Does anyone still make a decent portable CD player?

The best portable CD players are currently discontinued, so one needs to resort to a second-hand market to score one of these quality models:

• iRiver IMP-400/450/550
• Panasonic SL-CT 810/820/905
• Sony D-EJ955/1000/2000
• Hitachi DMP770
• Philips AX7201

 

Your first statement is totally incorrect, especially as far as portable CD players are concerned. Care to explain why would you believe that?

Your second one is a matter of personal preference - I'd rather have all my music with me all the time, rather than be limited to several CDs I have to carry with me.

 

I have heard a fare share of smartphones and portable digital players in action, and (IMO) none has ever come close to my top-shelf discmen, either on headphones or as a source plugged to a standalone system. There is no shortage of people with such devices who like to compare them.

However, we are all entitled to our opinions, so you are also free to believe that listening to a stream or (lossy) file on your handy trumps a CD played on the models I listed up-thread. Whatever works for you.

Ripping CDs takes time, especially if one wants to keep his/her digital files properly tagged, accurate, safe, synchronized, with cover images and all that. It's not a question of preference, but a fact. Hence if you still buy CDs having a discman does save time, all providing that you do not need to carry your entire collection with you everywhere. The latter is a preference indeed, but that's the subject for a different thread.

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/what-does-the-future-look-like-to-you.897573/

 

You are incorrect

 

I used to have an iRiver IMP-400 for my burnt MP3 CDs before I went from using my Nintendo DS with MP3 playback to my smartphone. It's a neat player that has a cool little game that you can play on the remote control.

These days, I'm using my LG v20 smartphone with a quad DAC chipset and it sounds superior to most portable audio players I used before.

 

Plus:

• Battery life rivals that of digital audio players. Many of the players I have go 50 hours on one set of batteries.
• They use replaceable batteries so you can pick up a new pair anywhere when needed without the need to recharge it.
  
• By burning MP3s to a CD, you can get over 5 hours of music on one CD.

 

The one thing I like about the 40th Anniversary player is that it has a cover that protects the screen from damage. Thus, you don't have to buy a case for it (like with my current player).

I'd rather have a single-direction single-compact cassette Walkman with soft-touch controls and no built-in radio. A compact cassette Walkman that is just that.

 

That's what I prefer as well.....something like this

 

I liked the classic blue version.

 

That's what I'm talking about...except for the physical buttons. Still, looks like just like the kind of Walkman I wanted when I wanted a compact cassette Walkman.

 

Sony CD Walkman D-EJ011
I have 2 - one for the road the other for my desktop. They sound great.

 

Oh, I see - you think that portable CD players are lossless and smartphones are lossy?

 

Would Technicals SL-XP240 from 1991 be any good in terms of sound ability to read CDs and sound quality (DAC)?

 

I actually have one of these that I bought used a year or two ago. I thought it sounded very good; unfortunately, it just stopped working after 6 months or so. I haven't spent much time troubleshooting it, so I don't know what the problem might be.

 

Well, since someone bumped this thread, this is what I ended up getting. It's a Toshiba TY-P3 from Japan. The sound is pretty good, about what I remember from my old portable CD players from the Eighties through the Aughts. My only complaint is that remote dongle seems to be a requirement. If I plug my headphones directly into the headphone jack it sounds awful.



I actually tried a Memorex branded CD player from a local department store first and it sounded like garbage, worse than I realized a CD player could sound.

 

The best portable I ever owned was a Technics SL-XP700 from 1991. It only lasted me about 4 years but it was heavily abused in college.

 

My Fiio DAP will play DSD as well as 192/24, both of which are higher resolution than your CD, as well has having a better DAC and a built-in headphone amp.

I think you are mistaken.

 

This brings back memories. I had a Radio Shack player that was kind of a thing on a headphone site or two around 2000. It did sound pretty good; pretty full and weighty, IIRC. Maybe kinda analogue-like (dare it be said?). The thing really ate batteries, though, and definitely didn't have the longest lifespan. It and Grado SR60s were a really nice sonic match.

 

Exactly the same story here. Both of my Sonys are nearly 20 years old.

(However, they will probably die after I post this. It's happened before when I boast about how well my vintage equipment keeps working. )

 

Seems like the sellers of these old items are serious about it. I quoted on of them "everything looks okay with this except you forgot to put a "1" in the front of your asking price." .. and he did. Now its $185.00.. What's the world coming to?

 

Looks almost identical to the JVC portable I have from the same era. Mine still works but kinda sucks because it lacks anti skip. Use it occasionally in work vehicles not equipped with a CD player. Just today found an ONN brand with an FM radio in it at Walmart today on clearance for $5. Just couldn’t pass it up. Have to see how it sounds.

 

You don't need a Masters Degree in Information Technology to play an out-of-print album.

 

For me, it is so I can listen to any CD I have in any room of my house. I do not carry it around outside.

 

This small stereo really puts out the sound! I bought it for my mother, who had said her current boom box didn't have good sound. I listened, and I agreed. She's very happy with this new one. My sisters and I all tried it out at her place and we all were amazed at the sound coming from such a small stereo. The mega bass is awesome!

 

I had that exact one. Great sound and lasted quite some time.