What are these buttons for? (On Pioneer PD HS-7 CD player)

BACKGROUND: I have an old Pioneer PD HS-7 CD player. Nice-looking machine, works great, I like the sound, no complaints. I bought it new, in Tokyo, in the early-1990s probably. I don't have the manual anymore. This has been my only CD player since it replaced a Sony D-50, purchased new in 1984 (still have it and still use it in a small bedroom set-up).

I've recently become more interested in hi-end audio, and, with the exception of this unit, have upgraded everything to the best I've been able to afford (Rega Planar 6 TT with Ortofon Bronze 2M cartridge; Outlaw Audio rr2160 amplifier; KEF R3 speakers on Target Audio HR Series stands; Straight Line Super Quad speaker cables.)

QUESTION: I've been unable to locate a user's manual online for the CD player. So, I was wondering if anyone out there has one or can guess just based on general knowledge, what the buttons are for on the left side of the CD player (see photo). I'd never thought about them in all these years and never used any of them. Is changing any of these settings likely to improve or change the sound? At present, I'm running the CD player through the DAC in the Outlaw Audio rr2160 using an optical cable, as that was what was recommended, but I suspect the DAC in my Pioneer machine is fairly good, as this unit cost about $1,000 when I bought it.

Anyway, any thoughts?
Buttons are labeled from left to right: DAC Mode; Time; Digital output; Display off

Thanks!

 

DAC mode probably allows you to hook another digital device to the CD player and use it as a DAC. Does it have optical or digital coax inputs? Time probably sets the clock. Digital Output just toggles between your analog rca outputs and the digital output, allowing you to connect your external DAC. I assume Display Off is exactly what it sounds like. Turns off your display.

 

Yes, well, "Display Off" is fairly self-explanatory. Never tried pushing the button in thirty years. But why would you want to turn off the display? Just to get a completely dark room, if that's your thing? Can't imagine that it would affect the sound?

 

Some guys don't like the distracting lights. They can be annoying sometimes. I had to turn off the light on a wireless access point cause it kept drawing my eye to the ceiling when I was watching TV.

 

There is certainly a case to be made that the display, enabled by an IC chip that drives LEDs, an LCD, maybe even Nixie tubes (!!) and that has a finite refresh rate may actually modulate the delicate audio signal in the unit only a few millimeters away from the display. A great many players, including my Oppo, include the option to blank the display.

Try it and decide for yourself.

 

Thanks. I'm betting it's subtle, at best, but I will give it a try.

 

Well, I just learned what a Nixie tube is, but I still don't understand what the DAC mode button is for or what the digital output button is trying to tell me.

 

I was kidding about Nixie tubes! They haven't been used in displays for many years; at least since old Chili was a kid.

 

Not sure about the Pioneer player (beautiful player btw!), but my Denon has a "Time" button on the remote. It changes the display so that it shows the timing of different things:

- counting up from the start of a track
- counting down (how long is left in the current track)
- counting down (how long is left on the entire disc)

 

I suppose I could push it and see what it does That makes sense, though. So, what about the DAC Mode button?

 

Yes, I'm quite familiar with these, just didn't know what they were called. My Dad had a giant adding machine/calculator (about the size of my amplifier--or bigger) that used these back in the early 1970s.

 

I already answered that question. There is a digital input on the back. You can use the cd player as a dac for another digital transport, like another cd player.

 

Again, already answered. It is telling you that it is sending data out of the digital output, not the analog output. If you hit that button, audio will instead come out the analog RCAs.

 

Ah, I see. Now I understand what you mean.

 

So, going from the out on a second CD player to the digital in on the back of this one so that you'd spin the disc in the second player but use the DAC in the one I have instead of the DAC in the second player. Hmm.... Can't imagine a situation in which you'd want to do that. But, anyway, I guess none of these buttons would appreciably change the sound of the output I'm getting, unless turning off the display has an effect (which I will try). I guess that answers my questions.

Thanks

 

If you really loved the DAC on that Pioneer, but the cd player took a crap, you could still use the DAC. One might also have a different kind of digital transport, like a streamer, and may prefer the DAC on the Pioneer, or may not have another DAC to use.

 

One thing you can try if you're just interested to see, is to actually use the analog output on that Pioneer if you haven't yet on your current setup. You never know, you may find you like it better than the Outlaw. Not sure on the chip in that one as info is scarce on the internet, but it's possible it has an old R2R chip in it, which would have a decent likelihood of sounding pretty dang good.

 

When I originally set up the new system, I was using the DAC in the Pioneer, and it does indeed sound good, but so does the DAC in the Outlaw amplifier. Very similar actually. Thanks again for your input.