Another Odd Audio Claim

[Bunk]

A second life for your first PlayStation
Ancient game machine doubles as amazing-sounding hi-fi component
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15484873/


The claim that an old playstation might be a good CD player initially doesn't draw much skepticism from me. The following quote is where I went "huh?"

Before I started my listening tests, Michael had a warning for me: "Plug in the units — turn ‘em on — and don’t turn them off." It seems the PlayStations sound best when left on all the time. Michael was right. You shouldn’t even listen for the first three days. Both units need every second of the break-in period.

Is there a real reason that leaving a unit on all the time would make a CD sound better? I'm no expert, but I can't see how that would make any difference.

 

[fuelair]

A second life for your first PlayStation
Ancient game machine doubles as amazing-sounding hi-fi component
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15484873/


The claim that an old playstation might be a good CD player initially doesn't draw much skepticism from me. The following quote is where I went "huh?"



Is there a real reason that leaving a unit on all the time would make a CD sound better? I'm no expert, but I can't see how that would make any difference.

But they're the experts - they know better. Pay attention to them. They are the masters. You are getting sleepy. ...................

 

[Aerik]

We need somebody with a PS1 to see if this holds any water. Any volunteers?

 

[pchams]

Anyone who considers the D/A convertors on a Playstation "High-quality" has lost my vote of confidence already.

 

[elgarak]

I wasn't aware that Sony still uses vacuum tubes...

 

[R.Mackey]

Yeah, the legend of PS1's as good-sounding CD players is quite widespread. I don't remember it sounding particularly awesome when my brother had one (he had it to play games, though).

As far as I know, the only things that make much difference for a CD player are its brickwall filter and its output stage (unless you're outputting digital). And maaaaaybe jitter... I always thought that if you cared about those things, you should run an outboard reclock and D/A and then use any ol' CD transport.

I don't worry about those things. I do use a simple tube output stage, though, semi-homebrew (kit). It's not entirely clear what it does to the sound, though even the crudest scientific test reveals that it was fun to build and looks cool...

 

[Bunk]

I had a PS1 years ago, probably '97. I talked myself into buying it when a CD player crapped out knowing I could use it for that purpose as well as wasting time playing games. I don't recall being impressed or disappointed. I figured that someone has a bunch of 'em hoarded away and was trying to dupe a journalist or two into creating a market for them on ebay. It could just be me being cynical. I don't have the technical expertise that some of you obviously have. I don't immediately recall what I did with that old PS1. Could be stored away somewhere, but I doubt it.

 

[MRC_Hans]

Running in of all kinds of stuff is another persistent myth in audiopholly circles. Interestingly, they never draw the obvious consequence: If things need running in (i.e. change characteristic due to use), they must also run out, wear out.

The only components that just *might* change from use, apart from vacuum tubes, are loudspeakers, but even there, I'm skeptical.

Tubes, of course, wear out, and there just might be some run in phenomena.

Actually, electrolytic capacitors have a run-in phenomenon also, but that is over in a few seconds.

Hans

 

[jimlintott]

It probably does work fine but rather than being a great player I think it really shows how trivial and mature the signal processing for CDs really is. Personally I thnk that a cheap DVD player sending a bitstream signal to an amp with good signal processing is the way to go. It works for me and it plays movies too (although a better DVD player will have much better video signal processing).

Speakers do actually require a break in but most quality manufacturers do this when making drivers. A speaker is placed in a box matched to the speaker resonance and an AC signal of known frequency and amplitute gives them a blast that loosens things up. I've never noticed a difference between a brand new out of the box speaker and the same speaker after a couple of hundred hours on it. Maybe its my wires.