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Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

Title:	Welcome to the CD Notes Conference
Notice:	Welcome to COOKIE
Moderator:	COOKIE::ROLLOW

Created:	Mon Feb 17 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Mar 03 1989
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1517
Total number of notes:	13349

114.0. "Looking for the ideal CD-player" by GVAADG::ROUSSET () Wed Apr 24 1985 09:49

Hi folks!

I've been monitoring this notesfile for several months now, but I haven't yet 
been able to determine what CD-player would best fulfill my wishes.

I already own an "old" CD100.  I am quite satisfied with it, in spite of its 
awful look, but I am now looking for some piece of hardware with more 
functionalities.  So, does anybody out there own or know of a CD-player with 
the following characteristics:

     1  Programmability while listening (i.e.: no need to stop the "play" mode 
        to go into "program" mode).

     2  Display selections in order (i.e.: if I select tracks 3-5-2-1, then I 
        expect the player to list 3-5-2-1, not just to tell me that 1 2 3 and 
        5 have been selected in some order).

     3  Display time_elapsed_in_track and time_to_go_in_track.

     4  No pause between selected tracks if they are adjacent.

Points 1 and 2 seem quite difficult to get on the same CD-player.  For 
instance my Philips has 1 but not 2, whereas Yamaha has 2 but not 1 (as far as 
I could test, at least).
I don't know of any player displaying the time_to_go_in_track.
I mention point 4 due to a problem that I have with my Philips CD100:  if you 
select tracks 3 and 4, then you will have a noticeable pause (say 1/3 second) 
between these tracks.  Quite disagreeable if there is a smooth transition from 
one track to the next.

Other characteristics:

     5  remote control:  make it infra-red, ultra-violet, microwave or Hare 
        Krishna, I don't care:  my arm is long enough (or is it my apartment 
        which is too small?).

     6  sound quality:  despite many discussions in this very notesfile, I 
        haven't heard any actual difference between players.  Probably due to 
        the fine mixture of melted cheese and concrete filling my ears.

     7  price:  anywhere between zero and the market value of the two million 
        DEC shares that I have in my thich-and-wide portfolio.

So folks, who knows about the small miracle-made-CD_player that I'm looking 
for?


Stephane Rousset
Application Development Group
Information Services
EHQ - Geneva, Switzerland

T.R	Title	User	Date	Lines
114.1		KATIE::LYNCH	`Thu Apr 25 1985 11:17`	8
	Try looking into the Tweeter, Etc. out near Boston Univ. on Commonwealth Ave. I used a salesman named Mark Scheuren when I was looking for a CD player, he was very helpful. They seem to have a fair selection out there, and a few CD players there nearly fit your description.
114.2		MANANA::DICKSON	`Thu Apr 25 1985 12:50`	1
	Not very helpful, as he is in Geneva.
114.3		GVAADG::ROUSSET	`Mon Apr 29 1985 06:51`	8
	Well, if katie::lynch agrees to pay the plane ticket, then I agree to spend some of my time in the Tweeter. I might even consider offering him/her a good meal at MacDonald's! Stephane Rousset Application Development Group Information Services EHQ - Geneva, Switzerland
114.4		KATIE::LYNCH	`Mon Apr 29 1985 10:29`	7
	Well, I guess thats one of the problems with a large network...you never know where the message is coming from. Besides which my minimum fee for providing air fare is a Burger King meal (just kidding). I don't know who to recommend in Geneva, I don't get to do much shopping there. Eric Lynch Boston, MA USA
114.5		CRVAX1::KAPLOW	`Fri May 10 1985 19:12`	17
	Other than discussing travel problems I haven't seen an answer to the original question. I have been curious as to what is "THE BEST" CD player on the market today. I have seen several reviewers pick the REVOX (sorry I don't remember the model number, but it goes for about $1100) as the best unit on the market at any price. I do know that several radio stations use it for airplay, including WFMT "Chicagos fine arts station" (i.e. classical) which was the first station anywhere to play CDs. Now Nakamichi has a couple entries in the marketplace, and I have been waiting for a comparative review, or for the same source to do seperate reviews of the two units. Any pointers to such reviews? Anyone want to nominate some other unit as the best CD player at any price? I am still on my first unit, the Sony D5. While a cute portable unit, it is audibly inferior to most home units. I am not complaining, but short cuts were taken in the electronics to make the unit so small. When I finally buy a permanent home deck, I will be looking for "the best", as it seems that level is reasonably affordable in a CD player (unlike a turntable, preamp, amp, speaker, etc.).
114.6		XENON::MUNYAN	`Sat May 11 1985 09:27`	9
	Re: .5 From what I've heard the Nakamichi's are made by Kyosara (sp?) of Japan and are the low and middle priced units of their line (they make 3 models). Personally I'm impressed with the Nakamichi's but am not willing to shell out that kind of money. Steve
114.7		NULL::KINMONTH	`Fri May 17 1985 13:07`	12
	In response to 114.5, see note 56 in this notesfile. It contains many comments about the Naks. I saw and listened to the OSM/5 (through headphones). I liked the way it looks. The operating controls were nice too. Unfortunately I can't say too much about the most important aspect, how it sounds, because the showroom was very busy and noisy (hence the use of headphones). I was comparing it with the Yamaha CD-X2 (also with phones). I thought I could hear some difference, but I couldn't really figure out what it was in such bad listening conditions. The danger was that I wanted to think the Nak sounded better because it costs more than twice as much ($399/$995). All I could really tell was that the Nak was more solid and looked nicer.
114.8		GVA01::BOERS	`Wed May 29 1985 02:36`	7
	Stephane, try the Compact Disc Audio Club, 8 rue Frederic-Amiel in Geneva (tel 45 84 51). The owner, Jacques Boller (or his wife) is very helpfull and knowledgable. (they sell only CD's and CD players). He has virtually no players in stock, but knows the technical specs of most of them. He can order any model, I understand. Robert.