Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mouton!karn
From: karn@mouton.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Technics SLP-8 CD Prices
Message-ID: <149@mouton.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Sep-84 02:08:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: mouton.149
Posted: Mon Sep  3 02:08:08 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Sep-84 12:22:32 EDT
References: <8715@microsoft.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 34

I bought an SL-P7 (the cheaper model) two months ago for $291 and
have been very happy with it.  While I like gadgets as much as the next
guy, I still can't get the urge to play Beethoven's 9th in reverse
order; that's about all the "programmable" models can do that my
player can't.  I can still seek to a desired movement or song, as well as
"fast forward" or "fast reverse" when I want to locate a particular passage.

The review in Audio gave the SL-P7 and 8 very high marks for error
correction capability. However, I had to return a copy of Shubert's 4th
and 8th (on Erato) because of skipping in one spot that lasted for 15
seconds or so. I believe I could actually see the defect on the metal
layer. But when I took it back to the store the salesman checked it on
his player (a front-loading Denon?); it tracked fine. I'm not sure what
this means about the Technics, but in any case I got a different copy
that plays fine, and none of my other 23 discs have given me any problems.

I think there's a moral here: full implementation of the error correcting
schemes won't help you if the laser servomechanism cannot track through
a defect without skipping tracks.  The critical parts of the system
are still the ones that move.

Nevertheless, the overall quality of the sound is nothing short of
fantastic, and I've given up trying to figure out why there are so
many rabid anti-CD people out there. I don't care any more; I'd rather
sit back and enjoy my collection. I'm paying enough for it.

For example, did you know that the heartbeats at the beginning and end
of Dark Side of the Moon occur at EXACTLY 1 beat per second? I never
would have found out such an enormously valuable piece of information
if it weren't for DIGITAL technology (like the time readout.)  Who
knows, I might even win a game of Trivial Pursuit some day with that
tidbit...

Phil