Best video game console audio CD players

[asmikace | 69]

I was reading about the PS1 and how some models are sought after for their audio CD playback quality. Is there other any CD based consoles known for their Audio CD sound? 

[Tulpa | 3,683]

The 3DO was also a really good CD player, and even offered a visualization function that would respond to music and show it on your TV. One of my college roommates had one for his CD player.

I would imagine the Philips CD-i would be a good CD player, too, but I don't have firsthand experience with it. Philips was one of the pioneers of CD tech, partnering with Sony.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Tulpa

[MegaMan52 | 2,552]

Probably PS1 and Saturn.

[Tanooki | 5,100]

1 hour ago, Tulpa said:

The 3DO was also a really good CD player, and even offered a visualization function that would respond to music and show it on your TV. One of my college roommates had one for his CD player.

I would imagine the Philips CD-i would be a good CD player, too, but I don't have firsthand experience with it. Philips was one of the pioneers of CD tech, partnering with Sony.

I do, the CDi had great CD output especially if you ran that thing through a receiver before hitting the TV as it was very solid.  But yeah the PS1 was it, the older model with the RCA ports in the back for the audio as it really had some solid quality.  Others weren't so hot, mostly, the 5501 despite using the unified Sony a/v jack they whipped up had a great overall overhauled mechanism and setup that works nicely.

[JeremiahJT | 76]

The Sega CD was the only system I ever used to play audio cds.  I mean technically the Jaguar CD too, but that was really just to check out the Jaguar CD's Virtual Light Machine.  The VLM was neat, but not neat enough to make me use it as a cd player.

I probably could not even tell the difference between the best system and worst system unless there is some screeching sound or something.

[asmikace | 69]

I don't have it with me but I been meaning to try out my JVC X'eye and see how it sounds with CDs. I assumed since it was a higher end unit the sound quality should be better. Anyone tested one out?

[tbone3969 | 316]

1 hour ago, asmikace said:

I don't have it with me but I been meaning to try out my JVC X'eye and see how it sounds with CDs. I assumed since it was a higher end unit the sound quality should be better. Anyone tested one out?

I have tested it out and it sounds pretty good but nothing special.  The best sounding CD player game system I have found is the Philips CDI 220.

Edited August 16, 2021 by tbone3969

[Tabonga | 2,532]

I have never paid much attention to the CD quality (I have always preferred a dedicated cd player) but I suspect that for its time the laseractive wasn't too shabby in that aspect since laserdiscs in general were good audiowise (both for lasers and cds) - and the laseractive was a solid middle of the road laser player at the core.

[WhyNotZoidberg | 590]

On 8/15/2021 at 9:33 PM, Tulpa said:

The 3DO was also a really good CD player, and even offered a visualization function that would respond to music and show it on your TV. One of my college roommates had one for his CD player.

I came here to mention the 3DO! Note that the Panasonic FZ-1 had the visualizer, but not the FZ-10. Don't know about Goldstar/Sanyo/LG models.

[asmikace | 69]

I got back to my 3DO. I had to replace capacitors due to failing audio but I managed to test some cds and sounded great. I think I might hook it up for my audio system to mess with when I get the time

[fox | 1,759]

Vinyl Master Race

[Estil | 1,291]

*shrugs* I always thought basically CD players are CD players?

[Tulpa | 3,683]

29 minutes ago, Estil said:

*shrugs* I always thought basically CD players are CD players?

They can vary on the quality of their analog output. If you only listen through earbuds or tinny computer speakers, you probably won't notice any difference, but if you have a decent hifi setup, you tend to want something putting out a good signal.

Also some of the higher end players had capability of playing other formats like SACD, though it's been awhile since those formats were common.

[Estil | 1,291]

2 hours ago, Tulpa said:

They can vary on the quality of their analog output. If you only listen through earbuds or tinny computer speakers, you probably won't notice any difference, but if you have a decent hifi setup, you tend to want something putting out a good signal.

Also some of the higher end players had capability of playing other formats like SACD, though it's been awhile since those formats were common.

You know my late wife swore by those fancy Bose Wave radios...but I find it VERY hard to believe their sound could be anywhere close to $400-$500 better.  But suppose someday I did get a good used one or something...would I be able to use it as video game speakers (like if I connect the red/white cables to it instead of the TV)?  And would it really do much good?

[tbone3969 | 316]

17 minutes ago, Estil said:

You know my late wife swore by those fancy Bose Wave radios...but I find it VERY hard to believe their sound could be anywhere close to $400-$500 better.  But suppose someday I did get a good used one or something...would I be able to use it as video game speakers (like if I connect the red/white cables to it instead of the TV)?  And would it really do much good?

Yes and yes.  To clarify, just make sure it has stereo input/inputs in the back of it.  I wanna say they all, if not most, do but just make sure before you buy.  I use Bose speakers for a lot of my gaming and they sound great IMO.

[Estil | 1,291]

54 minutes ago, tbone3969 said:

Yes and yes.  To clarify, just make sure it has stereo input/inputs in the back of it.  I wanna say they all, if not most, do but just make sure before you buy.  I use Bose speakers for a lot of my gaming and they sound great IMO.

But do they sound $500 great?

[TDIRunner | 2,876]

5 hours ago, Tulpa said:

Also some of the higher end players had capability of playing other formats like SACD, though it's been awhile since those formats were common.

When was SACD "common?"

[Tulpa | 3,683]

2 minutes ago, TDIRunner said:

When was SACD "common?"

Well, more common than now.

