Sony CDP-70 CD Player - with a few pics - opinions?

[Fletch]

Found this lovely slimline player off of Craigslist. He had it listed for $9 but I had no change so it really cost me $10 but considering the shape it is and the quality sound it is putting out I am more then happy.

Sony CDP-70 CD PLayer Manufactured January 1986. Still has the sticker on the faceplate.

First pic of face:


Closer pic:


Last pic:


Any others have any experience with this unit or ones from 1985-1986? Any idea where to get a service manual, or anything else?

I have just used the headphone jack but so far so good. Black Crowes - Southern Harmony has never sounded so nice.

[ferninando]

feed it thru a upsampling Dacmagic and be happyer. $450/Audio Advisor.com/free ship

[Fr33way]

I love the older CDPs enjoy it!

[deaner33]

Looks like a nice basic CD player, good choice of CD to listen to. Hopefully the outputs are fine on it. Does it have optical or coax out?

[soundboy]

This was my first CD player when I purchased a Sony "rack system" from Macys back in April 1987 (I am still using the system's integrated amp and speakers, with the EQ in storage). There's no digital output on this CD player, so not possible to connect to an external DAC. When I had it, it always worked and while it wasn't an "audiophile" model, it sounded fine to my ears. I stupidly sold it for $90.00 to my schoolmate back in the early 90s. The CDP-70 is remote controllable but it doesn't come with its own remote. You'll need to connect that connector with the pins in the back to another Sony component that is remote controllable in order for the CDP-70 to be used with a remote.

I think it was featured in a comparison test in the old Stereo Review magazine.

[PacificStereo]

This is a gear sled, single-DAC, non-oversampling player. It very much looks like a CDP-302, but shares nothing with it. A good-sounding standard player, though.

I am now away from the SM and will not return for about three weeks. When I get back, I will look and see if it has an IR sensor or if remote control is only possible via a Sony receiver and cable.

Good score!

[Fletch]

Well, I am on my third CD, James Blunt was #2 and I am giving the new Dave Matthews a listen and so far I am very pleased with the sound. Of course I am still listening via headphones. I am away from my home for a few days house sitting and had nothing to play the new Dave CD on so this was a pleasant surprise.

I am batting 1 out of 3 for the vintage players
1. Realistic Optimus low end but it cost me pocket change
2. Pioneer 5010 - needs a belt but the time I had it working I was not impressed $2

This Sony unit is by far the best I have found locally for that price. The sled is built like a tank. Very sturdy. The guy I picked it up from told me it had been sitting for a while. The face of the unit is perfect, not a scratch. Of course the top has a few scuffs but it is in excellent condition. Thanks for the info guys!!

[Hokieman]

My first CDP, and still near and dear to my heart (down in my basement system, in fact). Aside from that damned door zombie issue, not a bad s ounding unit even today, even though others think it lacks some modern depth. Can't argue with the build qualify.

[Fletch]

Well, finally able to get this unit hooked up to my Realistic STA-84 receiver. Should this unit sound so good? The only GOOD sounding unit I can compare to would be a Sony PS1 SCPH-1001. Hard to say if it sounds better, definately different, maybe better. Giving Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms a spin last song........

[xupernaut]

Nice score, passed on a Teac today from about the same year nowhere near as clean as that Sony. You done good.

[secondslc]

Don't discount those older DAC's and players.

CD players back in the early days had a lot to prove, and so their DAC sections were extremely well thought out. Philips and Sony invented the standard to convert Analog to Digitial back in 1980 in order to make a CD, of course they knew EXACTLY how to convert that digital signal back into the original analog signal. They also built the players with extremely rugged and precise transports as there was not much in terms of error correction. The more accurately a CD can be read, the less processing power ones needs to get the analog signal back.

I still can't understand why people spend thousands on an external DAC when they don't even stop and listen to a quality CDP with a pair of Philips TDA 1540s or 1541s, or their sony equivalent. Ask certain members on this board, there was no real difference between a well regarded "modern" DAC and the built in DAC in my Marantz CD-94.

YMMV, but im perfectly happy being stuck in the 80s

[guiller]

Originally Posted by secondslc

I still can't understand why people spend thousands on an external DAC when they don't even stop and listen to a quality CDP with a pair of Philips TDA 1540s or 1541s, or their sony equivalent.

There is a nice article on the TDA-1541 here: http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/...r/TDA1541.html

[Cogsinister]

Originally Posted by secondslc

Don't discount those older DAC's and players.


YMMV, but im perfectly happy being stuck in the 80s

Amen !!!!!!

[Coastsider]

Originally Posted by secondslc

Don't discount those older DAC's and players.

I still can't understand why people spend thousands on an external DAC when they don't even stop and listen to a quality CDP with a pair of Philips TDA 1540s or 1541s, or their sony equivalent.

YMMV, but im perfectly happy being stuck in the 80s

I couldn't agree more. I have three vintage Sony ES players and the least desirable one from a collectors point of view, but the one I use most often is a CDP-507ESD which contains two Phillips TDA-1541a DAC's. In fact I like it so much I picked up a second one for backup.

Attached is a photo of the 1541a's in my primary 507.

[secondslc]

Originally Posted by Coastsider

I couldn't agree more. I have three vintage Sony ES players and the least desirable one from a collectors point of view, but the one I use most often is a CDP-507ESD which contains two Phillips TDA-1541a DAC's. In fact I like it so much I picked up a second one for backup.

Attached is a photo of the 1541a's in my primary 507.

I love the 1541 when done right. Most high end players really did the chip justice. Separate power supplies, clean signal transfer, and steady voltages all around.

I also have a few players with the 1540 (Marantz CD-73, Beogram CD-X) and they have the same family sound. Philips had to install some circuitry into the 1540 players to make them "seem" like 16 bit players, but I hear that once you bypass all of the extra circuitry, and let the 1540 do its thing...its a much more ear pleasing analogous sound.