I love how you mentioned that the one on the right sometimes eats discs. My parent’s STILL have their Sony CD player from the mid 90’s and it ate a Marc Cohn CD at some point. Every once in a while it will begin to play “Walking in Memphis” at random and it’s become a running joke in the family that Marc Cohn in haunting our CD player.
This video was an eye opener on how you produce videos. It illustrates what a difference off camera planning & editing makes to the end result. I'm not being critical thought. I liked the video. It's just interesting to see the differences in an off the cuff video.
If you didn't catch what I discovered near the end--the spinning while closing behavior is definitely possible on the later machine due to how the sensor is incorporated. So why is behaves like it does is a bit of a mystery. Also, I hadn't realized that the CDP-225 is missing the numeric buttons that the CDP-235 has. So again, a strange addition with some odd removals. I'd love to get in the heads of the Sony executives in charge of these and find out what really happened!
That's a little bizarre. Seems like it would be easier to just leave the sensor stationary if they were going to make it behave that way. Maybe it is something in the program routine that made it easier to make it wait for the tray insertion before disc checking.
Just looking at the two designs, the one with the clamping arm on the carousel is going to be less robust for accidents and also cost of assembly would have been higher. Removal of headphone jacks is usually a bean-counter maneuver to bring the product in at a particular price point. Also, I couldn't get good specs on both, but they seem to use different DACs (which beyond features is where differences in models usually came into play). I remember high end CD players with 20 bit DACs (which was usually a marketing ploy) while the lower end usually had 1-bit designs.
The headphone jack is ominously close to the tray, so it was removed in order to improve safety? If you wore headphones while standing over the machine to load it, it would be easy to accidentally trap the headphone cord in the tray as it closed, causing damage to either the loading mechanism or your headphones...
+ tarstarkusz Cables man, cables! A CD player can be further broken down into the transport and DAC (much like a receiver can be broken down to pre-amp and amp). In fact, in the land of diminishing returns, transports and DACs are sold as individual components. For transports, the concerns are feeding the DACs accurate data (the holy grail being "bit perfect" transmission) and reducing jitter, with numerous ideas on how to do this. For example (when memory was expensive), an exotic design would immediately check the information read off the CD against the clock for both channels, hold that information in memory, and then release it to the DAC in sync with the clock and left and right channels. Back in the early 90s, such a design would set you back a cool $10,000. For DACs (without getting into the oversampling and increasing word length to increase the resolution of the waveform), my just-knowledgeable-enough-to-be-dangerous take on things was finding a conversion schema that best complimented whatever filters were available at the time. Early filters had a steep cut offs so manufacturers would use different methods to keep manipulation of the signal as far away from the filter as possible or use different filters at various points. Then there is parts selection (some parts sound better than others), fault tolerance and calibration (you have a multitude of parts with variances in values. Does your design work within those variances or are you calibrating your parts selection to fit), and the often overlooked amplifier section that feeds your pre-amp. Add to that a health dose of snake oil and the possibilities are limitless. A Ford and Ferrari use essentially the same technologies, so what makes one perform better than the other? The Ferrari is scrutinized more at more points in production and hand tweaked as needed. The Ford has looser tolerances and most of the parts are just good enough.
I laughed for probably 5 minutes and then went on to screen record that clip so I can share it because I think there are more people out there that can benefit from it 😂😂😂
Love the more laid-back, off the cuff approach. Don't get me wrong, I love the polished videos also, but it's fun to see the videos with the "bloopers" included. Just more casual = fun. Thanks for the hard work in all of your videos!!
