Sony Playstation SCPH-1001 My Reference CD player

I can predict that most audiophile have ever read the Stereophile magazine. This is the famous audio magazine and for me, this magazine is become my holy bible in audio since the first time I am focusing into it.

I still remember one quoted from the Stereophile magazine is like this:

"if the source is bad, nothing on the downstream can make it better"

It is so true indeed. I remember the first time my friend borrowing me his Sony Walkman portable CD player very long time ago, perhaps the series is D-55, then replacing my cassette deck to this CD player is just elevate my poor audio system to become so much better. The next month I should return it back and my audio system is back to crap sounding again.

By that experience, I can tell how good your whole system is mostly determined by what source you are using in it. At that time, the new CD player are not affordable for me. I keep looking the great CD player in used condition for so long.

Then this is what makes me choose the Sony Playstation SCPH-1001 as my reference CD player.

 

A good CD player are not cheap and I don't have the budget to spent more than US$100. Luckily I've read from the same magazine, the Stereophile online magazine instead the hard copy, that has reviewed this Sony Playstation SCPH-1001 here with positive result. I hope you can also visit the link.

Surprisingly I am not the one who think this Sony Playstation is a good CD player. Perhaps I am quite late to join the boat. As far as I know, so many audiophile using this as reference their CD player. Means, this Sony Playstation become their benchmark to evaluate others CD player.

This Sony Playstation still can get one now for less than US$50 in used condition. The unit that I mentioned is SCPH-1001 for Japan and US market. The SCPH-1002 is for Europe and UK market. They are basically same unit but different AC voltage input because different voltage applied on each country.

 

When the unit came to my desk, I certainly nostalgia when I was a boy, I often playing games with my brother. I certainly don't have clue that this might be a very good CD player someday.

Looking again to this Sony Playstation, you might wonder a plastic case and cheap RCA connector is far from what true audio system can offer out there.

Procuring the old unit like this should pay attention to a good working condition. You don't want this unit in bad condition such as yellowing cases, dead unit, skipped when playing CD's or even worse is the refurbished unit that so much different that the SCPH-1001 should be.

The main components for this good sounding Sony Playstation SCPH-1001 is in it's DAC. Once you open the casing, you will find the DAC AKM4309AVM.

The other reason for this good sound quality is because the short signal path from digital processor to the DAC and to the output.

My main concern for the old unit like this is the capacitors in switching power supply unit are more likely degrade by time. This is normal for every electrolytic capacitor are wear by age because the chemical inside are dried. They are worth to change with the audio grade capacitor.

As you can see from the photo bellow, I changed them with Nichicon FG and Elna Silmic.

The next step after changing the electrolytic capacitors, I adding bypass capacitors on each electrolytic capacitors with 100nF Wima film capacitors. This method is significantly improve voltage ripple.

Once all done, I clean up the casing from dust and grease then reassembly all parts together. It is require to do some bias and gain adjustment at the trim-pot near the pick-up lens to setting the lens to the ideal condition. But if the CD's optic lens still read the disc normally, this procedure can be omit. You can this website here for detail lens adjustment procedure.

If none of the adjustment make it better in reading the disc, I believe the laser pick-up unit already weak and should be replaced. The others method is tilt the unit into vertical position and turn on the unit. This will sometime cure CD skip issue. But this is only for temporary solution.

I start to review the sound of this Sony Playstation SCPH-1001.

This is my audio equipment's:

Source: Sony Playstation SCPH-1001, Victor XLV CD Player (internal DAC chip is Burr-Brown PCM53), iPod touch 2nd generation connected via headphone output.

Amplifier: DIY Mini Crescendo amplifier from 1984 elector magazine include potentiometer for volume control.

Speakers: DIY 2 way speakers from local made drivers, cross-over cut-off 2nd order at roughly 5khz. The box are ported, size: 38 x 20 x 20 mm.

Speakers cable: DIY Canare 2S7F speaker cable, terminated with banana plugs.

Interconnect cable: DIY Canare interconnect cable terminated with old-school Dr.Raskin RCA plugs.

Music albums in this test are: Fourplay - The Best of Fourplay, Norah Jones - Come Away With Me, Susan Wong - The Foolish Things.

I can say this Sony Playstation SCPH1001 sound wonderful in my audio system. I can feel the depth of stages are clearly noticeable deeper. The singer voice clarity are extraordinary, more forward and smooth. The imaging are mostly in the center. The soundstage is not too large compare to my current Victor CD player, but mostly the music presentation are laid back and so relaxing. I feel the music instrument playing at the back of the voice which just like you personally listen the singer in the center stage. It is very intimate music experience and perhaps this is what most people like the sound signature of this Sony Playstation. It is like you are in the front stages, in front of the singer.

The level output of this Sony Playstation is not as loud as the Victor CD player. While previously I can listen at 9 o'clock volume control, with this Sony Playstation, I should crank up more to 11 o'clock to have the same loudness.

Early notice for bass lover, this Sony Playstation is not for you. Bass response is not strong and punchy. I compare this to the Victor CD player which in my opinion has powerful bass response.

In summary, this Sony Playstation SCPH-1001 is a very good CD player. I should recommend you to have one in your audio system. The only problem is how to get this unit in a good condition consider this model discontinued since 1996 and replaced with the newer SCPH series that doesn't have the same DAC and sound quality.

Disclaimer: Any statement and photos in this article are not allowed to copy or publish without written permission from the writer. Any injury or loss from following tips in this article is not under writer responsibility.