So, there was this Playstation that was meant to be like, as good as a $6,000 deck......

[the record spot]

chebby:
There must be a zillion good, working, used CD players on ebay for pocket-money prices that will sound better. Why bother with a 15 year-old, plasticky, game console with a tendency to buckle and/or get overheated?

Possibly, possibly not. I got it to see for myself.

Why bother with a 15 year old console? Well, for one thing, Sony changed the DAC chip later in production to an inferior model. They also dumped the RCA plugs as well, thus limiting the potential to try a newer model.

And isn't this remiscent of the logic employed against vinyl? I'm surprised at you of all people chebby! Why bother with yesterday's technology, with warped records, clicks pops and crackles? Well, no need to preach to the converted on that one. Yet the PS1 would hardly likely be the only bit of hardware to run hot.

And in any case, my earlier post still stands - there is a decent performance out of the PS1. That you or others don't share that is fine by me. I think one of the pleasures of this hobby is finding stuff like this out first-hand.

 

[the record spot]

Found a bit more info on the DAC used on the PS1 - link below:-

http://dogbreath.de/PS1/DAC/DAC.html

 

[professorhat]

the record spot:I'm quite interested why people are so quick to say it's a myth that it could be a half-decent player. Hey, I'm no snake-oil salesman, but coming at it with an open mind and recognising the minor limitations, it's a good performer. I won't be chucking the Marantz, but rather, tip my hat to whoever at Sony put that box together. Good effort.

Well, I only said it was a myth because that is what I had read others who had tried had said - hence my comment about it being good to get some first hand experience.

And from the sound of it, the statement that it sounds as good as a £6k CD player is actually still a myth...

 

[the record spot]

No but maybe not for one at a tenth of the price...

 

[Anonymous]

Guess what? I bought one from amazon, really cheap, it wouldn't hurt to try...

It arrived today, quickly connected it with Chord Crimson to my Yamaha RXV 550 with B&W 685.

First impression - not good. Thought it sounded too warm.

I'll have a better listen later today and tell you what I think.

NOTE: The PS1 is not in any way modded and I plugged it exactly as it arrived, original state.

 

[bigblue235]

I used one of these Playstations as my main CDP for a while, simply due to a lack of funds when I were a lad

It was connected to the reigning (at the time) £200 WH-F amp champ (NAD C302 I think) and some MS speakers.

I bought a Rotel CDP to replace it, and thought this brought a big improvement to the sound. So, I was a little bit puzzled by the 'net buzz about the PS1. I've dug the PS1 out from time to time, tried it with various interconnects, but it never sounds like anything other than a cheap CDP to me.

 

[Anonymous]

Complete nonsense. If anybody who has a pair of ears can say such things about a playstation 1 (1002) I have to consider that the person suffers from some mental ilness...

Sorry, it's my opinion. It sounds much worse than my Technics SL-PS7 CD player. That's my cheapest CD player...

Myth over. I won't even bother to discribe the sound, it's total rubish...

 

[SHAXOS]

I brought one on ebay for 20 pounds. See what its like. Im a bit of a cd player skeptic - all decent ones sound the same to me. Ive been looking for a really cheap player to replace my MF V8 i sold a bit ago. 20 quid = worth a punt. Worst comes to worst ill have a blast through Final fantasy 7 🙂

 

[Lost Angeles]

The best thing to do with a PS1 is get a copy of Oddworld Abe's Oddyssey and play that on it. Brilliant.

 

[SHAXOS]

Mine arrived today and i have been listening for about 3 hrs and i have to say that i am exremely impressed. Ill be honest and point out firstly that it is a bad cd player. But, and this this is a big but, they WAY in which it is bad is why people like it so much. The treble is rolled off and the bass is not great. This means there is a loss in overall detail and timings not right. However for some reason this makes the voices sound amazing off it. There is not a hint of harshness or sibilance and they sound life like and organic. I really like it! I paid 20 pounds and ill be honest there is not THAT much between it and my old musical fidelity xray. Definatly not enought to warrant the 500 pound odd difference. So all in all a bargain. And i have been playing FF7 to boot!

 

[the record spot]

JazzDevill:
Complete nonsense. If anybody who has a pair of ears can say such things about a playstation 1 (1002) I have to consider that the person suffers from some mental ilness...

Sorry, it's my opinion. It sounds much worse than my Technics SL-PS7 CD player. That's my cheapest CD player...

Myth over. I won't even bother to discribe the sound, it's total rubish...

Chuckle, so you slag off anyone who likes this player by saying they're mentally ill, but then attempt to cover your tracks with the old "sorry..." (an apology that's precisely nothing of the sort in posts of this kind) "...it's my opinion" and thereby that's alright then.

Oddly enough, I had a Technics SLPG5 and it was easily, easily on a par with that. It improves - IMO - on the sonic performance of my Samsung DVD-950H CD capabilities, less thin and more robust.

Lastly, far be it from me to feed the trolls, but if you want to put junk like that up and qualify it weakly, this is the kind of reply you can reasonably expect. You don't like the sound, cool by me, but ditch the rest - pretty unbecoming all in all.

 

[shooter]

Hello Recordspot, just of interest, hows the PS1 playing for you now?
Its been your system for 6 weeks now have you noticed any differance in sound from when you first bought it?

 

[the record spot]

Still very decent; I don't think the sound changes too much from a couple of hours play and it's very respectable. Like I said before, it does a good 85% of what the Marantz does, which is no mean feat. Good bass, good vocals, an accurate rendition of the music. Obviously, the equipment people choose to partner with it will have an impact on the resulting sound, but with mine, it's really rather good. Albums sound like they should, it's believeable and lifelike, no not the most forensic, but then again, why should it be?

I can only assume the chap who thinks I, by implication, have a mental illness has a similar problem if he can't accept that viewpoint!

And for a tenner, well, it's pretty decent in terms of VFM isn't it!

 

[SHAXOS]

Agreed!