Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    I bought the Crown CD-110 for $85 in April and its still going strong.
    Looks cheap and is cheap, skips easily, but many portables do. I'm
    not sure you can still get it that cheaply, but even at 100 or more,
    I would still think it a good deal. At least worth checking into.
    
    Scott

    
    Not too helpful, but...
    
    I have yet to find a CD player that doesn't sound good (yes, some
    sound *much* better than others, but all sound pretty darn good)
    and isn't easy to operate.
    
    My experience from living with  three machines myself, reading this
    notesfile and talking to lots of CD owners suggests that most players
    under $200 are kind of questionable from a reliability standpoint
    (witness all the Sony Discman problems described in other notes). 
    
    I think the Sony CDP-350 (*not* a portable) which is often put on sale
    for under $200 is a good unit, considering. 
    
    

    If portability is not an issue, I think you can get a more reliable
    machine for the same $$ if you get a regular home-size machine.
    The big ones are simply cheaper to design and manufacture.
    	
    			Steve

    Portability is not one of the requirements.  What prices do the
    lower line Sony's and Maggie's run.  Also lets jump the price up
    to $250 and see what that brings.  And going on the assumption that
    almost all CD players sound good (I don't know, I find a great
    variation in the sound. but the person that this is for doesn't)
    let's focus on the quality, reliability issue.  If there isn't an
    acceptable unit in the price range, whats the minimum cost?
    
    Rob (whoes CD player cost a little bit more than this ;^) )

    Some people have told me that the Magnavox machines are not as
    mechanically reliable as they are good at sound reproduction.  But
    I'm pretty sure you can get one for under $250, and they all sound
    quite good.  Probably one of the better machines mechanically and
    electronically is the Denon, but they may all be over $250.
    
    			Steve

    The lower end of Sony's line can easily be found for near $200,
    such as the CDP-110, CDP-310 and maybe CDP-350.  They are reliable
    and sound great.
    				Steve

    My Sony D5, bought three years ago for $120, has never been in the
    shop and has always run great. I have at least 500 hours on it.
    Though it is portable, I have never taken it anywhere. If I were
    getting a CD player today, I would go for the $200 NEC with output
    level control ( on the wireless remote).
    

    ... turns out you can get a Sony CDP-550 for $199, on sale around
    here somewhere (I saw the ad - Lechmere, maybe).  Lower models
    are even cheaper.  Sure beats a portable.
    
    			Steve

    Does anyone have any info on the Magnavox 473 (I'm pretty sure that's
    the model number).  It has remote, FTS, programmability up to 20
    tracks, 3 beam pickup and 4X oversampling, etc.  It also feels more
    solid than the earlier Magnavox players I looked at.
    
    There are, unfortunately, a couple of things it lacks which my current
    player has:
    
     -	remaining time display
     -	program length display (useful for recording from cd)
     -	"immediate-mode" programming (I discovered this undocumented
    	feature: if you push PROGRAM while a disc is playing, the disc
    	stops at the end of the current track.)

    re .9
    
    not certain what you are looking for re the Magnavox 473
    
    Sears carries it for $349 list, recently on sale for $249
    
    Yes, it lacks a remaining time display.  Instead it displays elapsed
    time from the beginning of the current track (much less useful).
    
    Total program length is displayed when you insert a CD but don't
    start it playing, also when the CD/program finishes.
    
    I vaguely recall that the manual said you could enter a program
    while the disk was playing; I've never personally done such a thing.

    I've owned one for about a week.

    Actually, I was looking for some reactions, favorable or unfavorable,
    from people who have owned/used this player.  Except for the lack of a
    remaining time indication, it seems to have most of what I want plus
    one additional feature:  volume control on the remote.
    
    The lack of a "program length" display makes it difficult to make
    tapes from disks.  You can't be sure how many tracks will fit on one
    side of the tape unless you add up the times.  I actually saw a couple
    of Yamaha players (the 410 and 510) which have a tape program function. 
    You input the length of the tape (both sides) and it automatically
    generates A and B programs containing whatever tracks will fit, in
    order, on one side of tape.

    RE:.-1
    
    	This auto tape feature on the Yamaha machines is great. I got
    the model 810 last week. It's very nice. (8 times oversampling too)

    Care to price the yamaha's?
    
    Are these portables? Is this feature available in any?
    
    A

    well, I've been happy with my Magnavox 473, but then I've only had
    it just over a week and it's the first CD I've owned.  I got it
    primarily because Stereophile, et.al. like the Maggies for the price.
    
    Manually adding up playing times to see what will fit onto a cassette
    doesn't bother me, as I've been doing it for years with vinyl records
    (I have about six yards of records).  But then I also listen to
    classical music, which tends to have longer cuts that must be played
    in order, so there's not so much to be gained by trying to pack
    things densely

    I was shopping this last week and thought that both the Sony 350
    and the JVC 333 were intersting for their price.  I almost bought
    the JVC but thought I would do alittle more research first.  I see
    numerous references in this conference to the Sony but I haven't
    seen this model of JVC referenced.  
    
    Any experience or opinions out there?  (Any opinions out there???
    What a question!)
    
    Dan'l

    I've had a 473 since last xmas.  I have been happy with it, but I don't
    demand a lot of it.  (E.g. I rarely use the remote.)  It does seem much
    more solid mechanically than the earlier maggies.  I have had nothing
    to complain about regarding reliability or sound.

	Paul

    
    I've had a Magnvox CDB650 for a year and like it.  I paid $350,
    but I've seen it since for $300.  It has remaining time displayed
    even if the tracks are programmed.  As you enter the program, the
    total time entered so far is indicated.  Also, you can program it
    to start at any point in any track, not just the beginning of a
    track or index.  Sounds great, and has been reliable so far, and
    only $50 more than the 473.
    
    			Steve

    There is a fantastic store called Stereo Discount Center in Providence
    which always seems to have good cd players on sale.  I just purchased
    a Technics SL-P220 (2x over samp, remote w/volume control (nice),
    20 track programming, displays total disc time played/remaining,
    song time played/recording, which song is being played).  Sounds
    fine to me, tho it is definitely the weak link in the system by
    "quality" (?!@#?), very quick response time, and I PAYED $149.00.
    Other players for sale (still available - move fast):
    	Sony 2X over-samp 5-disc carousel w/remote $249.
    	Sony 4X over-samp 5-disc carousel w/remote $300.
    	Sony 4X over-samp 207esd w/remote $300.
    	Sony CDP-350 $188.00
    	Citizen portable $60.00
    

    Re/ .17:
    
    Does the Magnavox CDB 650 have a remote control?  Does it have volume
    control on the remote (one of the cute features of the 473)?  Do you
    know where (in the Boston/Nashua area) it can be found?
    
    Thanks.
    -pd

    re: .19
    
    The Magnavox 650 does have remote control, but no volume control
    on the remote.  It has one on the machine itself for the headphones.
    I saw one up at Cuomo's in their demo room, but I don't know if
    they are selling them now or not.
    
    		Steve

    
    At last look Q audio in Cambridge still carries Mags.
    I bought my 650 there last fall.  
    
    Ken