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Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?

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Posted on October 23, 2009 at 16:42:37
norwoodpond
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: October 21, 2009
 Hello,

A friend was just telling me he read somewhere that the original Sony playstation 1 makes an excellent CD player. I would have never thought it,but have no idea because I have never heard/seen one.Does anyone have experience w/ this? I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on November 1, 2009 at 08:48:36
jimmycj
Audiophile

Posts: 1042
Joined: December 6, 2004
 the thing about this is ,sure you get "nice sound" from this,but you get what you pay for,who on this site is looking for "nice sound" or "good sound",when you can do about fifty times better.
I cant imagine anybody who really wants to listen ,you know really listen to music would even bother with this, but if it works out and like it more power to ya.

Suppressed details, rolled off frequency extremes, reduced channel seperation..., posted on October 27, 2009 at 18:49:26
Abel McCain
Audiophile

Posts: 1833
Location: Rocky Mountains, USA
Joined: November 19, 2005
 In short, all the things that make for an involving and relaxed listening experience. I have one I bought for about $25 on ebay, and it's not a bad sounding thing.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 26, 2009 at 20:23:36
Spendor Harbeth
Audiophile

Posts: 601
Location: Left Coast
Joined: May 15, 2009
 Don't go there. Take three long breaths, pick up the red phone and the nice men in white jackets will be by with some candy for you. You will thank them later.

And after the intervention you will realize what utter non sense you were getting your self into.

Have you auditioned a Playstation 1 in your system?, posted on October 31, 2009 at 22:20:21
hukkfinn
Audiophile

Posts: 2835
Location: East Coast
Joined: July 19, 2002
 Do tell.

Thanks,
Hukk

RE: Have you auditioned a Playstation 1 in your system?, posted on November 1, 2009 at 08:49:53
jimmycj
Audiophile

Posts: 1042
Joined: December 6, 2004
 Never have and wouldn't even bother

RE: Have you auditioned a Playstation 1 in your system?, posted on November 1, 2009 at 07:10:11
Spendor Harbeth
Audiophile

Posts: 601
Location: Left Coast
Joined: May 15, 2009
 I have heard it, and it is total rubbish.

This whole nonsense was started by two audiophile journalists.

I think they are still laughing about it.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 26, 2009 at 09:34:18
guitardave
Audiophile

Posts: 160
Joined: December 18, 2004
 It has a very "analogue" sound, even more analogue that analogue! It is a very interesting unit. Not my main player, but interesting.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 24, 2009 at 18:56:24
BillyBenBilly
Audiophile

Posts: 193
Location: Ohio
Joined: July 31, 2003
 I usually listen to vinyl and hang out at the Vinyl Asylum but your post caught my eye. I use an unmodified SCPH-1001 as a main cd player. It replaced my previous cd player/DAC ( Audio Note DAC 1.1 with a Theta cd turntable) and I really have to say, for my purposes, the Sony PS-1 works pretty well. Cold, it sounds bad, as someone posting described it, lifeless and uninvolving. However, after it warms up a little, say about a week (you've got to keep it powered up all the time or forget about it), it sounds pretty decent. I posted about it indirectly earlier tonight on VA, remarking that I discovered, after not playing CDs for months on my home system, how amazingly good it sounded and this is to a dyed in the wool vinyl guy. Anyhow, for digital on the cheap, IMO, it's hard to beat.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 24, 2009 at 19:41:27
norwoodpond
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: October 21, 2009
 Thanks for sharing your observations. I had to try this out,so I just bought one on e-bay...$25.43 shipped.

I will take your advice and keep it powered up all the time.I never would have guessed that would make a difference,but I am still a rookie at this stuff.

Coming from a vinyl guy,it must be a pretty good CD player.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 24, 2009 at 19:49:43
BillyBenBilly
Audiophile

Posts: 193
Location: Ohio
Joined: July 31, 2003
 I'm not sure why it does, but it really does! Hope you enjoy it.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 24, 2009 at 21:13:12
norwoodpond
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: October 21, 2009
 Thanks,I am really looking forward to this adventure.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 24, 2009 at 08:25:01
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 352
Joined: September 21, 2001
 There's a nice long thread on DIYAudio about these:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/31123-playstation-cd-player-60.html?pp=40

It's the SCPH-1001 model that's supposed to sound the best. There are a number of documented mods in the thread, the standard CD player mods like bypassing the output stages and muting transistors, upgrading the power supplies, damping the cases, etc.

At least one company has used another Playstation model (sorry, don't remember which) as the basis for a CDP with high-end pretensions. Another used to offer power supply and tube output stage boards for them... I don't know if they still do.

I played around with one, doing the output stage mods, upgrading the power supply, and damping the case. It was a very listenable unit with an analog-ish sound. Not a world-beater, but considering the base unit was a $25 used PS-1, very affordable.

RE: Sony Playstation 1 as CD player ?, posted on October 24, 2009 at 10:58:41
norwoodpond
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: October 21, 2009
 Thanks for the link,man do I have some reading to do. They sure have my head spinning. Very interesting project.

I tried a stock PS once., posted on October 24, 2009 at 04:58:34
soundnut
Audiophile

Posts: 3108
Location: Iowa
Joined: May 7, 2004
 Hi there.

Out of curiosity, I hooked up a Playstation to my rig to check it out as a possible CD player. The Playstation didn't sound bad, it just wasn't particularly good, either. I'd say though it sounded smooth, it was veiled and uninvolving compared to my other players. I didn't really get what all of the hoopla was about, but then again, it was a stock, unmodded player.

My old Sony ES and Nakamichi players trounced it easily.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

RE: I tried a stock PS once., posted on October 24, 2009 at 07:42:15
norwoodpond
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: October 21, 2009
 Thanks for the info. The way he was talking the PS 1 was getting rave reviews somewhere.

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