Digital Classics.

The first CDP you can by, the Philips CD101.

I could still remember fondly of Philips and Sony's promise of "Perfect Sound Forever" when the Compact Disc, or CD was launched to much fanfare in the year 1982. How time flies, and in 2007, the CD celebrated it's 25th Anniversary.

I have noticed in certain used hifi clasifieds lately that certain older models of CDPs have been moving up in price. Example in point, I was browsing for my dream Marantz CD7 three years ago, and along the way bumped in to a Marantz CD10, I could have it for RM$1.2k. Today, I see the same model asking for RM$2k. Another example of that same period in time, Meridian 206 CDP was asking for RM$1.8k, today that same model is seen advertising for RM$2.3k. Another Marantz, the CD94MKII was then asking for RM$1.6k, I recently see one sold for RM$3.2k. Also a significant model like the Philips CD101 was just recently sold for RM3k plus to a collector.

So what makes a CDP a collectible classic?

a) It must have some form of significant time line marker for the product, like the above said Philips CD101, which was the 1st mass produced CDP you could buy in 1982.

b) It's technical spec must be of the right sort, mainly the transports must have the revered swing heads like the Philips CDM1 or 4 variety. Or the Teac VRDS series. Also considered equally important is the DAC chip. The right numbers to go for are of course the Philips TDA1541 variety or the TDA1547 or simply called DAC7 or Bitstream, depending on marketing speak.

The magical chip, Philips TDA1541 DAC operating in balance mode.

c) It must be reasonably rare of the kind. Some Marantz models like the CD & DA12 pair, where only 500 pairs was ever produced, and mostly are now in the hands of collectors and industry people(I'll come to this more later). Another example is that it's rare simply because at that time of product launch it was priced out of this world! Case in point is the Linn CD12, it's price was RM$60k when launched in 1999. The Denon DCD S1 is also another HOT model, rare because it was never sold outside Japan.

A rare find! Denon DCD S1.

d) Very naturally, being an audiophile product, it must not only sound good, but BENCH MARK GOOD!

So I will list a few here that I would personally consider a classic, however, I must admit that I am probably not the most authurotive figure on the subject matter.

Sony: Let's start with one of the co-developers of the format. The Sony 337 & 555ESD. These are the two more popular of then early Sony machines. They employ Sony KSxxx series transports and borrows the TDA1541 DAC chip from Philips. Inovation includes battleship build quality like double layered copper chassis and transparent military spec PCB boards(Sony 555ESD only). The sound is typically analytical Sony, with lots of details and full on gutsy bass.

Lil' Bro, Sony CDP-337 ESD.

Big Bro! Sony CDP-555 ESD, with transparent mill spec PCB!

JVC: The JVC1050 K2 CDP was considered state of the art at the time, because it uses the same K2 DAC chip developed in house by JVC to master XRCDs. I have not had the oppurtunity to audition one before, but it'll be interesting.

JVC 1050 K2.

Note K2 chip inside the JVC, on top right of pic.

Teac: The first Teac Esoteric player to feature the famed VRDS transport was the P700 and D700. It is considered a classic just so, because it started a trend where all future higher end models of Teac, from the VRDS10, 25SE to the current Esoteric X05 series incorporated the ultra stable transport with disc clamp built in.

Teac VRDS 25SE. All VRDS models are best used as transports only, to be mated with other DACs.

Naim: The CDS1 from Naim is a classic because it was the company's first digital product. It featured the all the right Philips parts, like a top mounted CDM1 swing head transport and the TDA1541 DAC chip. In typical Naim fashion, the later Naim CDs3, CD tray is a manual swing design, which is still in use for today's latest Naim products. The sound, however is typically olive Naim(which die hard flat earthers loved so much!).

Naim CDS1. Note, the tube funnels are not part of the package!
The Naim CDS3, note the Philips CDM transport mounted in to a swing tray? Just like today's Naim CD5X.

Meridian: How can we mention Naim without Meridian? The company's first CDP, the Meridian MCD Pro 888 was basically a Philips CD101 with a modified output stage and beefed up power supply. It showed the world that "Perfect Sound Forever" can be further perfected upon! For that, how can it not be a classic? In recent times, Merdian's CDPs got better and better, but still largely based loosely on the Philips parts bin list, like the Meridian CD206, which feature a box design, bolted together at the back, using Philips CDM1 transport and TDA1541 DAC chip. I would strongly speculate the current Meridian G808 CDP to be a classic in the making! However, only time would tell.

Meridian MCD PRO 888. Doesn't it look like a Philips CD101?

Meridian CD206, note the Philips CDM1 swing head transport, built in to tray?

Linn: There is only one Linn player that fits the classic bill. It's the Linn CD12. Built to rival the long lived Linn LP12 turn table in spirit. It was considered to be the closest to analog sound as CDPs get. Many whom heard it are convinced that the CD12 is as good as the LP12! Too bad it was too expensive(it was sold for RM$60k a pc then!), and only very few were sold. In fact Linn has discontinued the CD12 only to carry on with the LP12. What an irony and surely, a pity too! If only I can audition one for my self!