The Goodwill pick, CDP-C225 (1992), was a prior years model to the CDP-C235 and hence the missing exchange feature. The missing head phone jack on the CDP-C235 was likely a cost saving subtraction for Sony. Both your models are entry level 200 series CD Players. My model is the CDP-C545 (1994) or a year after the CDP-C235 model (1993). The 500 series CD Players included Custom File, Music Clip (A, B, C, D), Timer turn-on function, and head phone jack with disc exchange. Custom file allowed titling of discs + Music Clip favourite track memory for some 400 discs by reading the CDI data (no titles or track song names, just a cd serial number). You could load five discs and play your "mixed tape" selection in random order or in-order. WOW! I remember the model-up 700 series included the same with 2-3 times memory storage and extra buttons for DSP mode "digital analogue effects" or pre-surround effects (Hall, Church, Jazz Club, Stadium, Dance). It was $100-200 more in cost. Searching online there were 200, 300, 400, 500, and 700 series CD players exported to North America (1994) before the ES Series (Expensive Stuff Series) in brushed silver fronts and lacquered wood trim. CDP-C stands for CD Player Carousel and appears to have started in 1992, Model trim level number in 100 series increment, and year by 10 level year increment + 5 for whatever (region maybe). Extra! Extra! There are 1990 model years C201, C205, C301, and C305 found with 1991 model year skipped. Information is flaky for models unless it is sitting infront of you.
Didn't think I'd geek out so much on this Vid or Comment... But as an original owner of a CDP-CE535 (1993?).... I've always known about its Disc Exchange and the huge list of added features (headphone jack!). Feel sad now I never strut its FULL potential in the glory days. I've always meant to use the "Mega Control" feature with a future upgrade... Never knew if it'd work with a Sony DVD/Blu-ray Carousel Player... But I'm tempted now to "refresh" the AV Receiver Setup now. Goodwill's Supply of Sony Equipment at reasonable prices has always been tempting, more just for fun vs any need. (Couple times I've eyed a Sony Dual Tape Deck just to have it/complete my Mid-90's AV Setup... Although I suppose that means I should keep an eye out for Minidisc and LD options too... :) )
I'd guess that they decided no headphone jack was needed because most component cd players are hooked up to an amplifier, and those almost always have their own headphone jack.
I have a CDP-C500, that was manufactured in November 1989 and a higher end CDP-C705 from April 1990. Much earlier than I thought carousels existed. Obviously no ex-change capability for either unit. I just bought a Sony CDP-C10 10CD cartridge changer machine that dates to 1986! Sony didn't stick with the cartridge format for very long, and I didn't even know they had home cartridge-based machines. So it would seem that the CDP-C nomenclature doesn't exclusively refer to carousel machines.
@SteelRodent I have a Denon AV Surround sound system, and I like cartridge players better because they would hold more discs. and they were compatible automotive players. but Denon uses a tray and I believe the reason is the Denon disc changer. is not only CD player it's also a DVD player.
This video seems so odd compared to his other videos not that that's bad but because he's not using his "Charismatic Entertainer Persona" It really feels like this is his real personality which actually makes this more interesting.
I think it's the opposite. I think over time he felt more comfortable showing more of his real personality, which is being snarky and funny, and in his earlier videos he was more reserved and shy towards his audience.
I acquired a Sony Tape deck at a yard sale this spring for $1, it didn't work, and I stumbled on your primary channel, and Techmoan's as well, whilst researching repair options, and generally geeking out on old stereo equipment. I wound up binge watching nearly every video on your channel, and always await new ones. The second channel is a perfect compliment to the first one. Well done. One bit of logic that I assume exists on the 235, because it's been on most changers I've used, and that I always thought was neat, was simply how it prevents you from "seeing" the empty tray of the disc that is playing. If Disc 2 was playing and you ejected the tray, the system would only allow 1 and 5 to be exposed, or 3 and 4, ensuring 2 was always fully inside the system. One model I saw previously, had a "next disc" button, and while a disc was playing it refused to expose the tray it occupied. Even if you were looking at say slots 5, and 1, and 2 is just inside, and you pressed "next disc", it would reverse and go the long way to 3 and 4 to ensure slot 2 didn't even see the light of day. It wanted no chance you could load a disc into that slot.
I had a good laugh when you talked about the double vs quadruple button press and how you discovered that the turntable would reverse. I was an inquisitive kid too, whenever my parents would get a new “gizmo” I’d have to spend hours trying out every permutation of button presses and see what it’d do!
I’ve only just discovered your second channel - personally I prefer this format. Whilst I appreciate all the preparatory effort you put into your regular videos, I do like the relaxed and chatty nature of this video. Thank you.
I never knew that I wanted to see the differences between two similar CD changers, but thank you for making it very clear to me that that was exactly what I wanted to see. If this video was two hours long, I'd be staring at my phone for two hours in a trance.
