2. digital
  3. 1448430754

Why does a Sony PlayStation sound good to me?

Okay I bought a couple of the Sony play stations with the rca audio outputs and hooked one up.First impression was not very good. Not detailed like my other CD players but left it on for a couple of days and am really enjoying the sound. It does sound more like an lp to me. I know the highs and lows are rolled off some and the build quality is poor but I like the sound. I now want a better quality more reliable CD player that sounds more like this. Especially for my CDs that are not recorded or transferred to digital as well. I'm happy to use this as an additional CD player but was thinking maybe Rega has a sound similar from some of the threads I have read. Sometimes I think welcome the soul of the music with too much precise details. Any suggestions on a different CD player?
dylanfan

Showing 3 responses by zd542

zd542
5,339 posts
 
I know the guy that started the whole Sony Playstation thing. When he asked my for my opinion on it I said, either Sony when designing the PS-1, took in to consideration that it may be used in an audiophile system and engineered the SQ accordingly, or the PS-1 just covers up something most people find disagreeable. To prove it, I went in my closet and got a cheap $40 Behringer plastic EQ and ran a regular CD player through it. I fooled with the EQ settings and got it to sound identical to the PS-1.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"11-25-15: Mapman
I wonder if it's doing something to digitally Doctor up the sound? Equalization, dynamic range processing maybe? Anything is possible with digital and no rule that says a device must target flat accurate response. Often that is underwhelming alone."

I think its highly unlikely that Sony would have done anything to the PS-1 to enhance its audio playback SQ. Its a video game system that may be used to play an occasional CD. People like it because it covers up some of the digital "unpleasantness" normally associated with low cost CD players.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"So how much more do you have to go up from a low cost CD player to get a CD player that sounds good?"

No idea. I go by sound quality, not price. Going by your description of what type of sound you are looking for, you may like: Rotel 1072, Arcam 33, Wadia 830, Meridian 508.24, AMC CD-6.

I've owned all of those at one time or another and still have the Arcam. Depending on what your budget is, I can list more.
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