Karel Sebastian Post

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $125.00 from Some guy in Holland

Summary:
The CD73 is a classic! The sound is fat, but transparant... The sound is sweet, but beefy... The sound is smooth, but powerrrrrfull! The 14 Bit DAC and it's smooth analog circuitry make this beast a real pleasure to listen to. I have compared the sound with many other players, but i can't say i heard any of them beat the sound of the CD73.

Strengths:
The looks of this machine are splendid, classy buttons and display, and the loading mechanism is a classic! Easy to service, if you have a spare CD303 or CD300 or equivalent player from Philips. The sound is rocksolid, and gives an analog feel to CD's, in the right way. Reads everything from CD-R's to bad disks.

Weaknesses:
Track selection is primitive, but i love it even more because of it! I believe Sony SBM CD's don't sound so well on this player, but that's Sony's problem.

Similar Products Used:
Philips CD100, CD202, CD300 Akai CDA405, CD32 (this one sounds good too) Various REVOX DENON SONY etc.....

vintageCDguy

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $750.00 from AV Retailer, Vancouv

Summary:
I hate to have to write a negative review about such a previously well-regarded vintage unit, But I wanted to warn people that I went through *hell* with THREE of these things in spring of 1984. I was 17, it was my first cd player, and it sold for $750. The first one I brought home from the store was almost DOA - could not read discs at all. Took it back the very next day. The second one worked fine for several days, then on half of my discs the sound started to become distorted during playback, and the player started emitting an audible whine sound that got progressively louder. The problem got worse the longer the player was in operation...so Back it went to the store for a third one. That one had the whine problem right away...at that point I was thoroughly disgusted and disolutioned with Marantz for selling such a piece of cr*p. The store kindly allowed me to exchange it for a Technics SL-P8, which has served me well ever since, and I've done nothing but change belts and re-lube it. Moral of the story (20 years hence)...if you are about to shell out more than $100 clams for what's claimed to be a "working" one of these on the vintage market, be careful or you could end up with a boat anchor. As a conversation piece, cause it does look cool, I wouldn't pay more than $30 even if it's marginally working. Good luck!

Strengths:
Cool LED display Cool flip up disc clamper load mechanism

Weaknesses:
Poor quality control / infant mortality / reliability.

Similar Products Used:
Technics SL-P8, Sony CDP-101, Hitachi DA-1000, Kyocera DA-01, Akai CD-D1, etc.

Flipse_supersound

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $50.00 from local music store

Summary:
Great piece of equipement, this unit was the one thing missing in my old marantz set. I’ bought this cd player 2 years ago, unfortunately it was not in working order there was a loud buss coming out of the DAC unit. Fortunately, a month ago I came across A Philips cd player (cd 303) this unit is the “ugly” twin brother of the cd73 and I was able to correct al the faults, and now it’s running ? Also the power supply, DAC and most of the loading mechanism is the same.

Strengths:
loading mechanism, lights, supersound

Weaknesses:
power supply LM317t part

gatyo

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $150.00 from second hand dealer

Summary:
I've bought the piece quite recently and I am still just listening to it and reading the reviews about. The first impression is impressive.I fully agree with the other owners. In my case the transport is CDM-0 /they say so-the lense is blue/. The clock is upgraded. Sounds clear and may need some upgrade in the power section.

Strengths:
Clear detailed sound plus everything already mentioned.

Weaknesses:
Do not have remarks yet.

Similar Products Used:
Philips CD 104 upgraded

Thomas K

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $150.00 from ebay germany

Summary:
I have owned this unit for about a year now, and I totaly agree with the other reviewers. This machine is awesome. The transport (legendary CDM-1 from Philips) reads just about anything, including CD-R (burned discs) which wasn't invented untill a few year after prduction of the CDM-1 mechanism stopped. The sound are just great, after a small repairjob on the power supply section. Beats the hell out of my D300 which cost more the doubble of the CD73. My only worry is the day the laser dies. Other parts can (relative) easily be replaced, but spare laser assemblys are hard to find. This thing is more than 20 years old after all.

Strengths:
Sound Build quality Looks really cool Drawer mechanism

Weaknesses:
Age