Yes, like Ricardo it served me well from new during 15 years, now found this player to be a great fellow in my audio pilgrimage
(stupid TDA1541 does not want to travel with me...).
CD-43 rules!
Q: do the player get benefit more from : super reg at the DOS or at the filter?
Matthieu
That's what I'm pointing at Brent!
My other player sounds "just right" even if detail and space is less.
Ricardo,
http://vasiltech.nm.ru/files/cd-players/CD-Player-DAC-Transport.htm
it's updated frequently.
Want to try to find one?
Find a CD50 with tray issue, change the gear and here you go with a nice case easy to work in, a CDM4 mech, SAA7220P/B and TDA1541A to play with!
http://vasiltech.nm.ru/files/cd-players/CD-Player-DAC-Transport.htm
it's updated frequently.
Want to try to find one?
Find a CD50 with tray issue, change the gear and here you go with a nice case easy to work in, a CDM4 mech, SAA7220P/B and TDA1541A to play with!
Last edited:
Wow, 1446 pages...
One "simple" question... What Sound quality level can be reached with a fully modded CD63 or 67?
I had the chance to listen to a SA7S1 last week and was impressed, but it's just a "little bit" to expensive
What player would be the best base for the mods? The 67 or the 63?
Ben
One "simple" question... What Sound quality level can be reached with a fully modded CD63 or 67?
I had the chance to listen to a SA7S1 last week and was impressed, but it's just a "little bit" to expensive
What player would be the best base for the mods? The 67 or the 63?
Ben
Quite a few, check that list!
The Marantz CD7 was the ultimate. It's still probably quite far up any list of "best sound available from a standard player." It was one of only about 3 players that used a double-crown (best selection) version of the DAC chip. It also used a CD-Pro, I think, which is maybe the ultimate transport.
The CD94 was and still is very, very good. Even in stock form it sounds half-decent with huge bass weight and a sweet top end. Lee here uses one, and Ian on here uses the Philips equivalent - CD960 iirc. They use the CDM-1, which is one of the best mechs ever made. There were nearly £1000 back in the day, making them quite expensive.
Marantz later made the CD85, which had a too-complex output stage making the sound very shut-in. It has a gorgeous big bass and large-scale dynamic way of playing music.
I think at the bottom end CD40, CD50 and maybe CD65, from memory.
Most of them have a CDM4/x transport mechanism, which is very good. Some of the cheaper ones have a CDM/2, which is similar.
Generally these players sound quite shut-in compared to a good CD63 or a modern machine so you have to realise that when buying one. Don't expect a wide-open detail delivery. Expect a dark, satisfying slow-burning sound with juicy ripe bass and sexy drums.
Exactly, a good combo of parts. The earlier SAA7220 /A and TDA1541 sound a bit lacklustre by comparison but the trade-off is a nice fat impression of analogue. I love both but I think you need the detail of the later parts ideally.
Wow, 1446 pages...
One "simple" question... What Sound quality level can be reached with a fully modded CD63 or 67?
I had the chance to listen to a SA7S1 last week and was impressed, but it's just a "little bit" to expensive
What player would be the best base for the mods? The 67 or the 63?
Ben
Pretty much the sky's the limit. The CD67 may hit a ceiling earlier due to being more modern and having the circuit squeezed into fewer parts. You can't do a servo re-clock on a CD67, which holds it back compared to the CD63. The CD63KI is easily the best base for mods because you get the more discrete nature of the CD63 plus a decent toroidal transformer, a chassis strut brace and a thicker bottom plate. You also get copper plating - should that float your boat!
There is, however, a basic character (flaw?) with these players, which is a very slight nasal colouration that cannot be modified out. Detail retrieval can be breathtaking (I only know because I've heard Brent's machine recently!) and can exceed expensive SACD players and top-end vinyl etc.
Simon
In which range did you rate the Philips CD650?
I own one and mod them blue-danube DIY audio - Philips CD 650 Modifications
Nice resumé Simon. Strange, about the "nasal"colouration. I've never pinpointed it or actually heard it as such before, but there was that something" that occasionally bothers me and I think that is it: most of which can be "tuned out" by what follow up the chain though. Maybe some hundreds of pages later someone will have discovered the culprit and red book heaven will be reached. Ficus would have us believe tubes are the ultimate answer, but I suspect this is just a pretty bandaid. Every other quality we associate with hi-end sound can be acheived as you go further with the mods, so the ceiling is pretty damn high indeed. The only thing we don't get is a sexy box! fug ugly black with practically illegible buttons is our lot.