Yes, I am a nerd, and yes I really find these videos interesting. I am absolutely the kind of person that would notice two devices being almost the same and want to take them apart to figure out what makes them different. Also, I really like this more casual format. It's like my friend and I are nerding out over details that the general audience from the main videos wouldn't care about.
As a designer I really enjoy Your devotion for details and the way You take time to look really into things / topics. In fact, the only two technology/productdesign related channels I ever recommended are Your's and techmoan. And I like the double-track approach of scripted and non-scripted videos. Keep up the good work.
Sven Almgren I used to be terrified of our top-loading CD player with the many many warnings on stickers and in the manual "INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN AND INTERLOCKS DEFEATED. DO NOT STARE DIRECTLY INTO BEAM." Influenced my CD player purchase decisions (tray only!) for quite a long time.
He also linked to my VCR video: ruclips.net/video/wC_CLEQnM8w/видео.html More on-topic, my Sony CD player seems to be a mix of these. The CHC-CL5MD is slow to check CDs, but can disc swap during playback. It has a three-CD stacked changer.
I have a yet later model, Sony CDP-CE315, that rotates the platen when closing (indeed saving some time on initial loading of disk 1) but it also has the "Disk ex-change System" that allows swapping disks while one is playing. So Sony (naturally enough) developed their product by taking the best parts of both of those you describe, and put them on the new model. The thing you did not notice (or don't mention, anyway) is that the one-by-one slow scan of disks gives you the added bonus that the player then knows the number of songs on each disk as soon as the platen has been rotated through all of them. This allows for direct selection of a song to play from any of the disks, or creating a playlist (or random play) from all the disks. Also - in place of the headphone jack, this model has "AMS", a rotating knob to quickly skip to any song on the disk - a function that requires data of the contents of the disks.
Appreciate the Video. As an owner of a Sony CD Player with the Disc Exchange (CDP-CE535)... Fun to see someone cover it. I never tended to use/need it at its full potential (and I have the remote) it is mostly used for Shuffling Holiday Music or on rare occasions a Multi-Disc Audiobook. (Major selling point why I got this player for, and always look for and appreciate when Discs are precoded with CD-Text so it can Display what is currently playing.)
The machines aren't necessarily ~10 models apart, but more likely they are the second and third model in the range, if my guess about organised model numbers is correct Basically it's something like this: CDP-C225 means that it's a *CD-P* layer with disc- *C* hanging functionality, *2* nd generation, *2* nd model (if they don't skip numbers), that stores *5* discs CDP-C235 means that it's a *CD-P* layer with disc- *C* hanging functionality, *2* nd generation, *3* rd model (if they don't skip numbers), that stores *5* discs EDIT:Formatting
Sony always encodes a year code into a model name for every product - Like TVs today they are currently using A B C D E F(2018) codes in their XBR models (but all TVs are now XBR for some reason - I thing it is the 'X' product naming mystic thing) Like the iPhone XI - what that doesn't exist. The second digit is the 199x model year, first digit the model series (trim/feature level) 100's (components) or 1000's (receivers) depending on device. The CD Players were Carousel models (Merry-Go-Rounds) Sony also made 50 - 200, 300, 400 disc Carousel monsters as CDP-CX models
You crack me up, but in a good way. I've been enjoying your videos for quite a while now, and I can tell there's a lot of prep in about everything you do, so this one made me chuckle because I could see those ideas in your head trying to come through and just being a little difficult. Oh the number of times that's happened to me. I love it. Keep it all up, and thanks.
It's possible that the removal of the headphone jack was a cost-cutting measure. It would no longer have to include the jack itself, the volume control, and the amplifier. How often would someone use a 5-CD changer by itself and not as part of a multi-component system, which would have a dedicated amplifier/receiver with its own headphone jack?
That was my thinking. Add fancy new gadget, remove something else to balance the cost. If fancy new gadget is successful then add back the sacrificed thing in the next model.
That was my thinking too. And then have a different model that has the headphone jack at a higher price point. So, if you want the headphone jack, you will need to upgrade to xyz model that cost 20 (dollars, pounds, marks, etc) or so more.
