 

[Rednaxela]

Another reason to keep physical players/discs is precisely because they are physical. Then holding and popping CDs into the player. The physical tactile feeling that it gives, that is.

Last weekend I happened to return to this after an absence of almost three years. It was like coming home.

The choice limitation, the phone-free operation, the handling of the physical objects, the screen-free artwork, and finally the silence and contemplation after the finishing of an album, I didn’t know I had missed all these things.

I’ll keep streaming for sure, but the CD player is certainly back to stay in the setup.

 

[lini]

(...) I think it cost ~$400 then, which is something like $5 million today. (...)

Good one - derserves a .

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[DanielT]

Last weekend I happened to return to this after an absence of almost three years. It was like coming home.

The choice limitation, the phone-free operation, the handling of the physical objects, the screen-free artwork, and finally the silence and contemplation after the finishing of an album, I didn’t know I had missed all these things.

I’ll keep streaming for sure, but the CD player is certainly back to stay in the setup.

In fact, I'm the same way, sometimes. It goes in waves.
There's something special about finding an interesting CD at a flea market vs. streaming the same music album.

I listen to about 90% of my music via streaming though. With streaming, also more podcasts in recent years.
A little FM radio in my mix too, mostly for nostalgia's sake. Plus FM radio still dominates in the car for me.

 

[Vacceo]

Burning CDs. This is something that you let children or grandchildren of an appropriate age do. I'll leave the question of child labor aside.

Jokes aside. For those who are used to streaming music and do so without a problem, there is absolutely no reason to keep a physical player. Just burn it all.
That's if you want to keep what you bought instead of renting music.It is of course a possible combination of both owning and renting (which many on ASR do; vinyl/streaming).

Another reason to keep physical players/discs is precisely because they are physical. Then holding and popping CDs into the player. The physical tactile feeling that it gives, that is.

I actually like the booklets and I still have a fetish to get them signed by the artists.

 

[JRR]

Get a multi disk player and use if for all the other formats as well.

 

[Robin L]

I've had good luck with a used Sony Blu-Ray player I picked up in a thrift store. Have it hooked up to a Topping E30 DAC. It plays DVDs, also SACDs. The single layer discs play just fine through the E30 for some weird reason. The model number is BDP-BX57. The only issue I've had was with only two discs, both made a scraping sound when played. Otherwise, it plays everything I throw at it. You can find a lot of this model at Ebay.

 

[NTTY]

Blu-Ray players have to respect the norm of outputting « CD Audio » resolution at best via their uncrypted digital outputs (SPDIF). Sometimes manufacturers do that by using an ASRC that modifies the digital data, even if the source is an audio CD. Risk is mainly about inter sample overs.

 

[DavidM1]

As someone who recently enjoyed a $20 Sony Bluray for a couple of years and who owned a ridiculously expensive Denon CD player back in the ‘90s I am obliged to say the SMSL PL100 outperforms both.

The Sony had detectable playing noise, an ugly little remote and no display or buttons on the unit itself. The Denon had plenty of features and held up for a quarter of a century but eventually developed a completely unreliable tray. It is also bulky by today’s standards.

The SMSL is small, quiet, fuss-free to use, gapless, has coax and optical out and a nice remote as well. I wouldn’t look elsewhere given the price.

 

[Patrick Harper]

Some of the 90s CD players were in production for a long time. I have a Teac CD-P1160D, which started out as the coax-less CD-P1100 in the mid-90s and was still in catalogues until around 2010. The only other change since then was the font used for text labels on the front fascia.

One feature that's rare on modern players is being able to program tracks to play in any order. Another feature that's become extinct is the 'music calendar'.

 

[Bland_username42069]

Last weekend I happened to return to this after an absence of almost three years. It was like coming home.

The choice limitation, the phone-free operation, the handling of the physical objects, the screen-free artwork, and finally the silence and contemplation after the finishing of an album, I didn’t know I had missed all these things.

I’ll keep streaming for sure, but the CD player is certainly back to stay in the setup.

And the record companies often put a lot of effort into CDs these days with big booklets and essays at a fair price (especially compared to some bone idle price gouging vinyl re-releases)

And not all CDs are available for streaming. I’ve found it’s not unusual to get more tracks in a cd box set than a stream).

It’s a good piece of gear to have in the system I think.

(this coming from a 90% vinyl buyer for last 20 years )

 

[EJ3]

Burning CDs. This is something that you let children or grandchildren of an appropriate age do. I'll leave the question of child labor aside.

Jokes aside. For those who are used to streaming music and do so without a problem, there is absolutely no reason to keep a physical player. Just burn it all.
That's if you want to keep what you bought instead of renting music.It is of course a possible combination of both owning and renting (which many on ASR do; vinyl/streaming).

Another reason to keep physical players/discs is precisely because they are physical. Then holding and popping CDs into the player. The physical tactile feeling that it gives, that is.

I use a CDR to burn mine...