HI all,
I need a new CD player, currently I have a Cambridge Audio D100 but the transport is too noisy and I suspect the DAC isn't up to much - I can't tell beacuse it's sealed under a heatsink.
I'm planning on buying a half decent DAC but I'd like to know what CD players from the 80s/90s era I can pick up from eBay - the classics, old but still good kind of thing.
Cheers,
Ashley
I need a new CD player, currently I have a Cambridge Audio D100 but the transport is too noisy and I suspect the DAC isn't up to much - I can't tell beacuse it's sealed under a heatsink.
I'm planning on buying a half decent DAC but I'd like to know what CD players from the 80s/90s era I can pick up from eBay - the classics, old but still good kind of thing.
Cheers,
Ashley
My two cents.
Hi Ashley, From personal experience and a price to sound quality ratio I would recommend a Cambridge Audio CD4SE. (Not the normal version. That's a completely different machine.)
Designed by the famous John Westlake of Pink Triangle fame (and diyaudio member).
It's well known for it's warm yet detailed sound. I don't think I'd ever sell mine. It's a late 90's classic IMO and parts are still available cheaply which is a bonus over the good old 80's Philips machines and similar. Add some bitumen damping and good isolation feet and then enjoy for a while........before adding Black gate and Oscon caps......Audiocom super regulators.......better RCA sockets......
Someone please cure me of this terrible affliction
Hi Ashley, From personal experience and a price to sound quality ratio I would recommend a Cambridge Audio CD4SE. (Not the normal version. That's a completely different machine.)
Designed by the famous John Westlake of Pink Triangle fame (and diyaudio member).
It's well known for it's warm yet detailed sound. I don't think I'd ever sell mine. It's a late 90's classic IMO and parts are still available cheaply which is a bonus over the good old 80's Philips machines and similar. Add some bitumen damping and good isolation feet and then enjoy for a while........before adding Black gate and Oscon caps......Audiocom super regulators.......better RCA sockets......
Someone please cure me of this terrible afflictionPink Triangle Cardinal Service
My question is how practicable it is to get CD transports of the 1990s serviced?
I have my much loved PT CD transport whici is not functional.
Do I search for a specialist repairer or hope to send it to John Westlake in China? Or do I discard it and risk a modern CD transport that is from a differnt generation?
Advice appreciated........
Alistair P
in Scotland
My question is how practicable it is to get CD transports of the 1990s serviced?
I have my much loved PT CD transport whici is not functional.
Do I search for a specialist repairer or hope to send it to John Westlake in China? Or do I discard it and risk a modern CD transport that is from a differnt generation?
Advice appreciated........
Alistair P
in Scotland
Hi, hoshy.
The CD4 uses a Sanyo transport (and a Sony chipset), and I personally think it is quiet. The CD4SE, however, uses a Philips CDM12.1 transport (and a Philips chipset).
I think – I may be wrong – your Marantz also uses the same Philips CDM12.1 transport as the CD4SE.
The trays on the CDM12.1 can be somewhat abrupt when opening and closing – not like the CDM4 or the smooth Sanyo transports on the CD6, DISCMAGIC, etc. – although what matters really is the quality of the transport when reading the discs of course.
Regards,
Carl
The CD4 uses a Sanyo transport (and a Sony chipset), and I personally think it is quiet. The CD4SE, however, uses a Philips CDM12.1 transport (and a Philips chipset).
I think – I may be wrong – your Marantz also uses the same Philips CDM12.1 transport as the CD4SE.
The trays on the CDM12.1 can be somewhat abrupt when opening and closing – not like the CDM4 or the smooth Sanyo transports on the CD6, DISCMAGIC, etc. – although what matters really is the quality of the transport when reading the discs of course.
Regards,
Carl
The tray was very squeaky when I first got the CD63 but now it's clean up a bit.. The sillicon grease I added may be in part responsible
If the CD4SE uses the same transport as I've currently for I'll probably stick with my CD63 for now, the only reason the noise is a problem is that for practical reasons the CD player is close to my head when listening, as "normal" volumes it's fine, but for late night listening I can hear the CD player in my left ear. Annoying.
As I said, I'll probably stick with the CD63, as there's lots to play with on them in terms of mods,but out of interest what sort of money are you looking at for a CD4SE ?
If the CD4SE uses the same transport as I've currently for I'll probably stick with my CD63 for now, the only reason the noise is a problem is that for practical reasons the CD player is close to my head when listening, as "normal" volumes it's fine, but for late night listening I can hear the CD player in my left ear. Annoying.
