Old CD players 80's to early 90's Thread.

[Seth=L]

If you want to, you can post your old tank CD players here and give a description, history, or pictures if you can.

I don't know why I like these old buggers so much, they just make me happy. My particular cup-o'-tea are Philips and Magnavox players of the 80's. I have owned 3 of them and still have 2. I have a Magnavox CDB 560 and a CDB 650. I just think that they are cool, and I think they sound good. And when you can get one for less than 20 bucks, why the hell not.

Both of mine are Belgium made and weigh in the 15-20 pound viscinity. They have aluminum extruded heat sinks and Coax SPDIF output on the rear. So if you want to use them as a transport, you can. Speaking of the transport, it is a swing arm instead of the cheapy linear tracking devices they use in everything. I believe they use glass instead of plastic lenses for the laser assembely. And another cool thing is they are almost completely gear driven, so belts aren't a major issue here.

I just finished listening to Aimee Mann, off the Magnolia soundtrack. I had chills, it was awesome.

Reference stuff: NHT 1.5s, Magnavox CDB 650, Magnavox MX931-Pro crap receiver, RCA/Tandy 12" crap ported sub, but I plug the port so as not to hear boomy crappiness.

 

[stratman]

Hey Seth,

Old tank? my cd player of choice is my 92 vintage Proceed, it's rectangular, taupe colored, xlr connectors in rear, Burr-Brown DACS, excellent ...I'll see if can post picture.

 

[Seth=L]

Madrigal makes some very sturdy stuff, as well does Mark Levinson. I like H/K's high-end divisions.

I just got rid of a 1992 Pioneer Elite PD-65, it in know way compares to the Proceed.

 

[stratman]

I've seen Proceeds in Audiogon at really good prices, Proceed is back on line Sidney Harmon (Harmon/Kardon) who's bought just about every esoteric manufacturer, set up a page for Proceed owners in case they need service.

 

[mnnc]

Still have my Sony cdp501es. A tank for sure. I paid over $500 back in '83 while overseas( still in High School at the time/military dependent). That was about $300 less than stateside price. I worked for $3.25/hr. at the NCO club as a kitchen helper...that meant lug cases of beer from the cellar, wash dishes, and bus tables, and occasionally cook! I saved almost every penny of my pay until I had enough to make the bus trip to the next kaserne/base where their post exchange sold the players. I had a choice between Yamaha, Phillips, Pioneer I think, and the Sony. I was subscribing to Stereo Review at the time(still have some classic issues)and had read about the Sony's. That is my audio purchase highlight. I purchased Bowie's Let's Dance, Police Synchronicity, and Thomas Dolby's Golden Age of wireless. I still own these discs too. Man! Memory lane for sure.

 

[Seth=L]

I looked that player up, that is old. Looks nice though. It has a very similar resemblance to the Magnavox players that year, with the Metal disc tray and all.

 

[The Dukester]

I bought a Sony CDP302 back in '85 that I still have. When it came out, it was one of the hottest units around. They were really hard to find and no discounting on them. I paid $465 for it. Crikes! I rarely use it, but it still works.
My next purchase, which is still in my system, was a Sony C75ES from '90. Still works like a champ!
The first disc I bought was Van Halen's 1984. Talk about a crappy recording! The next one was Billy Joel's An Innocent Man. Much better sound!

 

[Seth=L]

Sony sounds like a popular one.

 

[gene]

Ironically the only original piece of gear I have in my reference system since I started building it when I graduated college back in 97 is my Sony CDP-8ES CD Changer. Its built well and has excellent defective disc tracking immunity.

I use it as a transport only, I love the way it looks and I think I will keep it for many years to come.

 

[Seth=L]

I think that old players make great transport devices, they generally are very good tracking machines. My Magnavox CDB 560 is hideous, and I love the way it looks.

 

[Arnold Layne]

you guys have to be kidding....

I have an old Yamaha DVD-750 from way back in 2005...but it is in my back yard on the ground right where I threw it up against a tree...

I'm definitely not cutout for this hobby...

 

[100r1]

I have a Sony CDP-50 from around 1984 still working even the remote.

It sits next to my late 70's 1/2 track reel to reel that weighs 70 lbs plus. excellent boat anchor!

I'll have to take some pics of the 2 old farts sitting around gathering dust and post.

Just went to FleaBay, Someone is selling the Owners Manual for the CDP-50 for $ 12.00 plus shipping. Maybe I should list the CDP-50 With Remote, Owners Manual and I'll Throw in some Vintage 1980's RCA cables to Boot for $ 12.00 and feel guilty about ripping off the buyer.

 

[The Dukester]

I have an old Yamaha DVD-750 from way back in 2005...but it is in my back yard on the ground right where I threw it up against a tree...

I'm definitely not cutout for this hobby...

Have you considered anger management classes?

 

[Seth=L]

I have an old Yamaha DVD-750 from way back in 2005...but it is in my back yard on the ground right where I threw it up against a tree...

I'm definitely not cutout for this hobby...

I once destroyed a KLH HTIAB because I was playing a video game and I had become angry with the game and took a baseball bat to the HTIAB, needless to say the KLH did not fair well against brute anger.

 

[Acuramusic42]

New here. Using a Denon DCD 1420. Still like new.

 

[dponeill]

I had the original Sony CDP-101. I paid $900.00 for it! Availability of CDs was terrible for the first year or so. Most record stores had maybe a half dozen of them hanging up behind the counter. The most I ever saw in one place was about 20. I also did not own any that were anything I would have bought except for the fact it was a CD.

 

[Seth=L]

I screwed up my photobucket, pictures are temporarily gone.

 

[stratman]

I just love vintage tech, so clean, so cooool.

 

[edonsmith]

Nice stuff for sure. I remember when those original Cd players were $1000. I think yamaha and Nakamichi were some of the first ones I heard

Don

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I got the original Sony Discman when it came out (in fact, I think they were calling it "CD Walkman" then.) Some home CD players today are smaller and lighter. It sounded good if you weren't actually walking!