@@Hyxtryx When CD players first appeared on the market, most people wouldn't have any really good source of audio to plug into a receiver, so having a top-quality receiver wasn't very important; consequently, most receivers were designed to offer lower-quality audio at a lower price. After CD players had been on the market awhile, the sound quality of receivers was perceived as more important, and a larger fraction of the people buying CD players would have a good quality receiver to use with them.
It matters little to me because I feel most people who click Thumbs Down, fat-fingered or not, are bozos. Indeed, the only time that I ever click that hateful button is when I am totally and utterly deceived by a video title, only to watch the video and find it's a totally unrelated ad for something or something nonsensical. If I am not deceived and watch a video that I think is lackluster, I just move on. Clicking Thumbs Down, in my mind, is like an act of revenge or punishment. Anyway, two thumbs up to Technical Connections! It helps fulfill my inner geek!
A reason to remove the headphone jack from changers like that was probably that most people had receivers with headphone jacks on them anyway. I never used the headphone jacks on any of the components of the hi-fi my family had, except on the cassette deck to check it was recording alright. By using the on-device headphone jack typically you lost your ability to control volume and any remote control (I used headphones on a long coily-cord extension), and so on. I was using a JVC system that had Compu-Link so components like the CD player didn't have individual remotes - thankfully - the receiver controlled it all through mono 3.5 mm cords daisy-chained on the back side of the devices.
i find this kind of exploration fascinating. Your appreciation for design and attention to detail makes for a compelling analysis. You have me thinking of my Mitsubishi ck-3530r fisheye faux-wood rolling TV circa 1989. Still here right in front of me :-)
Slow day for video topics? Awesome, you point out the difference between two different models of a cd player. I'm shocked that two different models have differences. It's just weird! I guess you have pointed out that different models have different ways of doing things. Thank you so much! In the past, I've been upset that my purchase of a new model was different. Now, because of this video, I now know this is normal! Imagine my surprise! Thank you, thank you! 😊
I grew up with the C225 as the family CD player and hearing those mechanism sounds again is quite nostalgic. I once wanted to take mine apart but my parents wouldn't let me - thank you for sharing this and satisfying my curiosity-circa-8-years-old.
VFDs get dim because of "anode poisoning", where phosphor has been ripped off the anode segments and deposited on the cathode filaments. LCDs have a similar problem, being ruined by constant biasing. A good controller will drive the filaments with AC, at least 50Hz and up to 200Hz. The display doesn't work while reverse biased, but also repels the phosphor, preventing the problem.
My family had the CDP-225 when I was 'growing up' in the 90's, and all it's complimentary components. I'd forgotten about it, and enjoyed your video. We always had music in our house too, with diverse music tastes. Fond memories of the ways these systems could be utilised as a kind of 'modern jukebox' too.
Re: the headphone jack I suspect it was removed to cut costs and because the amp would have come with one. Why place a jack on every component in the system? Remove the redundancy and lower COGS. Your system (some combination of turntable, CD player, tape deck, amp) would have a headphone jack (on the amp) and you'd be good to go.
I'm pretty sure, you are right. Always wondered why they put headphone jacks (and amps for it) on CD players. What is the chance, that somebody will buy a CD player as an standalone component only to use it with headphones? )
@@dopeless That is the only logical reason I could see for one, or to save power as you wouldn't need to turn it on for headphones. Either that or you could be playing a different component out the amp while someone else listens to a CD.
Yeah, and the amp probably has volume control, an equalizer, and switches between multiple devices (meaning if you’re using headphones you’ll probably have them already plugged into the amp and not want to go swapping headphones jacks). So I too would bet it was considered redundant.
Who knew a CD exchanger could be so damn interesting?! Loved this video, and the enthusiasm you show. It really makes me wonder how many other undiscovered wonders there are in the thousands of other electronic products of days past.
If PCBs are identical, I guess you could repopulate the board and add the headphone output to the CD235. You may add the volume knob too. Well of course you need to drill the front panel but the previous output location is blank so no need to squeeze it elsewhere. IMHO an easy hack.
A separately buffered copy of the main out, with a volume knob somewhere. A dozen components to add. :-) Probably left out because this was around the time when people had tape decks, tuners, and possibly still a turntable - which means they probably also have a receiver. So who needs a headphone out on the player? Many of my separates had headphone jacks, and I often wondered ... why? My tape deck even had a headphone out with no volume control. It was too loud to listen to, which I only know because I got curious enough to try once.
