Best video game console audio CD players

[Tanooki | 4,934]

21 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

Probably, it's the older version of the Bose Wave Radio II which I have, it's the model with no buttons on it so if you lose the remote you're screwed.  I was able when I got it for so little to use a sony universal remote I had around on a Bose setting to at least register the thing, that's when I knew it wasn't toast and bought the $10 remote for it.   The radio has been consistently selling for around the $150ish shipped price for years now which is far less than that $500+new value.  Though sometimes you can get them for less if you're lucky by $20-30.

At $40 I don't see the harm, don't need a remote since that has the same buttons built into the top.

Or go with the newer one, this guy has an $90 OBO price on it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384423109853?hash=item59816724dd:g:eEcAAOSww6NhV3Yg

[tbone3969 | 304]

17 hours ago, Estil said:

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  

I think my idea of "good" is much different than yours if you consider your CRT and HDTV sound as being "good".  I have a high end stereo system with thousands of dollars of gear set up (KEF reference speakers, ROTEL Amp, Pioneer Elite SACD/DVD-A player, Toshiba HDCD player, etc.).  To me the Bose sound is "good".  But it is light years ahead of any CRT speakers unless you have a very high end one like an XBR or D-Series.  Tell you what, if you find one for $50 or less (Bose Wave Radio or some other Bose set up) and are not happy with the sound, or you think it is the same as your CRT, then I will buy it off you for what you paid and I'll pay for shipping.  Deal?  I am confident you will be happy and not want to give them up TBH.  Go for it Estil.  You have nothing to lose.

[Sumer | 221]

I only ever used the Sega CD and Turbo CD to play audio CDs.  My preference was the Turbo CD because you could "unhook it," if I am remembering correctly, and carry it around with you like a walkman.  At least, that seems to be my memory of the thing!

Edited October 28, 2021 by Sumer

[tbone3969 | 304]

10 minutes ago, Sumer said:

I only ever used the Sega CD and Turbo CD to play audio CDs.  My preference was the Turbo CD because you could "unhook it," if I am remembering correctly, and carry it around with you like a walkman.  At least, that seems to be my memory of the thing!

You could carry it around for sure BUT it needed to be plugged in to operate.  No batteries.  Man the Turbo CD and NEC were way ahead of their time. The Turbo Express was amazing as well.

Oh and they were the first company to have a CD add on for gaming regardless of what Sega tried say.  Sega straight up lied!

Edited October 28, 2021 by tbone3969

[tbone3969 | 304]

17 hours ago, Estil said:

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  

First off all/most plastic turns yellow after a certain amount of years.  Just look at some old PC Engine, Sega Saturn (Japan model), NES, or SNES systems on eBay.  It doesn't always have to do with smoke damage.

Secondly, the Bose Wave radio will sound better than the Bose 2.0 Companion speakers BUT you can find the 2.0 Companion speakers cheaper.  I bet you would not be disappointed with either choice though, especially since it seems they will mainly be used for retro gaming sounds.

[TDIRunner | 2,742]

5 hours ago, tbone3969 said:

Oh and they were the first company to have a CD add on for gaming regardless of what Sega tried say.  Sega straight up lied!

 

Are you sure?  

 

 

[asmikace | 68]

I got a pair of Bose 301 series II for cheap and they sound pretty good but I wouldn't want to pay for inflated Bose prices to begin with. Cool that the creator of Bose wanted to focus on sound reflection and cool for making it different.

I am just happy I am making use of that Panasonic FZ1 that been sitting dust, other than Road Rash and Cannon Fodder, I haven't found much games to enjoy it with and it been collecting dust which is a shame since it is a nice piece of hardware. I am just glad I can make use of it I guess.

[CMR | 520]

I'm glad to see the CDI getting the recognition it deserves these days.  On the audio side of things, I would have guessed the saturn since it had so much audio capability beyond just the CD player.  None of that may have translated into good CD audio playback, though.

[Tanooki | 4,934]

I had the Saturn too after 2000, so I could compare at the time, and no the Saturn didn't sound as nice on a CD audio play session as the CDi did.  Sega first to lie about being first at this or that or doing something else as a smoke screen for fans, as it was just their MO in the day using smoke bombs.

CDi wasn't ever intended or ever really was a game player, that was something the gaming media forced on them (specifically EGM and that's a story of blackmail too).  Games were an aside.  Largely it was meant for interactive experiences and media, and in that day media didn't mean video games, it meant audio, visuals, learning tools to interact with and so on...which is why it did have games as it fit into that fold.  The system had a quite large library of VCD movies from around the world, backed it for years too, and it was played up as a TV based family CD player too.