As I said, I'll probably stick with the CD63, as there's lots to play with on them in terms of mods,but out of interest what sort of money are you looking at for a CD4SE ?
Hi again, hoshy.
I can understand your points about the noise. Some CD players can be quite irritating when used close up.
You can pick up a CD4SE on eBay for anything between £20
and £100. I got one for £21! All that is wrong is that the backlight does not work; the other cost £37 and £50, so I was lucky with all three!
I would say not to pay any more than £100, but you could if you wanted to simply because of its great sound quality. Just put a search into eBay – one of the Favourite Searches so that you can be informed when new CD4SE players appear – with something like this:
Cambridge Audio CD4SE
Cambridge Audio CD4 Special Edition
Cambridge Audio CD 4 SE
etc.
Hope that helps.
Carl
I can understand your points about the noise. Some CD players can be quite irritating when used close up.
You can pick up a CD4SE on eBay for anything between £20
and £100. I got one for £21! All that is wrong is that the backlight does not work; the other cost £37 and £50, so I was lucky with all three!I would say not to pay any more than £100, but you could if you wanted to simply because of its great sound quality. Just put a search into eBay – one of the Favourite Searches so that you can be informed when new CD4SE players appear – with something like this:
Cambridge Audio CD4SE
Cambridge Audio CD4 Special Edition
Cambridge Audio CD 4 SE
etc.
Hope that helps.
Carl
On my CD4SE I added a switch to turn the display light off. I did it as a cheap tweak with no apparent sonic benifits but the display is now sometimes easier to read with it switched off!!
John Westlake is one of my heros but I bet he didn't see that display before it went into production! Seriously ! It's the worst CD display I've ever seen (or not) especially from more than 3 Metres away.
John Westlake is one of my heros but I bet he didn't see that display before it went into production! Seriously ! It's the worst CD display I've ever seen (or not) especially from more than 3 Metres away.
Hi, gaust.
I will send this message via PM as well in a few moments.
I do indeed have a few remote controls that will control all of the functions of the CD4SE. I do in fact have one that is very similar visually to the original CD4SE remote.
You can contact me via e-mail, which I will include via a PM. I can send you a couple of remote controls if you like. They are all in good condition.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Carl
PS Just realised that I cannot send you a PM. I can’t even send one to myself! LOL My e-mail address is:
carl[dot]stock[at]ntlworld[dot]com
(Hope it’s OK to put my address like that, mods.)
I will send this message via PM as well in a few moments.
I do indeed have a few remote controls that will control all of the functions of the CD4SE. I do in fact have one that is very similar visually to the original CD4SE remote.
You can contact me via e-mail, which I will include via a PM. I can send you a couple of remote controls if you like. They are all in good condition.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Carl
PS Just realised that I cannot send you a PM. I can’t even send one to myself! LOL My e-mail address is:
carl[dot]stock[at]ntlworld[dot]com
(Hope it’s OK to put my address like that, mods.
)
Hi Gaust.
The CD4SE will work with any Philips CD remote cheaply available on Ebay and, personally, I would prefer one of those to the original.
My original remote has a very short range and is incredibly directional. It does not have rewind or fast forward but it does have drawer eject?
I recently got one of these Cyrus bad boys from Ebay to repair and sell on but it works very well on my CD4SE except it's huge and I look like an idiot!
The CD4SE will work with any Philips CD remote cheaply available on Ebay and, personally, I would prefer one of those to the original.
My original remote has a very short range and is incredibly directional. It does not have rewind or fast forward but it does have drawer eject?
I recently got one of these Cyrus bad boys from Ebay to repair and sell on but it works very well on my CD4SE except it's huge and I look like an idiot!
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Sonusthree said:On my CD4SE I added a switch to turn the display light off. I did it as a cheap tweak with no apparent sonic benifits but the display is now sometimes easier to read with it switched off!!
John Westlake is one of my heros but I bet he didn't see that display before it went into production! Seriously ! It's the worst CD display I've ever seen (or not) especially from more than 3 Metres away.
But it looks so pretty – I’m looking at mine right now.
LOLMind you, I’ve no idea what is actually on the display… Hang on while I lean over… Oh yes… it says, “no disc”. Bah!
It is quite difficult to read the display, and you do need to be looking straight at it to see anything, but what a CD player…
Carl
I know exactly what you mean Carl.
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