CdPlayer
Latest
Marantz wises-up, offers two remotes with CR101 CD player
What's so interesting about another vertically oriented CD player? Well, besides the fact that Marantz's CR101 looks like a programmable thermostat, it also features a pair of remote controls: a mini, 8-button remote along side the giant slab of input-clutter we've all grown woefully accustomed to. Bravo Marantz, bravo. Otherwise we're looking at a 2.1ch (10W sub and 2x 5W speakers) with AM/FM tuner for ¥38,000 or $331 when these hit Japan later in the month. [Via Impress]
Bryston's hand-assembled BCD-1 CD player
You read that headline right, CD player. No SACD, DVD, and certainly no format war-bickering HD DVD or Blu-ray. Just the most "perfect sound forever" Redbook audio bits the Canadians at Bryston can deliver. This player has high-end pedigree: premium DAC's, separate analog and digital power supplies, discrete op-amp Class A analog stage, and the usual output jacks + XLR and AES/EBU. If all the nuts and bolts in the kit aren't enough to let you know you've got a high-end piece of gear, then the 18 pounds of heft will. A cool $2395 puts the last CD player you'll ever need to buy in your rig.
Rise audiophile CD player ships in three separate cases
What can we say? We love when super-high-end audio companies try to convince us of whatever voodoo they're selling -- so this three-part CD player from Rise is right up our alley. The Philips CD Pro 2M transport is protected from pesky interference like vibrations and magnetism (really, that's what it says) by being mounted in a custom aluminum chassis, away from the power supply and controls. We're not sure what D / A converter is involved, but the unit does ship in three separate cases -- one for each component. No details on price, but something tells us that Rise isn't exactly giving these away.[Via Audio Junkies]
Opera Audio's Ping weds CD player, amplifier, and USB connectivity
These days, it's not often that a CD player makes you take a second glance, but Opera Audio's Forbidden City Ping is just one of those devices. The interestingly-styled box consists of a Linear Concept CD player meshed with a 100-watt Class A amplifier, AM / FM tuner, and a USB port for streaming tunes in from your PC. The "three-in-one" audio system also sports a 16-bit TDA1543 DAC and the ability to recover the current time from the USB port to display on the front-panel LCD. The Ping comes in black with your choice of red or silver accent plates, and while we're not sure of the asking price just yet, we'll go ahead and assume that this thing is more suited for the affluent set judging by the company's reputation.[Via AudioJunkies]
Clarion intros "drip-proof" CD player for scooters
If you've got your scooter all tricked out but are still looking for a way to drown out the noise (or jet engines, as it were) you may want to give Clarion's latest CD player some consideration, which promises to hold up even if you regularly go for drives in the rain. You'll also be able control it relatively safely, with the included remote control ready to be attached to your handle bars. Of course, you don't necessarily have to use it with a scooter, with Clarion also suggesting it as a solution for motorcycles and "leisure boats." What's more, Clairon's also planning to release an iPod interface for the unit, although there would seem to be other, less expensive ways to enjoy your iPod while you're motoring about. Look for this one to be released in Japan next month for 44,100 Yen, or about $375.[Via Akihabara News]
Bose Media System crams GPS / media playback into your dash
Although Bose has become somewhat of a mainstay in the iPod speaker / overpriced headphone departments, the always controversial firm is kicking out a new device suited for your vehicle's dash. The simply-named Bose Media System head unit looks to replace that entirely antiquated cassette player you're still using, and offers up a solid mix of abilities all the while. Aside from the obvious navigation and CD playback functions, the universal player will also handle SACD, DVD-A, MP3, and AAC files burned onto a CD / DVD-R, and can also tune into XM (and Sirius?) broadcasts when not locked onto AM / FM transmissions. You'll also be graced with 5.1 playback, the uMusic mood-sensing system, proximity control sensors, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, USB 2.0 input for portable media access, and in typical Bose fashion, a mysteriously sized hard drive that reportedly holds "up to 200 hours" of content. Of course, don't expect Bose to divulge any details regarding wattage, screen specifications, or any other tidbit that could be helpful in weighing your in-dash options, but folks eying the forthcoming Ferrari 612 Scaglietti can expect it to debut in their ride for a currently undisclosed price.
When good toys go bad IV: explicit CD player triggered during mass
While we've seen quite a few toys pulling stunts that they should definitely be ashamed of, the latest edition ups the ante by doing its dirty deed in a Roman Catholic cathedral. Following the "if it blinks, obliterate it" mentality so well exemplified at various Boston transit arteries, a team of Santa Fe bomb squad experts were called onto the scene after three CD players were triggered to start blasting "sexually explicit language in the middle of an Ash Wednesday Mass" at the Roman Catholic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Reportedly, the players were "duct-taped to the bottoms of the pews," apparently causing the innocent church dwellers to assume the worse -- you know, like C4 explosives camouflaged as a mid-range driver. Nevertheless, the bomb squad removed the devices, took them outside, and probably had a thrilling experience whilst detonating two of the players as a safety measure. Once the crew realized the only explosive tendencies were captured in the inappropriate lyrics, they salvaged the third unit to comb for fingerprints and hopefully arrest the perpetrator(s). Now, which cop is going to cave in and post the fireworks on YouTube?[Via BoingBoing]
Hitachi's HMR-1 CD player and MP3 recorder
Portable CD players are just so retro, that is, until you slap in some new tricks like an SD card for line-in recording or MP3 playback. Affectionately dubbed the "i.μ's" (Eye Muse), the HMR-1 supports MP3/WMA playback and can record direct from CD or from externally attached sources (192kbps max) direct to SD cards without the use of a PC. No, it won't record to writable CDs and it doesn't support DRM'd WMA files. We'll see if the ol' dog hunts when these hit late November for a steep ¥25,200 in Japan or about $214. [Via Impress]
