Digital Drive: REVIEW: Philips Electronics CD160 CD Player/Recorder by Time_Stands

Model:	CD160
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$300 approx 1986
Description:	Single disc, 16 bit 4 time oversampling, vintage unit
Manufacturer URL:	Philips Electronics
Model Picture:	View

Review by Time_Stands_Still on February 03, 2009 at 20:27:32
IP Address: 70.69.183.26 Add Your Review
for the CD160

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Product in review: Philips CD160 CD player (1986)
Purchased used for $10.00 Cdn.
Unit in good physical condition upon purchase.

INTRODUCTION:

Recently while visiting some local thrift shops I came across this vintage cd player. Noting that I figured it was an early generation model (I suspect a 2nd or 3rd generation Philips) and that is was tagged for $10.00 Cdn. I figured why not pick it up and see what it gives the listener.

I brought it home and plugged it in to see if it operated properly. All lights and functions worked and it gave output. I then up plugged it and took the top panel off. It was filthy inside (25 years of dust I guess). I took it out to the shop and with a compressor blew out all the dust. I then put it on my bench and began to swab it, clean with cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol. I did my darnedest to get it back up to snuff. I ran a lens cleaner through the mechanism and then I put little pieces of foam pads in areas to help tame any possible vibration. I tightened all internal and external screws. I chose to repaint the top panel as it was scuffed up. Before reassembly and referring to old stereo magazine files I noted that this unit featured the following.

CDA-1541 16 bit dual DAC with 4 time oversampling
CDM-2 transport
Digital output (coax)
Infra red remote capable with accessory plug in (I do not have such)

The unit is a midi design that is about 12 inches wide but of more typical height and depth. It has decent weight to it a plastic front end with a slit for a window on the tray that lets one peer into it to see the CD spinning under a green LED. The unit has a very simple but clear display in green LED. It is default to show track number and index number, but the user can select it to show elapsed time. No other info is displayed while playing. One can programme tracks but I am not sure what the max. number one can programme is. It has fast forward and reverse along with skip forward and reverse. It has a large play button and sizable pause and stop buttons. If you like button filled units and fancy displays well this unit will not be one for you. By the way the unit is manufactured in Belgium.

INITIAL SETUP:

After adding some small internal damping pads here and there I affixed some round rubbery disks 1.5 inch dia. to the stock foot pads. The unit was hooked up to my system with home made interconnects using conventional Belden mic cord and Ultralink soldered on gold plated RCA connectors. I let the unit warm up with my system for about 20 minutes before serious listening.

INITIAL LISTENING:

My history with CD players is a rather long but modest one, my first player was a Philips CD-101 a cool looking solidly built generation one top loader. I bought it in 1984. Interesting unit and my first taste to the world of CD's. From it I move into other units with some notables including a Mitsubishi DP-107, JVC XLZ-331, Denon DCM-260, Cambridge Audio D-300se (in all fairness the best sounding player I have owned) Technics SL-P70S and others... So my legacy is very good mid-fi but I squeeze all I can out from my beer budget system, and know better where to put money and where not. But I want you all to get a gauge as to my CD player gear experiences.

My current amp used in the system is a Yaqin MC-10L EL-34 tube amp my preamp controller is a Denon AVR-3802 receiver offering all source switching for stereo and H/T use. I have recently changed my speakers and now my left and right fronts are Paradigm Studio 20 v4 with a Paradigm DSP3100 10 inch sub for low octave bass. These are true HI-FI speakers and sub and IMO will impress any critical listener for their performance.

LISTENING:

My first disc cued up was Bruce Cockburn, Charity of Night, tracks listened to Pacing the Cage and Mistress of Storms. This is a nicely recorded CD and I like it for its texture and clarity in staging. Immediately I noted that the CD160 picks up and puts on a very good presence to the sound. Clear, sharp imaging and etching of Cockburn's vocals and guitaring. The solidness of a deep mid bass was pleasant. Vocals were a little upfront but not harsh, in fact nicely rolled off in edging. On Mistress of Storms (an instrumental track) I like the section where the xylophone player has his time to play. Many of my previous players (not the Cambridge D-30se though) had a grit and ringing sound as the xylophone played some notes. The CD160 did not exhibit any of that. All in all my first impression was clarity, etching of sound stage and mid bass weight but with a lack of much air and a bit of a forwardness in especially vocals.