For my childhood usage it allowed my father and me to individually listen music without turning on the power-hungry amp. We're now even more headphone person with our computers. My own big interrogations are why there is no direct I²S output on digital audio devices but things like spdif that requires a conversion circuit, same with VGA that still are more present than DVI on LCD monitors and small computers' outputs, also why the symmetrical XLR connection never replaced coaxial output on analog audio devices. I guess there is a lot of technological inertia and formats wars. :)
The headphone jack was probably dropped just because it costs a little and is rather unnecessary. You have the player connected to an amp anyway, and it has a headphone jack. So, leaving it out means you can be a bit cheaper, and people buy the cheaper one.
Your videos are way above my head sometimes. But your passion for the subjects you cover is infectious, and make them fun to watch. Plus, I learn stuff.
It won't reveal the tray for the playing CD. When the tray is pulled back in while playing, that little jog is so that it can do the disk check in the trays it was allowed to reveal.
pouncytaur what happens if you have the top cover off, open the tray while disc 1 is playing, and put a disc in that tray - will the separate IR sensor catch it?
I've watched all your videos and this one is my favorite for some reason. I love seeing variations between identical products and trying to understand the thought process or reasoning behind changes. If you come across more weird stuff like this definitely do another video of this style on it!
I have a CDP-CE215 which I got a couple years ago at...a Good Will store. It has the disc exchange and no headphone jack. On another subject, I started my career as a technician working on consumer electronics in the mid-80s when CD players were a pretty new thing. I enjoyed the work but soon figured out I had picked a very challenging job that payed rather poorly. I did that for a few years. I developed some mad skills and moved to a different line of work that made those skills pay much better. I still like this stuff. I have vintage stereo equipment stacked in my storage closet to play with when I can retire. Enjoy your videos by the way. We should hang out some time.
So much button-pushy goodness. Awesome video showing so much detail. Love the comparison method as you can see how the engineers refined things between models
I found this fascinating in any case, but *especially* so because I have a Sony CDP-265 unit, which is my most recent CD player (around 1997 or so). It seems to combine the best features of both the featured players. The carousel rotates on eject and load, like the 225; however it has the disc exchange feature of the 235, plus the return of the headphone jack. It checks for CDs quite quickly and the display is very similar to the 265, showing either NO DISC, or the disc slots where a CD is present, soon after loading. I haven't fired it up in around ten years, as I now rip all my CDs to iTunes for playback in the car through my iPhone and CarPlay, or the Apple TV in the living room. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, when Sony gear was excellent and the core of my video and hifi.
This video really underscores how much time, effort, and frustration goes into producing your primary channel videos. Thanks for driving yourself crazy for our sakes.
15:17 - YES DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY YES TOTALLY YES!!! You've done a great service here. The hours, and hours and hours, and hours, over the span of my childhood that were spent pressing buttons over and over trying to see mechanics in action (often with a flashlight or magnifying glass).... Or happening upon the duplicate of something I owned, seeing something was slightly "off", then poring over both to find what was different, and wondering why.... And other various observations about the mechanics and features of objects we take for granted.... All of that, the "wasted time" feels justified now that I've spent 20ish minutes watching a professional RUclipsr do *exactly the same thing* that I used to do for fun. (In my collection of laptop computers there are 2 pairs that appear similar/identical on the outside, with variations inside the case. This was purely coincidence, the first pair obtained within months of each other from 2 different people, them a few years later the second pair in the same month from another 2 different people. From the 4 individuals who were either upgrading or simply discarding a broken computer, I turned each pair into a fully functional laptop that became my 'daily driver' for several years, respectively. So yes, there's certainly value to be had in owning similar models like these: thanks to my curiosity - costing only some focused time to research, tear down, rebuild, and tweak - I went over 7 years without buying a new computer but owning one that performed better than what I actually needed.
Fantastic deep review, never saw anywere else. Sony engineers have to thank you for revealing deep design subtilities. These black boxes contains so much love from them, thanks.
Some may think this was a pointless vid... its not. Its quite significant in fact. This was a giant leap in keeping the party going whilst actually still being able to take part in.. well, the party.
I love hardware revision comparison, great video! Probably just a mix of cost/feature, and sony's love of making a billion revisions of any given product range.
