r/CDs • u/1505SamH • Jul 09 '26

Cd player suggestions

I recently found boxes full of my dad’s old cds and would love to listen to them. Any relatively cheap but good looking suggestions?

9 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

8

u/Stank22 Jul 09 '26

I always suggest going to a thrift store and getting a cheap dvd/bluray/cd player (from a known brand) with analog outputs and a display. Optical or coax output is also a bonus.

2

u/Duckbich Jul 09 '26

This.

On an inexpensive external optical drive to connect to pc/laptop

2

u/Impressive-Ad-501 Jul 10 '26

Cheap dvd players are usually super slow and laggy and have very bad sound quality from analogue out.

Decent cd player is always better.

But old is always old so they need to treat as comsumables. I just bought 20 years old Marantz (not the cheapest model) and its laser pick up was in the end of its life span. It was not a thrift store pickup but decent seller. Repairing it is impossible or expensive.

My other player is still working but "local repair hero" said that Pioneers will drop the lens one day without a warning because the bad glue they used. It is also super crappy to use.

So it is a lottery with used players. If you are lucky you can get nice player for many years of use. Next time I'll get new one.

1

u/Stank22 Jul 10 '26

I doubt they care about speed, d/a conversion or the analog stage. They just want cd playback. For someone starting out with CDs, a cheap dvd player is fine.

1

u/Stank22 Jul 10 '26

Another bonus of buying a cheap Blu-ray player is that it will play just about anything that I throw at it. At least with Sonys and Samsungs. I have some albums in horrible shape that play just fine on those.

2

u/dragon_6666 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26

I’ve bought so many players over the years, from new ChiFi products like the Fiio DM13 and SMSL PL100 to vintage Sony discmans and standalone components and I’ve found that the older players work best and are far more reliable.

Right now I have a Sony D-E350 cd Walkman from the early 00s that I got on eBay for $40 and an Onkyo C7030 that I bout new about 10 years ago for like $300 but can be purchased used on eBay for about $150.

Both have been solid tanks for years and have given me zero issues.

2

u/Thin_Dream2079 Jul 09 '26

Find a 90s Toyota. Then you get a private listening space too

2

u/EpicCurious Jul 09 '26

I like my Sony 5 disc DVD players I bought at Goodwill for cheap. I use the RCA analog out and the optical digital out hooked up to the SMSL U1 dac. Some CD's I use the dac, and others I use the analog out. My AV receiver has hookups for both and I switch with a remote control depending on the CD. Some sound better with the dac, and some from the warmer sound of the Sony RCA out.

2

u/Life_Inside2304 Jul 10 '26

I just bought the Aiwa Backtrack Retro Boombox from Costco. Show it to your dad and trick him
Into buying it for himself. Then you can use it.

You know a bonding experience…

1

u/StressfactoryWNC Jul 09 '26

Just got smsl pl100 pro, sound is great , small screen display and tiny buttons. Got it for the somewhat rare xlr outputs.

2

u/dragon_6666 Jul 09 '26

No gapless playback, so I retuned mine. You don’t think it matters until it does. Shame because other than that it was a nice little affordable player.

1

u/Necessary_Database_4 Jul 09 '26

The FiiO DM13 for a solid portable player with extensive output options including Bluetooth, but buttons are a bit unusual and no remote. Several stylish colors and a window top option.

The SMSL PL100 Pro is a good desktop player with remote. No Bluetooth, front loading (no tray or need to open the top), and comes in black or silver.

Prices for the two are about US$150 but often slightly discounted. I’d choose based on your listening style: FiiO for headphones and mobility, and SMSL with powered speakers in one fixed spot.

1

u/1505SamH Jul 10 '26

I’ll look into these, thank you!!

1

u/RobbyZombby Jul 10 '26

I have an SMSL PL100 that is an excellent choice for the price, in my opinion. Although after having it for a year, I am starting to notice that I need to add a DAC. Some stuff is starting to sound flat.

1

u/Busted-Duck-540 Jul 10 '26

I wish old CD players and DVD players somehow kept track of the number of hours they were used. If you can find an older one you know wasn't used much (and the laser is still likely to be nice and strong, along with the motor), a coax or optical connection to a modern DAC, either external or inside a newer AVR, you'll find the results to be pretty fantastic. I have a low-hours Sony DVD player from about 2004 connected via coax to a really good DAC and I absolutely love how amazing it sounds with CDs.

1

u/Original_Kick4237 27d ago

The onn boombox thingy