Next disc used, Anne Lennox, Medusa. I have always loved Annie Lennox's vocals. This CD is recorded crisp and powerful with a bit of an in your face sound from what seems to be an intimate sound room recording. As with the Cockburn disc, I noted the same things, clear etching and perfect centre placement of Lennox's vocals but a bit upfront on top of you. Bass was deep and thick. The imaging gave me goose bumps but again the CD160 lacks one thing, good air. My initial thoughts are a nice vintage player that did more right than wrong. IMO likely better than most low(er) end CD/DVD players made today but unlike my previous Cambridge Audio D-300se not quite as lifelike of a airy sondstage.

TWEAK TIME:

I using parts around the house made my own spiked feet. These consisted of. 1/2 inch threaded rod, with 1/2 nuts. I ground the rods into a cone point. Cut each rod about 1.5" long after grinding the tips to a point. I then epoxied the nuts over the threads (mostly for decoration but to add mass too.) I then drilled out a 9/64th dia. hole about 1/2inch deep into the top of the cut threaded rods and epoxied a 9/64th dia. brass plug into each.. I filed and sanded the blunt top parts smooth and polished up the nut and ground top a cone shape rods. I then painted them flat black. To affix then to the CD160 I cut small (very sticky) pieces of foam carpet tape. I then pressed these on to the small stamped footers that the CD160 has. I used 4 pennies as a base to seat my DIY spike cones on. I was not sure what to expect.

LISTENING TEST NUMBER 2:

I cued up Annie Lennox, Medusa again. Played 'No more I love you's'..... Eye brows raised, I was immediately surprised at how much the sound changed. I got a tingly feeling of almost disbelief that I was hearing the same CD player. Ok, ok to explain. Umm the forwardness of the sound from my previous listening receded. It was as if Lennox took a couple of steps back and her presence remained in clarity but her vocals smoothed out and made me breath a sigh of relief for having seemingly more space between me and her voice. The sound stage was wider and more texture filled but the weight of the mid-bass and bass tapered off a bit, not bad but a touch less meaty. The real kicker... AIR, no I will not say the CD160 is an airy player but I now felt and heard air in the soundstage. It was as if it was a different machine.

These new found things were repeated with the Cockburn disc and also on a Sarah McLaughlin disc as well as a Phil Collins disc.

I honestly do not know what more to say. I just could not believe how adding a set of DIY cones for feet could open the CD160 up and make it into a player I think most listeners would enjoy. I mean for me my history has my previous Cambridge Audio D-300se as my best player but honestly and I'm not deaf dumb or a fool to hype or audio snake oil, this 1986 Philips CD160 with my tweaks especially the cone feet brings it up into the basic class of CD sound my Cambridge Audi D-300se gave me, different but in a similar enjoyment factor class of sound. I anyone hear truly can explain why cones/spikes as such can have such an effect on a CD player with its optical read system, please explain to me why I experienced such a profound change in sound as noted in my reviews.

CONCLUSION:

Who says vintage CD players can't sound good? I'm sure some sounded bad but this Philips player is better than one may have expected especially after I added the cones. One other thing, using my test CD with a drop out test the CD160 blew me away. it ticked, ticked, ticked about 2 seconds on the 1.5mm and 2.0mm drop out then locked on and played the track, only on the 2.5mm dropout did it go tick, tick. tick... On the dual dropout test it again ticked three times on the dual 1.mm and 2.mm dropouts before locking on only the dual 2.5mm dropouts caused havoc. WOW. no other player I have ever owned did these ones.

For $10 bucks I have a great little vintage player that has unique 80's styling and solid performance. Not is had no remote (one can add on one if one can find one) and it is not fancy with displays or features but it a great little player. I hope you all enjoyed my review.

@#@

Product Weakness:	Not much air (without tweaks) no remote included.
Product Strengths:	Great imaging, good depth, easy to use.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Yaqin MC-10L
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Denon AVR-3802
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Philips CD160
Speakers: Paradigm Studio 20v4, Paradigm DSP3100 sub
Cables/Interconnects: DIY, Belden with Ultraling ends
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock/Pop
Room Size (LxWxH): 22 x 10 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments: n/a
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Pure AV
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): n/a

Amplifier:	Yaqin MC-10L
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Denon AVR-3802
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Philips CD160
Speakers:	Paradigm Studio 20v4, Paradigm DSP3100 sub
Cables/Interconnects:	DIY, Belden with Ultraling ends
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock/Pop
Room Size (LxWxH):	22 x 10 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments:	n/a
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Pure AV
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	n/a