Portable CDs vs. mp3 players

[n0on3 0]

Hello guys, just wondering if it's still worth it to buy a portable cd player nowadays...

Never had one, my first audio stuff was an ipod and i never got to hear a portable cd player b4.lol.

 

I heard that CDs would sound better than an mp3 file, so i thought that it would b worth it to get one?

 

If there really would b a quality difference, i am definitely interested in getting one. Anyone have any suggestions on which player to buy? i heard sonys are good. But i hardly could find any Portable Cd player in

shops like best or courts in singapore. Mayb they'r way too outdated..

 

Im thinking of buying something else to play my music. I have an ipod nano. I don't mind having to have a bigger player like a cd portable as i usually go around with a bag. or maybe another mp3 player would b more recommendable? or should i just stick with my ipod as it's as good as it gets?

 

Anyways, im now more inclined towards getting a portable cd, cuz i never heard my cds from a cd player b4, except my laptop. I would usually just import and transfer to ipods. haha.

 

Does anyone with more experience can advice me on this? I hope I can get a good recommendations, with price and place to get it too Thx a lot.

 

[feather 0]

If you want quality, you can always rip your MP3s at a higher bitrate. IMO, I'd stick to a digital audio player for its convenience. Coming from a user of portable CD player for a long time, it's a pain to carry cd albums around with you, and having to stand/sit down somewhere to change CDs.

[DemonicAngelz 0]

If you want quality, you can always rip your MP3s at a higher bitrate. IMO, I'd stick to a digital audio player for its convenience. Coming from a user of portable CD player for a long time, it's a pain to carry cd albums around with you, and having to stand/sit down somewhere to change CDs.

 

Same. Reduces alot of bulk especially if you have an amp and other stuff to carry along.

I rip my music all in apple lossless mainly because I use an ipod. I find the sound quality still good.

[aaron-xp 0]

There may still be differences as the amplification and DAC of the PCDP may be better than that of the iPod nano.

 

However, not all PCDPs are better than DAPs in the first place as some are rather cheaply made and their main selling point is either their price (most common), design or brand name. If you really want to go into PCDPs, you may want to do a search on headfi or ask some of the members here who are more familiar with PCDPs so as to find out the better regarded PCDPs.

 

The difference between a MP3 file and a CD may or may not be enough to justify the bulk you add. That would depend on your personal preference.

[radioactive28 0]

I keep my old CD player, a Sony, only as a backup player, if my MP3 player should die. I was actually thinking a while ago, "Hey, full CD playback is better quality," but realised the sound couldn't compare to my iriver playing 320kbps MP3s.

(iriver also made CD players, though they're very rare these days.

Panasonic's still in the business.)

 

So, again, with all things in this hobby, you got to listen and compare. Decide in the end if the improvement in quality (if any at all) is worth the bulk.

For starters, you might just try other MP3 players. iaudio and iriver players should soundly beat the iPod to pieces.

 

Of course, all this wouldn't matter if your intent is nostalgia, wanting to use a CD player just because.

[blurgal35 0]

it differs from person to person.. i tried to squint my ears for the difference between 128kbps mp3 and my discman. its the same.

to me.. ..

[n0on3 0]

haha. icic. well, i dun have any pcdp so i cannot listen to my music directly from cds while moving around. my ipod nano has small capacity(only 2gig). if i save in high bitrate, most likely i can only keep 150+ songs? Now my ipod is filled full with 280 songs of 96-128 kbps songs.

 

Mayb i would also like to do it like radioactive28. have a cd player as backup. lol. anyway, they'r getting rare now, mayb getting one wouldn't hurt.

 

Anyway, i have a 20gig ipod+hp which i bought in america. It's hard drive got spoiled and it's out of warranty. THe apple here doesn't want to replace it cuz there's +hp and can only b repaired in america(which section in HP had closed down too i think). I just read that there's a way to fix it's hard drive by diy. i think im going to repair it(bigger space, so can use higher bitrate).

 

Anyway, just for nostalgic thing... (you got me there redioactive) which cd player should i buy? i dun think i want to invest so much, since most of you said that an mp3 file at high bitrate won't have much diff anyway. Since, PCDP are getting quite rare... i certainly hope some1 could tell me places to buy them n which model

I can only think of simlim and price range around 50-100SGD...

[radioactive28 0]

Hmmm, no kidding?

Anyway, the difference exists not only in the bitrate, but also in the inherent electronics design of the particular brand/model.

 

For your budget, you're probably looking at a barebone model, CD-only, no slim profile, no bells and whistles. Have nothing to recommend though, since I'm not much into PCDP.