[Tulpa | 3,510]

On 10/28/2021 at 7:43 AM, tbone3969 said:

Tell you what, if you find one for $50 or less (Bose Wave Radio or some other Bose set up) and are not happy with the sound, or you think it is the same as your CRT, then I will buy it off you for what you paid and I'll pay for shipping.  Deal?  I am confident you will be happy and not want to give them up TBH.  Go for it Estil.  You have nothing to lose.

Notice how it's crickets on his end.

[Estil | 1,265]

3 hours ago, Tulpa said:

Notice how it's crickets on his end.

Well one, give someone time to notice and respond!  And two I don't even get paid till the third of every month.  And I have a cat, no crickets    I don't even know how you play cricket  

[Estil | 1,265]

On 10/28/2021 at 9:43 AM, tbone3969 said:

I have a high end stereo system with thousands of dollars of gear set up (KEF reference speakers, ROTEL Amp, Pioneer Elite SACD/DVD-A player, Toshiba HDCD player, etc.).  To me the Bose sound is "good".  But it is light years ahead of any CRT speakers unless you have a very high end one like an XBR or D-Series.  

Wow you must have really good/sensitive ears or something.  But sure, as soon as I'm reasonably able to, I'll take the Bose Wave Radio challenge!  I can do this as yet another tribute to my wife (the one who kept telling me how great they were but I wasn't so sure about $500 (new) great).  

[asmikace | 68]

On 10/29/2021 at 12:17 AM, Tanooki said:

I had the Saturn too after 2000, so I could compare at the time, and no the Saturn didn't sound as nice on a CD audio play session as the CDi did.  Sega first to lie about being first at this or that or doing something else as a smoke screen for fans, as it was just their MO in the day using smoke bombs.

CDi wasn't ever intended or ever really was a game player, that was something the gaming media forced on them (specifically EGM and that's a story of blackmail too).  Games were an aside.  Largely it was meant for interactive experiences and media, and in that day media didn't mean video games, it meant audio, visuals, learning tools to interact with and so on...which is why it did have games as it fit into that fold.  The system had a quite large library of VCD movies from around the world, backed it for years too, and it was played up as a TV based family CD player too.

You would lose if you made a drinking game that you drank every time YouTube video game channel referred the CDi as a video game console. 

[Tanooki | 4,934]

Yeah I know, sad isn't it?  I had the system when it was on the market.  Ended up talking a few times to someone who was with the company in the later US years and I got made aware of the dirty laundry that got it pegged as one.  As history has said time and again both winners and losers(Grumbling about it) ... winners write the history.  Philips did NOT win, the media did, and in this case EGM and their lying bullshit.  Back in the day before you really could use the internet to ruin people playing dirty tactics and pull the shame card, you basically were kind of at the mercy of print.  Print knowing this could get away with a bit of murder against game makers and hardware makers.

EGM being (Nintendo Power aside) the largest circulation with console and handheld gaming used to kind of pull gamer nerd mafia tactics on companies to get what they wanted.  You know... you do as your told, pay your protection money, or 'accidents could happen' type scenario.  EGM attempted to blackmail Philips US office basically wanting for each of their 4 panel reviewers their own CDI, all the accessories they sold, the DVR card for each, and multiple copies of every pressed game or any other media they'd request.  If this was NOT fulfilled, consequences would happen.  Phiilps being a HUGE global media maker/company basically told them to piss off, EGM wasn't used to being told to suck it got revenge.

After that point and I wish I remember which year/issue it was  you went from glowing reviews of the games and some accessories (like the gravis wannabe pad) to basically shitting over every little thing.  Dumping on it for not saving this, for having long load times(which weren't any worse than SegaCD/TGCD stuff), not looking or sounding as nice, being stiff, being...X Y Z over and over.  It apparantely worked great because after a few issues of slander their sales dried up as the games stopped moving, and it went to basically movie, few games, and little else.

At that rate they pulled out of all US retail other than SEARS, and not long after bailed on them too and went back to Europe canceling it.  That's why you ahve some finished games released as protos in recent years or where they got shoveled to the PC/Mac (Voyeur 1 and unreleased 2, Burn Cycle, Chaos Control, etc) to recover some funds.  While the writing was on the wall come 1995/96 with the PS1/Saturn/(even)3DO etc out there, they had no chance, but EGM nailed the coffin shut a couple years faster for being told off like a bunch of petulant babies they were.