Vintage CD players are Better than New Ones... Sometimes

Comments · 953

• SI

  @simonhodgetts6530 · 1 year ago

  I have a Marantz CD-54, built in around 1984, using the legendary Phillips CDM-1 transport. It’s built like a tank, still fully operational, and sounds great. It has a more ‘analogue’ sound than more modern CD players I’ve owned. It doesn’t have a remote, and the display is very old fashioned (just a row of green LEDs and a clock), but I love its over engineering.

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• HE

  @HenryFlores4 · 1 year ago

  Hey, to answer your question: I am still rocking my old Sony CDP-X33ES! Has it been repaired, YES! Recapped? MOST DEFINITELY! Restored? Kinda! All by me. Why? I bought this CD Deck from Goodwill, worked fine despite all the issues. Better than newer CD decks. Once I started repairing things here and there the audio quality.... Omg! My favorite CD player despite others I have tried. So yes, I love this CD Deck! I will definitely be sad once it dies. But I am doing everything in my power to extend its life. Considering I got it very degraded and neglected, and I brought it back to life. Im assuming I still can get another 10-15 (hopefully more) years from it.

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• RO

  @robertrusche8039 · 1 year ago

  I purchased a vintage tape deck that would only power up and reverse but nothing else ! It’s a Nakamichi  CR3A,  I found a guy, about 45 minutes away, James TV and Audio repair , Milton DE. I read his feedback  on repairs and called him and explained to him the problem , he quickly said just need cleaned and new belts,  A week later I went to his repair shop and left the Nakamichi tape deck with him for repair. A few weeks past and he called stating he had taken it apart and he was correct and his assumption that the belts had rotted and so he had ordered new ones.Once he gets them it would be about another week or so before I could get it back.  A week passed and he called stating my machine was repaired and is working great . This guy knows his stuff, would recommend him.

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• BO

  @bobderosa100 · 1 year ago

  I've been using a Technics SL-PD887 since the early 1990s and it still sounds and works great.

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• CR

  @CraigSiR714 · 1 year ago

  I'm running a Pioneer DV-09 as my CD and DVD audio discs. Love the sound of this deck.

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• MI

  @mikedowdell-dl2ul · 1 year ago

  Thanks once again for another educational video. Im from the golden era of hifi and in my opinion what is missing on you tube is exactly what your doing. Educating  people on the past and the present. I think it will cause new and old comers to the industry a better appreciation of the hifi hobby. Thanks again 🎉

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• JD

  @JD-lk7im · 1 year ago

  Ì still have my Phillips CD104 from 1984 with two TDA1540p DAC chips and CDM-1 mechanism. It still plays flawlessly after all these years. My main daily spinner is a Naim CD 5X and Flatcap 2X power supply. It has a manual swing out drawer and puck for clamping the CD.  Im really enjoying your channel, keep up the good work. All the best from Scotland.

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• KE

  @kenmaher3913 · 1 year ago

  Have a Philips CD 50 that I bought in 1990.  Still works. Never had to have it repaired.

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• CA

  @Cartier_specialist · 1 year ago

  I have a Philips CD-60 made in Belgium and it sounds beautiful with the TDA1541 chipset and the bullet proof Philips CDM4 transport. I've had it about 10 trouble-free years (knock on wood) now. If it breaks it will no doubt be expensive to have repaired but my other player (Kenwood DP-K1000 CD Player with the Wolfson WM8740 DAC) sounds pretty darn good too so I'm not terribly worried about the Philips quitting. The Kenwood is a JDM model so it would probably cost even more to have repaired.

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• C_

  @c_mauro · 9 months ago (edited)

  I used to love my two Kyocera CD players. Fantastic sound. Unfortunately both ended up needing power supply recaps, which I would have invested in if there had been aaaany way to find laser/transport parts. Ended up going with a Cayin transport/Geshelli DAC and now replaced the Cayin with SMSL’s PL200T. Things have never sounded better, but I miss those beautiful Kyoceras

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• BU

  @buzzbombrecords1459 · 1 year ago

  Still have my Magnavox FD 2040 that I bought with my student loan money back in 1986 😝 kicks ass!!! Also still have my Oppo BDP 83 in service as well. You are SO right in they don't make em like these anymore. 🤘 and yeah these things sound warm. No sharp edges. Did have to replace a belt in my Oppo but the Magnavox is all original. And the fact that one made it through college and all the miles in between speaks volumes to just how well these things were made.

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• SA

  @SarcoidosisWarrior · 1 year ago (edited)

  I have a 34 year old Marantz CD63 Mark 2 - <br>Only ever one repair (Changed the drawer drive belt myself last year) <br>Still sounds amazing and going strong despite her age.

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