Sounds as good as the Linn LP12? The Linn CD12.

Marantz: There are many Marantz CDPs that surely qualifies as classic, but the top 3 would probably be starting with the CD94 & CD94 MKII. These babies are the most sought after in the used market as they are available and pretty cheap(even with today's high prices) comparitively to the next 2 models up. All the necesary goodies are there, like the heavyweight build quality, double layer chasis construction, the Philips CDM1 swing head transport and TDA1541 S1(specially matched tight tolerence DAC chips). It's also one of the earliest Marantz CDP to feature XLR balanced output(CD94 MKII only) You can say the CD94 MKII is the one box CD & DA12 econo combo!

The Marantz CD94 & CD94 MKII. Twins?

Next up is the Marantz CD7. It was considered to be significant as it was Marantz last hurrah! to CDP technology and Ken Ishiwata, the Marantz designer kept the best and last remaining TDA1541 S2 close tolerence matching DAC chips for this project. By then Philips had already stop production of the chips and Marantz only had enough to built 750 CD7s. The fully discreet and balance output stage of the CD7 deserves a special mention as it is a blue print for all future Marantz high designs, including the later Marantz SA1 and the current top of the line Marantz SA7. The magic of the the CD7's sound is however, deeply rooted in the DAC chip.

My beloved Marantz CD7, stripped for your viewing pleasure!

Lastly, probably, the most sought after Marantz CDp is the CD & DA12 combo pair. Only 500 of these combo pairs were ever built. It is said that till this day, Ken Ishiwata and the famed reviewer, Ken Kesler still uses the CD & DA12 combo for their daily music listening. They are very good friends of course and are in the same opinion that no modern CDP has beaten the Marantz combo for musicality. And that is really saying something about this player! Again, the transport in use is the Philips CDM1 and 2 pairs of TDA1541 S1 are employed in the DAC section.

Ken Ishiwata & Ken Kesler's CD machine! The Marantz CD & DA12.

Philips: How can we forget about the co-conspirator who brought us in to the digital music world? Of course, the Philips CD101 is an instant classic for being only the first of it's kind. The other notable Philips models are the CD850MKII which is the best bitstream DAC player ever built. Also need to mention the Philips CD960, which was then a top slot CDP, using CDM1 transport and TDA1541 DAC. Then of course there are the Philips cousins to their glamourous Marantz cousins, sans the audiophile jewelry bits and pieces! Like the Philips LHH1000 which is the bread & butter Marantz CD & DA12 combo! Another one to look out for is the Philips LHH800R, which is the Marantz CD11LE cousin! According to Stereo Sound Japan, both are breathtakingly good sounding!

The first Bitstream Philips 850 and 850 MKII.

Philips CD960, striped bare naked, just for you!

The poor cousins, Philips LHH1000.

Philips LHH800R.

Others worthy of mention:

DCS Elgar DAC, this is monumental in a sense that it was the first up sample 16bit data to 24/192 in the year 1996. Up sampling is now the common feature of today's CDPs. I heard this once in an super set up and it sounds sublime, in a sense that it doesn't sound like digital or analog!, it's just out of this world.

The DCS Elgar DAC, the first up sampler, way ahead of it's time!

Wadia 861SE, this model has been around since 2002, despite the arrival of a supposedly superior format SACD. In 2005 it got an SE moniker to signify certain internal changes, however, that precision VRDS tranport is still in used with in house propriety DAC. The sound is superbly detailed, if a little mechanically inclined.

Wadia 861SE with it's tongue sticking out!

Sonic Frontiers SFCD1, being one of the first high end design to incorporate a pair of 6922 tubes for output section. It also features an Ultra Jitterbug chip, said to eliminate jitter and has HDCD decoding! It a very sweet sounding player, as many of my friends have fallen in love with it.

Sonic Frontiers SFCD1, the first digital tubed delight?

Denon DCD2650/3650G, this is a player of battleship size, with equally big sound to boot! It was one of Denons first high end designs that trully overspecs every part except perhaps the sound?

The battleship Musashi? Denon DCD2650.

Arcam Alpha 5, this started off as an el'cheapo Philips TDA1541 and CDM4 swing head transport donor to DIY projects, as until recently, you could get a used unit for RM$500 of so. But I've seen them advertised lately for as much as RM$1k.

The Arcam Alpha 5, it's so light you gotta load it with a brick?

Marantz SA1 and Sony SCD1, hey! they are SACD spinners for sure, but they are also a time line product as being the first of their kind and they signal the end of the CD era. However they do play CDs too!

Marantz SA1.

Sony SCD1.

And lastly, who can forget the all time most popular CDP called the Marantz CD63 and all it's other monikers like MKII, SE and very special KI??? However they are too many around to be considered a classic.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and I would have probably missed a model or two, but hey! You can always share with me what you'd think of as a classic CDP.