 

Sony still carries quite a good updated range (from simple [~$100] to expensive ones [~$280]) at their showrooms. There's one at Junction 8, one at Wisma Atria, one at SLS, one at Marina Square, etc.

Some Best Denki, Courts and Harvey Norman still have Panasonic ones, as does Stereo Electronics. Not sure about pricing though.

Philips seems to be rarely talked about.

[loop_ 0]

http://www.sgheadphones.net/index.php?showtopic=4480&st=0

 

according to Mackie (guru who has since disappeared from the scene), panasonic ones are good. If you want a pcdp for quality, you'll prob want an amp to go with it, then you can tap it's lineout.

 

But if you just want it as a backup (home use?), I say you just go to www.echoloft.com and buy a 2nd hand big cdp, and then an amp to go with it. the difference between this an a nano will be even more satisfying...

[n0on3 0]

hm.. im not really looking into a slim profile or any gimmicks. i just want a decent player that i can bring around ( not for home use ).

 

Anyway, im currently making a cmoy amp. it's almost done, just trying to get rid of the distortion the amp is giving me. probably i would like a pcdp that have line out. I dun mind spening a 'lil more than 100, to get a decent portable cd player that have line out. I saw one yest in tampines century square jade gift shop.(best and courts dun sell pcdp anymore lol) there's a pcdp that has a line out, but it costs above 200...

 

from the link loop gave me, the ct720 sounds like a good one(but that's as far as i go... i dun wanna spend anything more than 150..) but i think it would b hard to get it in singapore now?

 

I'm open for other less expensive but decent models though... as long as i know where to get 'em.

[heady 0]

You can still get CDP at Sim Lim Square and also some shops in SL Tower. I think if you can find a Hyundai CDP, they are are quite cheap. Dunno the SQ though.

[Stereo_Electronics 0]

You can still get CDP at Sim Lim Square and also some shops in SL Tower. I think if you can find a Hyundai CDP, they are are quite cheap. Dunno the SQ though.

 

I second Panasonic discmans, added bonus between them and Sony? Panasonic's made in Japan.

 

If I carry a bag around, I'll stick with discman or my Sharp 1st gen MD player, unless it's a long trip then I go with MP3.

 

I sell Hyundai discman too..... they sound eh...... hmmm......

 

 

[n0on3 0]

hey thx a lot guys. just visited the mustafa and sim lim just now. found a panasonic SL-CT720 n i bought it at 150sgd at simlim square. dang it took the whole day just to find this PCDP. luckily i found one store selling it. the last one...

 

I just tried it out and it sound wonderful. i'm not sure wheter its the CD quality or the discman itself, but the sound is clearly more clear and a bigger bass compared to my nano.

 

Haven't got to try its line out... i will have to wait till i get my cmoy done up.

 

Anyway, im quite surprised that there's an external battery pack(2 AAs). and a charger. i thought it would b powered by 2 AAs but looks like it's using those gum batteries internally. lol. I like it, quite a big plus for me.

 

Anyway, since im getting my 20gig ipod repaired, which bitrate should i use to have a good sound like pcdp? my headphone is a px100, would 256 kbps be enough? would an average phone like px100 can reproduce the sound of a higher bitrate with a difference?

[DemonicAngelz 0]

hey thx a lot guys. just visited the mustafa and sim lim just now. found a panasonic SL-CT720 n i bought it at 150sgd at simlim square. dang it took the whole day just to find this PCDP. luckily i found one store selling it. the last one...

 

I just tried it out and it sound wonderful. i'm not sure wheter its the CD quality or the discman itself, but the sound is clearly more clear and a bigger bass compared to my nano.

 

Haven't got to try its line out... i will have to wait till i get my cmoy done up.

 

Anyway, im quite surprised that there's an external battery pack(2 AAs). and a charger. i thought it would b powered by 2 AAs but looks like it's using those gum batteries internally. lol. I like it, quite a big plus for me.

 

Anyway, since im getting my 20gig ipod repaired, which bitrate should i use to have a good sound like pcdp? my headphone is a px100, would 256 kbps be enough? would an average phone like px100 can reproduce the sound of a higher bitrate with a difference?

Best is to use lossless format, even if you cannot hear the difference with your phones now, if you upgrade later you would not have to re-rip everything again. With 20GB you should be able to store most of your songs anyways.

Since your using ipod, you can try using itunes to rip to apple lossless format. Some people argue that it does not product the best sound out there, but I can't hear the difference anyways. Its good enough for me anyways.

[aaron-xp 0]

256kpbs is probably enough, though you might want to try out a few files of different bitrates and see if you can tell the difference. It is a good idea to rip lossless, though it is rather space consuming and will probably not be very ideal for the battery life of your iPod.