Do You Remember Your First CD Player?

Denon DCD 1500 II.

This was at a time cd had become religion. I remember a magazine that as a matter of principle (!) would list any cd-player it reviewed in its reference class table since this was the ultimative sound, always reproducible, always better than anything achievable with analogue gear, forever, amen!
I thought the Denon was fine, different from but at par with the Technics SL-QL1 'table with Ortofon TMC200 we owned, certainly not "lightyears better" as I was supposed to find it if I wished to belong to the knowledgeable crowd. Hah, even that magazine has come a long way since then.

sony es 555xp
purchased in 1992 was second from the top sony at the time.

had for 15 years until i bought a naim cdx-2 which has now been upgraded to a naim cds-3.

I absolutely cannot believe that this thread is still going after over four years.

Now I remember why I love you guys...

I resisted cd's for a long time and stuck with vinyl until it started getting really hard to get new releases. Around '94 I broke down and bought a Denon something or other. I was really surprised at how bright and un-enjoyable it sounded.

The place I bought it from wouldn't take it back and somehow or another I stumbled on Innovative Audio in Brooklyn. I went there looking for a better Denon or a Sony or something and they must have been rubbing their hands together when they saw me coming. He A/B'd a Nad (I think) that was in my price range with a Cal Icon that wasn't and the proverbial light bulb went off in my head. Game over.

I still have the Icon, still like the way it sounds...

Magnavox CDB 650 for me as well. I upgraded to a rotel rcd 855. Still have that one in the closet.