Portable CD player (recommendations)

XB-70 Valkyrie · March 11, 2015, 01:07:51 AM

In addition to numerous other listening devices/drives/computers/turntables/radios, etc., I have used a Panasonic portable CD player for years, but now it is having its problems (LCD failing for one thing). So, I am in the market for a new one. Any recommendations? I want something durable with good sound. Recommendations appreciated, thanks!

I am also in the market for a Blackberry, a manual typewriter, and maybe a nice set of stone tools (Neolithic only--none of that Paleolithic crap).

North Star · March 11, 2015, 03:33:33 AM

Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on March 11, 2015, 01:07:51 AM
In addition to numerous other listening devices/drives/computers/turntables/radios, etc., I have used a Panasonic portable CD player for years, but now it is having its problems (LCD failing for one thing). So, I am in the market for a new one. Any recommendations? I want something durable with good sound. Recommendations appreciated, thanks!

I am also in the market for a Blackberry, a manual typewriter, and maybe a nice set of stone tools (Neolithic only--none of that Paleolithic crap).

I suppose you already own a fax machine, a fountain pen and a carrier pigeon.

The Sony & Philips players I had, one of each, served me well.

springrite · March 11, 2015, 04:12:46 AM

I bought 5 SONY players last time I was in California, saving for rainy days (or extinction).

Todd · March 11, 2015, 05:43:36 AM

I use a Sony Discman (can't remember the model) and have used it for seven or eight years at work. It gets between one and five hours a day of use, four to five days a week. Sound is good, reliability remarkable. I should have bought a couple more units when I was at it, since Sony exited that market.

springrite · March 11, 2015, 05:59:38 AM

Quote from: Todd on March 11, 2015, 05:43:36 AM
I use a Sony Discman (can't remember the model) and have used it for seven or eight years at work. It gets between one and five hours a day of use, four to five days a week. Sound is good, reliability remarkable. I should have bought a couple more units when I was at it, since Sony exited that market.

Ditto!
Actually, I bought 8. But over the past year, I had given away three.

Wait, I am just reminded that I need to bring one tomorrow for a friend... That means ... what? Only 2 left? What happened to the others???

Mirror Image · March 11, 2015, 06:09:27 AM

I can only echo the recommendations for a Sony portable CD player. I have three of them and they are all great players and I've had no problems with them whatsoever.

springrite · March 11, 2015, 06:55:49 AM

Quote from: springrite on March 11, 2015, 05:59:38 AM
Ditto!
Actually, I bought 8. But over the past year, I had given away three.

Wait, I am just reminded that I need to bring one tomorrow for a friend... That means ... what? Only 2 left? What happened to the others???

Oh, I remember now. I gave two or three away to kids from the ASIANA air crash, along with some CDs, to help them with their recovery.

Now I feel better.

Gurn Blanston · March 11, 2015, 06:58:13 AM

Quote from: Todd on March 11, 2015, 05:43:36 AM
I use a Sony Discman (can't remember the model) and have used it for seven or eight years at work. It gets between one and five hours a day of use, four to five days a week. Sound is good, reliability remarkable. I should have bought a couple more units when I was at it, since Sony exited that market.

This is what I have too. I don't use it much any more, but it has been rode hard and put away wet many a time and never missed a beat. Still works great after 8 years!

kishnevi · March 11, 2015, 01:13:31 PM

Perhaps you might check into portable DVD players, which will also play CDs. (At least mine does, and it is a cheapo model from Best Buy.)

SonicMan46 · March 11, 2015, 01:32:58 PM

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on March 11, 2015, 06:58:13 AM
This is what I have too. I don't use it much any more, but it has been rode hard and put away wet many a time and never missed a beat. Still works great after 8 years!

Well, I'm w/ Gurn - in the 'ole days', I carried a Sony discman w/ me on every trip w/ a special case that held the CDs out of their cases (usually carried the booklets along) & extra batteries - kind of bulky but was an important part of my vacation life - then my son gave me an iPod Touch about 6 years ago and I loaded a bunch of MP3 music on it - not sure where my old Sony players are? May have donated them to Goodwill?

Now my 'on the road' music is on my iPad Air 2 w/ some BT speakers & headphones, and Wi-Fi is always available where we stay, so I can do my Amazon music wirelessly w/ their app, along w/ using Spotify & Pandora - boy, the world of 'trip music' has changed for me, and I'm a retired old fart! Dave

XB-70 Valkyrie · March 12, 2015, 12:11:14 PM

Thanks for the recommendations. Sony looks great, but prices for "new" ones (New Old Stock, I assume) are ranging from $200-500. I don't remember them being that expensive, even when they first came out and were all the rage--but maybe adjusted for inflation they were(?) Perhaps this is a case of dwindling stocks commanding ever higher prices.

I am wary of buying one of these used, because there is really no way to know how much life it has left. As far as I know, and in my experience with innumerable different players, ALL CD players start skipping and breaking down at some point, and basically none are serviceable (except maybe the ultra high-end models) at prices that make sense over buying a new one.

I will look around at alternatives. Given that one can buy a portable USB CD/DVD-Burner drive for a laptop in the $25 range, 10X the price for a portable CD player, even one as nice as the Sony seems quite high.

Jay F · March 12, 2015, 01:09:30 PM

Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on March 12, 2015, 12:11:14 PM
Thanks for the recommendations. Sony looks great, but prices for "new" ones (New Old Stock, I assume) are ranging from $200-500. I don't remember them being that expensive, even when they first came out and were all the rage--but maybe adjusted for inflation they were(?) Perhaps this is a case of dwindling stocks commanding ever higher prices.

I am wary of buying one of these used, because there is really no way to know how much life it has left. As far as I know, and in my experience with innumerable different players, ALL CD players start skipping and breaking down at some point, and basically none are serviceable (except maybe the ultra high-end models) at prices that make sense over buying a new one.

I will look around at alternatives. Given that one can buy a portable USB CD/DVD-Burner drive for a laptop in the $25 range, 10X the price for a portable CD player, even one as nice as the Sony seems quite high.

I bought a Sony D-66 in April, 1991. I think it cost $200. It played every day for ten years before succumbing to mechanical failure. I wish I had another.

http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/d-66

I used it with a pair of Beyerdynamic headphones that looked like today's 990s. I had to keep the volume on the Discman all the way up. I didn't know about headphone amplifiers yet. I loved those headphones, but I'd fall asleep on the sofa with them on, and twice had to replace a speaker when the headphones dropped to the floor. They were pretty loose, and extremely comfortable.

XB-70 Valkyrie · April 30, 2015, 01:41:58 PM

Looking on Amazon, I am amazed at how many different models Sony made. Some, like the DFJ041 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DFJ041-Portable-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000MVGBFU/ref=sr_1_44?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1430429969&sr=1-44&keywords=sony+discman
do not even appear to have an LCD display. Other ones could be as old as mid-80s I suppose. The website provided above is interesting but does not include all the models produced. Any advice on which models to consider and which to avoid? Thanks.

Mirror Image · April 30, 2015, 02:25:16 PM

I'm surprised at the some of the prices of these Sony CD players. Ridiculous.

Portable CD player (recommendations)

Mirror Image

kishnevi

Mirror Image