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Digital Drive

How good is the CDB 650?

162.119.238.162

In Reply to: RE: Vintage Magnavox CDB492 CD Player - Impressive! posted by mjcmt on June 30, 2009 at 17:32:23

I think that's the one that people said to buy and mod, and I did so from Audio Advisor in the mid 80's, but never got around to modding.

Sits and occasionally plays in my family home's system. I put 4 large rubber sorbathane donut shaped feet under it and played it with Uncle Stu's green disc. Very soft and round and nice sound.

The gear is GAS Thoebe >>> Hafler DH 200 >>> Rogers 15 ohm LS3/5a and Bass unit LSB 1, fed by Philips Magnavox CDB 650 great shape, mint Ariston RD 11S/Grace 707 black arm tube, Shure V15VMR, Sony TCK 555 (not ES), Panasonic VCR and a China manufactured and labeled HDCD and DVD/CD player.

The system is very good for classical music and esp the over 500 mint LP collection, which is 90% classical or vocal opera and operetta. Bass and speaker postioning need improvements.

Picture of a typical LP from that collection. New appearing disc.

Follow Ups:

RE: How good is the CDB 650? - deskducker 21:20:00 07/10/09 (0)
I also have 2 of those Magnavox CDB-650. I also have an ADCOM GCD-575, which is 1541 based. For their shortcomings on imaging, soundstaging, and depth, there is such little digititis on these. However, my Scott Nixon designed Anodyne adapt tube dac is in a different league. Does everyting the phlips players can, but gives you soundstage, imaging,etc.

Funny, the "old" transports from that era track better than most new cd players. CDr's, scratched disc, etc. Doesn't matter, those Magnavox decks play every disc I throw at them (it is my understanding that the lasers were stronger and were made with glass versus plastic.)
RE: How good is the CDB 650? - mjcmt 16:26:10 07/01/09 (0)
I also researched the '86 CDB610-650 series. As far as I was able to determine they use the Philips CDM2 transport and TDA1541 DAC. The '89 CDB492 is a step up w/ CDM4/19 transport and TDA1543 DAC. I don't know all the variation of all models of these Philips/Magnavox cdps, but I suspect the '89 models are the pinnacle of these vintage dual 16bit players by Philips.

Funny how there is a rediscovery of the (still manufactured) dual 16 bit TDA1543 DAC chip used by Scott Nikon, Consonance, Lite DAC, Apogee Mini-DAC, Audio Note, 47 Lbs, Paridese and many others.

If someone has more information please chime in.

Mike

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