Sony CDP-C67ES CD-player Review

The CDP-C67ES, a new member of Sony’s ES series of deluxe audio components, is an exceptionally versatile compact disc changer. As many as five discs can be loaded on its carousel, which rotates to place the selected disc into playing position. It also has a full complement of programming features for dubbing discs to tape or simply for listening convenience.

A unique feature among current CD players is the C67ES’s digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry, which can add a number of delayed and equalized signals to a stereo program to simulate multiple room reflections for added realism in conventional two-channel playback. In addition to a “flat” mode (normal stereo operation), there are five DSP modes, simulating acoustic environments as diverse as a church and a disco. The level of the added effect signals is adjustable. Unlike typical add-on DSP processors, this one does not require additional amplifiers and speakers; the ambience signals are simply added to the regular program being played through front stereo speakers.

The C67ES offers a variety of playing modes, including consecutive play of all tracks on a disc, random-order shuffle play, a programmed sequence of up to thirty-two tracks in any order, and repeat play of any selected track or group of tracks. Each of these modes can include tracks from any or all of the discs on the carousel.

There are several features designed to facilitate making tape dubs from CD's. A fader button reduces the audio output level to zero over a period adjustable between 2 and 10 seconds (5 seconds is the default setting) and puts the playerinto pause mode. A second touch on the button resumes playback and slowly returns the output level to its original value. The program edit feature displays the cumulative playing time of a series of selections to be taped, as they are being programmed, and the player can also perform a similar function automatically, selecting the maximum number of tracks that can be accommodated on a given tape length. In addition, the peak search feature scans a disc for the maximum level recorded on it and repeatedly plays 4 seconds of the peak-level program to simplify setting the recording gain.

For all the versatility of the C67ES, its front panel is relatively uncluttered and not difficult to use. The instruction manual is complete and specific, but it is likely to be needed only for mastering some of the changer’s special features. Ordinary playback is perfectly conventional.

The C67ES is a fairly large CD player. The carousel drawer, extending across most of the width of the front panel, opens and closes at the touch of a button at the upper right of the panel. A smaller button, labeled disc skip, advances the carousel to the next position for loading or removing discs. Large buttons control the transport functions (play, pause, stop), and smaller buttons below them operate the track-skip and fast-search functions.

Another group of square buttons at the upper left of the panel, numbered 1 through 5, selects the discs to be played. Smaller buttons below them are marked CONTINUE, SHUFFLE, PROGRAM, and PEAK SEARCH. The CONTINUE button selects continuous play of either a single disc or all of those loaded, shuffle initiates random play of the tracks on the selected discs, and program is used to select a sequence of tracks. Small check and clear buttons for programming are located below the carousel drawer.

Other small buttons in a row at the bottom of the panel provide direct access to any numbered track, and larger buttons select the various DSP programs. A small knob adjusts the level of the delayed and processed signals in the audio output. At the lower right of the panel is another small knob, which controls the level at the variable analog outputs in the rear and at the front-panel headphone jack. (There is also a fixed-level analog output and an optical digital output.)

The music-scan feature automatically plays the first 10 seconds of each track on a selected disc. If more than one disc is loaded and none is selected, it will play the first 10 seconds of each disc.

The display window at the top center of the panel provides complete information on the player's current operating state. Numbers across the top of the window represent discs in the corresponding carousel positions. The numbers are initially surrounded by red circles, which disappear after a disc has been played; a white bar appears under the number of the disc currently playing. A twenty-selection music calendar shows the remaining unplayed track numbers on the current disc. Other indications include the current mode (pause, stop, play), the status of the various taping and editing functions, and the usual display of track number and elapsed or remaining time.

The instruction manual lists a few of the player’s performance specifications but makes no mention of its circuit or technical design features. The front panel does indicate, however, that the changer uses Sony’s HDLC 1-bit digital-to-analog (D/A) converter.

The Sony CDP-C67ES measures 17 inches wide, 15-1/4 inches deep, and 5 inches high, and it weighs 15-1/2 pounds. It is finished in black, with gold panel markings. The remote control furnished with it duplicates virtually all its front-panel control functions. Price: $380.

Lab Tests

The frequency response of the CDP-C67ES was exceptionally flat, within + 0.04, —0.02 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The de-emphasis error was a maximum of - 0.17 dB at 16,000 Hz. Channel separation was 100 dB from 100 to 1.000 Hz and decreased only slightly at higher frequencies, to 94 dB at 10.000 Hz and 89 dB at 20,000 Hz. Interchannel phase shift was - 0.2 degree at 20 Hz and within ± 0.05 degree from 1,000 to 20,000 Hz.

An analysis of the output noise spectrum from an unmodulated test track showed random noise decreasing from —125 dB in the 5,000- to 20,000-Hz range to —140 dB between 500 and 1,500 Hz. There were two power-line hum components, -119 dB at 180 Hz and -116 dB at 60 Hz.

Total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD + N) at a 0-dB level was 0.0027 percent from 20 to 2,000 Hz, rising slightly to a maximum of 0.0033 percent at 10,000 Hz. At 1,000 Hz, THD + N was less than 0.0017 percent from — 80 to -20 dB, rising to 0.0024 percent at 0 dB. The linearity of the D/A converters was superb. The output amplitude error did not exceed 0.5 dB down to -90 dB and reached a maximum of 1 dB at -100 dB.

The slewing rate of the laser tracking servo was good, only 2 seconds from Track 1 to Track 15 of the Philips TS3 test disc. The time required when a disc had to be changed was about 8 to 9 seconds from the first track of the first disc to the last track of the second (it varied with the number of disc positions the carousel had to turn).

The headphone volume was good with medium-impedance phones; low-er-impedance, more sensitive phones would provide even more volume. The player had very good isolation from physical shock, requiring a hard slap on the top or side to cause a momentary dropout.

The player’s ability to track through disc defects was adequate but not outstanding. It was able to track defects of 1,000 micrometers from the Pierre Verany #2 test disc but mistracked at the 1,250-micrometer level. It also mistracked when a 1,000-micrometer defect was combined with a nonstandard track pitch or when the same size of defect recurred in rapid succession.

Comments

The Sony CDP-C67ES is clearly a very fine CD changer whose overall measured performance ranks with that of the best players we have tested, and the functional grouping of its controls makes it surprisingly easy to use. To be sure, if you expect to avail yourself of all of its features, a bit of study and practice will be required, but you will be amply rewarded.

Many of the features (and much of the performance) of the C67ES can be found in other fine CD players, though not necessarily in any single model, but the DSP feature is, at least for the present, unique to this and some other Sony changers. And it really worked, producing a plausible sensation of the selected environment. Although the ambience was not distributed spatially around the room, as in a typical surround-sound installation, the DSP circuits effectively added qualities that the CD’s we played previously lacked.

The DSP circuits cannot subtract any ambience that is already present— it cannot convert the recorded sound of a spacious concert hall to that of a more intimate listening environment. But the reverse is possible, and if the feature is used discreetly, the results are quite pleasing and natural.

The Sony CDP-C67ES offers today’s state of the art in CD reproduction technology and extensive facilities for taping from discs, combined in an attractive and easy-to-operate five-disc carousel changer. It’s an impressive achievement.

Read all

Sony reviews

Read all