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Do You Remember Your First CD Player?

I had owned the first of the first. I purchased the unit in 1982. It was a Sony CDP 101. It was the most obnoxious, raspy, annoying, piercing, grading, non-musical component I had ever heard.

Also, at the time, the complete CD library that was available consisted of about 15 CDs.

Now? I listen to my newest CD rig more than I listen to my turntable. My, how times have changed.

What was your first CD player and when did you purchase it?
buscis2
gliderguider's avatar
gliderguider
294 posts
 
I held out longer than most, listening to a Sota Sapphire/Alphason Xenon/Grado combination. But in about 1990 I realized there just wasn't any new music coming out on LP any more, and I caved.

I bought an Arcam Alpha, and it was ... well ... OK, I guess. I upgraded it with an Assemblage 2.6 DAC and it started to sound acceptable.

But, things change. I now have an Audio Note digital front end that runs with the big dogs, and I just agreed to sell that 1983 Sota, the Xenon, the Grado and a NYAL SuperIt for $500 to a new acquaintance who's just inherited a record reviewer's vinyl collection. I'm happy, he's happy, and the music quotient of the universe is increased.

Good digital rocks. 1984 Sony players rocketh not...
dbx
58 posts
 
Yep, I remember it, because I still have it. It's a DBX DX-5 single disc player. I picked it up some time in the 80's while stationed in the germany.
odavid9
31 posts
 
Am I the only one who got suckered into buying a Carver with a "Digital Time Lens" that was supposed to take care of all of the digitis? Taking it home and putting it in my system easily ranks as the biggest disappointment I have experienced in audio - so much so that I can't, off the top of my head, think of number two. My Pioneer direct drive TT with a Stanton 681EEE cartridge blew it away. But the saleswoman at Magnolia was so cute...
pardales
652 posts
 
I don't remember! My second CD player was made by Kyocera. My first CD was Peter Gabriel 'So'
sean
6,231 posts
 
I held out for quite some time after hearing the best that CD had to offer ( Nak, ReVox, Kyocera ) in the early days. Even so, i bought a Sonographe model for next to nothing and that is the only reason that i bought it. If i remember correctly, this was really just a modified Magnavox unit. Conrad-Johnson took out the Magnavox DAC and installed their own, possibly doing a few other tweaks along the way. I think that one of my buddies is still using this unit in his bedroom system. From what he told me, it sounds better than the newer, cheap models that he's gone through. Sean
>

PS... Isn't it funny how far "perfect sound forever" has come since its' inception??? : )
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