Sony introduced the first digital compact disc players, or CD players, in 1982. Since then, CD players have ruled the audio scene, dwarfing the success of audiocassettes and LP’s, even resisting the threat of new introductions like the mini-disk player and the DVD player. CD players have come a long way since 1982—and even since I bought my own eight years ago.
For example, my little system is a single-box, integrated CD player. It sounds terrible. Back in the days of the Macarena, single-box CD players weren’t quite so lovingly crafted as they are now. But these days, integrated, single-boxes are made with nearly the same care and quality as their two-piece (transport plus converter) counterparts. There’s always going to be a little bit of a difference in fidelity, but unless you’re a complete audiophile, one is probably best off saving herself some bucks and going with a single box.
CD players with changers have also become much more respectable. Manufacturers used to skimp barefacedly on the electronic quality of CD players with changing capability. There’s still a bit of a difference between single- and multi-disc CD players, but changers are no longer a shabby option. Most people prefer the convenience of CD changers to the precision of the single player anyway. Six-CD players can play over seven hours of music without interruption, and most players allow you to fuss with your CD’s while one is playing. If you’re throwing a party, for example, that means seamless, professional entertainment with no awkward silences. If you’re very serious about the issue, check out the latest changers that handle up to 300 CD’s and hook up to your PC keyboard for cataloguing capabilities!
If you’re looking at new CD players (something I should do), you’ve probably done a little research and noticed a few possibly mysterious acronyms. Before writing this article, terms like MP3, CD-R, and SACD intimidated me. They made me feel old. Then I did my own research and discovered that they’re really not so sinister. MP3’s are music files that people download on their computers. They can be recorded onto recordable CD’s (CD-R’s) using a burner—found at any electronics store—and then can be played on many mid-priced CD players. CD-R’s are capable of carrying up to ten hours of music, so if you’re looking at CD players, consider buying one that can handle MP3 disks.
SACD’s are also known as Super Audio CD’s. These can only be played on Super Audio CD players, which are manufactured by Sony and Phillips. SACD’s are known for exceptional sound quality and four times the normal amount of recordable space. Along with the capacity to play SACD’s, Super Audio CD players are “backwards compatible,” and are able to play all your regular old compact disks as well.
What else to consider about CD players? Well, think about the reason you want one: To enjoy some beautiful music, right? Before you invest, respect your subjective judgment. Bring some CD’s to the store, including at least one with a little scratching, and listen carefully to all of your prospective CD players. A truly quality CD player will handle defects gracefully, without skipping repeatedly. Further, it will reproduce the production of the music faithfully, but without excessive precision that highlights every imperfection in a musical performance. While listening, tap CD players lightly to ensure that they’re not terribly sensitive, and if possible, try to handle them a little bit. CD players with some weight and bulk tend to be made of quality components. Delicate, rattling CD players will probably provide you with delicate, rattling music. You may save a little money, but if you don’t care much about the music, what’s the point?
By Nicole Zillmer