Category Archives: Audiophilia

Portable CD Players Components Composition

PCDP Components Table in MS Excel format

PCDP Components Table in PDF format

Original table can be found at kaosuncd.com. I transferred data into MS Excel and then sorted Discmans by the year.  Some info on Sony Discmans was borrowed from sonyvintage.com; other-times extracted from Service Manuals or from the photos of the actual items undergoing surgery on my workbench. Excel file is updated each time I get a new Discman, PDF file updated only occasionally

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. CD PRESSING QUALITY

When talking about CD quality we usually mean original files used, be it the original master tape (RCA Living Stereo, Mercury), or AAD vs. DDD recordings, and/or mastering engineer: Steven Hoffman, Manfred Eicher, Doug Sax, “Prof” K.O.Johnson, etc, etc…   Other-times companies make a name for themselves by paying special attention to CD mastering chain: Esoteric SACDs, JVC-XRCDs… Mobile Fidelity gold CDs became highly collectible because of the mastering quality but also because of the layer of Gold instead of Aluminum used during CD production. Wadia 781i revealed yet another step in CD production chain where things can go wrong: final CD pressing. This step takes place at some anonymous plants churning out CDs for the major and audiophile labels. Continue reading THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. CD PRESSING QUALITY

Upgrading Naim Stageline phonostage

Naim Stageline is a joke of a  phonostage, but when combined with Hi-Cap power supply it gains both in weight and in price points. Once I switched from VirtuosoWood MM to a MC cartridge, “Stageline N” went into storage and “Stageline S’ took its place.

For my cartridge,  AQ 7000 Fe5 (made by Scan Tech = Lyra and periodically sent to Lyra for rejuvenation), “Stageline S” (470 Ohm load)  is recommended. My first  impression of AQ/Stage-S was that I should immediately revert back to Virtuoso Wood and Stageline N: sonically my Sondek became “dead”… Continue reading Upgrading Naim Stageline phonostage

The most beautiful Discman in the World. Loewe CD-100

Here is the Snow White:

 

It must have been kept in storage until the grease got stiff, then played… once! Sled gears were immediately broken and so the Sleeping Beauty was packed and stashed away for a few decades…. then posted on eBay.  I was the one who bought this beautiful paperweight.   Continue reading The most beautiful Discman in the World. Loewe CD-100