NEC CD-803EU


Hello, I'm trying to ascertain if there is any value to an old NEC CD player I purchased back in 1985 or so, the CD-803EU.  It's been sitting in my attic since 1994.  It's in pristine physical condition, it powers on, the door opens and closes and the CD spins, but it won't play the CD for some reason.  It's like it's trying to track the start of the CD without success.  I'm not a collector, so I'd like it to go to a good home if it has any value to somebody.  Please advise.  Thanks!

Chris, Livermore, CA

r8der21

Thank you for the fast response.  I wasn't actually thinking it was worth anything monetarily, but more as a collectible item.  Particularly when it won't play a CD!

I bought the unit brand new for about $1200.  It was a stupid purchase at the time, as I was an Ensign in the Navy and not making very much money, but I just had to have it!  The player worked perfectly for years.  I used it up until about 1990 when I moved onto a laserdisc/cd combo player.  It was about that time that CD's would start skipping, but it would at least play.  Something has changed since it's been in my current attic since I bought the house in 1994.

I don't want to just throw it away if somebody could get it working and would enjoy owning it.  It is a unique unit, no doubt.

hifishark.com has some listed for as slow as $10 to $30 and nobody is bidding on the auctions, so the outcome doesn’t look good for you. It is a very nice and expensive/ looking model though. It looks like it would be video editing equipment! Not sure why such low prices, maybe because everybody has moved to streaming now days and because some of the earlier CD players wouldn’t play some formats. I would keep even if to occasionally just to look at or as conversation piece...

Just curious, did the CD player work for you before or did you acquire it not working? Are you possibly using CDRs or CDRWs? I ask because not all CD players can play home burned CD’s that are recorded via computer or CD burner and not labeled "for music".

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