[Tanooki | 5,100]

4 hours ago, Estil said:

You know my late wife swore by those fancy Bose Wave radios...but I find it VERY hard to believe their sound could be anywhere close to $400-$500 better.  But suppose someday I did get a good used one or something...would I be able to use it as video game speakers (like if I connect the red/white cables to it instead of the TV)?  And would it really do much good?

Well your late wife was correct.  There is a difference.  I never really believed it.  Back when they were fairly new my parents got one but I hadn't lived there so never heard it and figured they ate the advertising.  About 5 years ago I found one at a goodwill for like $15 because the required remote for it to work was missing, a $10 ebay pickup later and I had it.  I put it next to a common good radio, tinny speakers (laptop output), a nice computer speaker setup, and some nice headphones.  In every case it bettered if not destroyed them in quality.  It was kind of like how vinyl people will pick on CD lovers because you get more clarity, more highs and lows, etc.  The bose wave radio has a similar wider richer audio range effect.  A little experiment I did after radio and left hooked up all these years, I have one of the best commercial discman players ever made as far as audio output goes, it rated up there with expensive hifi set quality players which is nuts but yeah Sony used to actually make great stuff.   I popped that into the Bose and the CD quality was nipping at the record player I had at the time without the little grainy pops and pit ticking sounds the old needle would get.  It made me believe, all it took was a couple lucky cheap purchases.

So to your...are they $500 great?  Yes, yes it is.  It is on its own, and it is for pulling that level of audio off a discman in my case too which other reviews claimed it could and honestly delivered.

[Estil | 1,291]

5 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Well your late wife was correct.  There is a difference.  I never really believed it.  Back when they were fairly new my parents got one but I hadn't lived there so never heard it and figured they ate the advertising.  About 5 years ago I found one at a goodwill for like $15 because the required remote for it to work was missing, a $10 ebay pickup later and I had it.  I put it next to a common good radio, tinny speakers (laptop output), a nice computer speaker setup, and some nice headphones.  In every case it bettered if not destroyed them in quality.  It was kind of like how vinyl people will pick on CD lovers because you get more clarity, more highs and lows, etc.  The bose wave radio has a similar wider richer audio range effect.  A little experiment I did after radio and left hooked up all these years, I have one of the best commercial discman players ever made as far as audio output goes, it rated up there with expensive hifi set quality players which is nuts but yeah Sony used to actually make great stuff.   I popped that into the Bose and the CD quality was nipping at the record player I had at the time without the little grainy pops and pit ticking sounds the old needle would get.  It made me believe, all it took was a couple lucky cheap purchases.

So to your...are they $500 great?  Yes, yes it is.  It is on its own, and it is for pulling that level of audio off a discman in my case too which other reviews claimed it could and honestly delivered.

Would the original 1993 model like this one be good enough?  And which of the red/white plugs in the back would I use if I wanted to use them for my retro video game console audio output?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324726874995?hash=item4b9b3ae373:g:78QAAOSw7E5g~M-Z

[Tulpa | 3,683]

7 hours ago, Estil said:

And which of the red/white plugs in the back would I use if I wanted to use them for my retro video game console audio output?

The top ones that say "aux in".

[tbone3969 | 316]

19 hours ago, Estil said:

But do they sound $500 great?

No they are not $500 great.  I would never purchase one brand new.  But at used prices you can usually find them for under $100 dollars.  The thing about Bose is they get a bad rap in the HiFi Stereo community because, even though they sound good, they are overpriced.  But the thing is they are very user friendly.  Usually plug and play with very little set up / tinkering needed.  Kind of like an Alienware PC or laptop.  You pay top dollar for a capable PC Gaming machine all set up and ready to go.  But for the money you spend on an Alienware you could build a substantially more powerful PC yourself.  Same thing with stereo equipment.  You could put a $500 HiFi set together that sounds better than that Bose Radio at $500.

Edited October 27, 2021 by tbone3969

[tbone3969 | 316]

10 hours ago, Estil said:

Would the original 1993 model like this one be good enough?  And which of the red/white plugs in the back would I use if I wanted to use them for my retro video game console audio output?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324726874995?hash=item4b9b3ae373:g:78QAAOSw7E5g~M-Z

If you wanted to go even cheaper I like these for under $50.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274817658058?epid=66784041&hash=item3ffc68acca%3Ag%3ASTgAAOSwV~9gtYjs&LH_BIN=1

 

I currently have two sets as I find them for $20-$30 a lot at tag sales and thrift stores.

[Estil | 1,291]

3 hours ago, tbone3969 said:

No they are not $500 great.  I would never purchase one brand new.  But at used prices you can usually find them for under $100 dollars.  The thing about Bose is they get a bad rap in the HiFi Stereo community because, even though they sound good, they are overpriced.  But the thing is they are very user friendly.  Usually plug and play with very little set up / tinkering needed.  Kind of like an Alienware PC or laptop.  You pay top dollar for a capable PC Gaming machine all set up and ready to go.  But for the money you spend on an Alienware you could build a substantially more powerful PC yourself.  Same thing with stereo equipment.  You could put a $500 HiFi set together that sounds better than that Bose Radio at $500.

Just "good"?   Well my regular CRT and HDTV speakers are "just good".  I thought the idea was for the Bose Wave Radio speakers sound amazing.  And those Bose speakers you showed me, do they sound the same as the Wave Radio?  And it looks like if I do someday try find a good used Wave Radio I better be careful about those off white ones...are those the ones that came from smoker's homes (and might have cigarette crap inside or something)?  Yuk  

[asmikace | 69]

On 10/26/2021 at 11:48 AM, fox said:

Vinyl Master Race

Vinyls are great till you have to move.