It just illustrates the fact that there isn't a huge difference between digital products, regardless of the budget. That said, there are differences, and some are "better"
That's right. You can always do better but unlike vinyl even the worse sound good. It's just a discman would be uncomfortable to me.
The only problem I've encountered is that it tends to glitch on CDRs past the 74 minute mark. In 1997 there weren't too many CDs past 74 I guess.
It all depends on how picky you are about sound. If you're not very picky about sound, or you don't run a revealing setup, then sure these can work adequately. But don't fool yourself into believing that the sound of most portables will be equal to that of a higher-quality component player.
A lot also depends on which specific model is under consideration. To say a Sony discman was hooked to a big rig and sounded great could mean that specific model was decent. Other models of Sony players could be worse or better. For example, I had a Sony D5 (I believe was the model number) that sounded pretty marginal on headphones. I tested it out and found it was an effectively less than 8-bit performer. The noise was so bad that Sony added a mute circuit that kicked in when the signal got below -48dBFS. It was the coming out of mute at the start of a song that made me start to look at it critically. Some people may like that sound, most other probably wouldn't.
ha! i had that exact same cd player! it was my first one! oh memories... i wonder if i still have it somewhere...
I have a Sony discman model. It sounds stunning with headphones. But my stand-alone cd player is better. Somewhere on the web I've seen a long article where in a $$$$ system the source was a discman. It was put on a special rack and behind it there was a huge pile of batteries (for the discman if my memory is correct). Very interesting.
I heard this setup at Clark Johnsen's old audio salon back in the '90s, through tube amps and huge VPMS speakers. It was very impressive, but the special docking station and battery power supply cost multiple thousands, so not exactly budget. John K.
So CD playback peaked with the Discman and we've been foolishly toying with varying levels of mediocrity ever since ?
You can get a decent, used, hi-fi CD player by Marantz, Pioneer, Technics, Demon etc. for about the same price at a Cash Converters or similar store.
There are literally hundreds new or used CD players that wouldn't. Some of those old discman have really good sounding DAC's. For the price, they are hard to beat compared to some new over priced players with overhyped modern DAC's. As a transport, they have a short path. Can't imagine the downside comparing cost to what you get. I recently have purchased many old Sony Discman, I was quite shocked how warm and detailed some of them are, some with quite a large soundstage. There is a guy online who tests many of them, way above my head, but his opinion is as a transport some are very very capable.
My comment is that DAC technology has improved in pretty big ways since the late 90's. In general, they have become less expensive, and the gap in quality of sound between less expensive and more expensive is not as wide as it used to be. I find it hard to believe that a 1997 Discman DAC would outperform one in a new player..... All that said if the OP likes what he hears, that's what matters!
Sony D-25. Runs many years without any problem. It is my main player, line-out to Leak stereo20 valve amplifier. Ther is 0,7 volt output because NO AMPLIFICATION AFTER DAC. Results in a very natural sound, no opamps in class B with the inherent class B distortions/transient distortion. Recommended.
Detail isn't everything. You will only be able to tell for sure by trying one. Not a low end junky toy either. I can't explain why but the good ones have a very warm and smooth sound without losing detail and still have a decent soundstage. Something I think is not easy to find for the equivalent price range today. If you were to find a new player for the same price as a used discman, I guarantee the discman would wipe the floor with it. Some of those old discman use burr brown DACS and they sound quite good.
The discman skipped too much so I picked up a DVD player at a thrift store I use for a CD player now.
Depends which you had. I have one even with the ESP off, I can wack it extremely hard and it will not skip at all. They got better in the end and were impossible to make skip. I have a D-EJ250 and 756CK with G-Protection, just about impossible to make skip with G-Protection on or off.
Visiting this old thread as I'm experimenting with some older Sony Discmen. Unfortunately a drawback is they are quite fragile, internally anyways, and the US Post (at least not where I am) is not gentile with packages. Add to that some eBay sellers not knowing how to pack items. So I've had a few show up broken, but got refunds, fortunately. Anyways I finally did get to listen to some and even took one apart. I really like them. I got two D-802K models, two D180k and one D-838K all in the Car Discman series, as I like the backlit look. My favorite so far is the 802, with the metal base, and 3 way Mega Bass selector switch. I can use it in the car, and it gives a nice sound, and it's plenty loud in headphones. Handles any era CD nicely, thanks in part to the MegaBass and volume. I like the look too, and I can see the disc spinning, old school! Oh, I did find a video of someone taking an older model apart on YouTube. I thought it was interesting. Analog filter? EEVblog #863 - Sony D50 Discman Teardown - World's First Portable CD Player
It would be Discmans (not Discman's - not possesive) or Discmen. I have a Panasonic portable that sounds really good with line outs and a MASH DAC. A newer DAC, though does sound better and they are reasonably priced in CD players from Yamaha, Onkyo, etc. Also a possibility is Panasonic's Blu-ray players with the higher end audio DACs, some of which have Burr-Brown DACs.
I had to do just this yesterday as my Arcam Alpha7 CD player was emitting a hum or more like a low whistling noise so I pulled it out of the system to see if I can fix it. Anyway I hooked up an old Technics SL-XP550 Portable CD Player via lineout to JBL LSR 305 and I have to say it sounds really good to me. It has a remote so its a cool old vintage unit. Its ideal for a desk set up as the Arcam is just so big on my desk. Im controlling the sound via a Behringer Monitor 1 sound controller which is the only frustrating part as Im in a constant battle with the behringer to control the sound its either too low or too high. Anyway if you can get your hands on an old portable with a lineout its a super solution for playing CD's at a desktop with a tiny footprint.
