| When the folks here in SHR evaluated the performance of CD players in the
RRD50 program, the Philips was chosen as the best cost/performance unit.
The positioner system was considered one of the strong points. The D/A was
not included in the evaluation or ranking.
Based on some recent reports in this file about positioner (or data recovery)
problems on some Japanese units, perhaps the Philips (Magnavox) is not a
bad choice.
Walt
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| I would strongly recommend the Magnavox/Phillips player. The audio
performance of players is determined by the D-A converter, the op-amps
used for buffering and anti-image filtering, and the layout of the
audio output circuitry... the Magnavox scores very well in these
regards.
Q Audio handles these players; you should go there (on a weekday
if possible) and audition them, they have some very good speakers,
and handle the Sony line as well. Bob Heenan may be willing to let you have
a unit for home evaluation, I'm not sure.
They also modify these players. That's up to you, it probably won'd do
any harm, except waste money, but there is the psychological gratification
that's hard to measure.
[A test to try sometime: play a midband sine wave from such as the Denon
PCM test disc with a twin-tee notch in the output path; listen to the
residual crud on various players, and you'll be somewhat surprised at the
differences in quantization noise floor among players. But you'll also
hear how low it is in relation to the main signal, to put it in perspective.]
- Jim
|
| I "stumbled" into a Mag..Phillips..ox - I still can't say that word - model
3030 for $204 ($399 - list) on a closeout. I was just looking for a cheapie to
allow me to build a library while the "generations" of CD players were sorting
themselves out. Well, per .1, I seemed to luck into the "best buy". It has now
been replaced by a new model, but it seems that the entire Magnavox line has
the same positioner, D/A, and filtering scheme. Hence the performance is
constant just the package and features change.
Bruce
|