Bought mine in January of '94. Really liked the disc change functionality, while playing another disc. Very reliable machine for about 20yrs. Eventually got to where it couldn't figure out where the tray was in rotation and couldn't load a disc, or wouldn't open the tray. Ended up junking it. Mine didn't have a remote. Was available for them, if I bought the next more expensive machine. But, didn't really need that, and got the cheaper one.
my grandparents had the older Sony one... I remember playing with it back in the day.. They had a bunch of stuff, and speakers, and I would mess around with them
I love how you mentioned that the one on the right sometimes eats discs. My parent’s STILL have their Sony CD player from the mid 90’s and it ate a Marc Cohn CD at some point. Every once in a while it will begin to play “Walking in Memphis” at random and it’s become a running joke in the family that Marc Cohn in haunting our CD player.
That's hilarious!
Haha that's great!
The ghost of Elvis is in your parents' CD player
You get a Thumbs up just for the thumbnail alone, Alec
Agreed, could not stop laughing when I saw the thumbnail.
I completely lost it when that rolled past in my recommendations.
it must become new internet meme
@@oskimac If it is meant to be, it will.
I came here for this comment
RUclips just recommended this to me completely out of context of whatever original videos this related to, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
He's strangely compelling.
Same
"why they took out the headphone jack ? who knows"
"courage." *-Tim Cook*
IIRC Phil Schiller said it. Fuck apple.
JM M - i uh...id rather not...but I’ll be glad to show my butt to them so they can see what they really are 4Head
"old and outdated" -some fucker over at apple
@@killingtimeitself more than one unfortunately..>.>
@@sprockkets same
This video was an eye opener on how you produce videos. It illustrates what a difference off camera planning & editing makes to the end result. I'm not being critical thought. I liked the video. It's just interesting to see the differences in an off the cuff video.
Yeah I'm loving this channel. It's nice to see the human side of people.
Yeeeah, but I like the history and research that he includes in his videos on the other channel.
I never thought I would be interested in a 21 minute video about cd changer mechanisms!
cause we're sensible nerds in his words
I did... But I'm odd
Me neither but I was..
I wasn't but was!
I know I'll be interested, but I really shouldn't watch it now. Must sleep.
If you didn't catch what I discovered near the end--the spinning while closing behavior is definitely possible on the later machine due to how the sensor is incorporated. So why is behaves like it does is a bit of a mystery.
Also, I hadn't realized that the CDP-225 is missing the numeric buttons that the CDP-235 has. So again, a strange addition with some odd removals. I'd love to get in the heads of the Sony executives in charge of these and find out what really happened!
That's a little bizarre. Seems like it would be easier to just leave the sensor stationary if they were going to make it behave that way. Maybe it is something in the program routine that made it easier to make it wait for the tray insertion before disc checking.
Just looking at the two designs, the one with the clamping arm on the carousel is going to be less robust for accidents and also cost of assembly would have been higher. Removal of headphone jacks is usually a bean-counter maneuver to bring the product in at a particular price point.
Also, I couldn't get good specs on both, but they seem to use different DACs (which beyond features is where differences in models usually came into play). I remember high end CD players with 20 bit DACs (which was usually a marketing ploy) while the lower end usually had 1-bit designs.
The headphone jack is ominously close to the tray, so it was removed in order to improve safety? If you wore headphones while standing over the machine to load it, it would be easy to accidentally trap the headphone cord in the tray as it closed, causing damage to either the loading mechanism or your headphones...
the older sony behaves like my jvc fwiw
+ tarstarkusz
Cables man, cables!
A CD player can be further broken down into the transport and DAC (much like a receiver can be broken down to pre-amp and amp). In fact, in the land of diminishing returns, transports and DACs are sold as individual components.
For transports, the concerns are feeding the DACs accurate data (the holy grail being "bit perfect" transmission) and reducing jitter, with numerous ideas on how to do this. For example (when memory was expensive), an exotic design would immediately check the information read off the CD against the clock for both channels, hold that information in memory, and then release it to the DAC in sync with the clock and left and right channels. Back in the early 90s, such a design would set you back a cool $10,000.
For DACs (without getting into the oversampling and increasing word length to increase the resolution of the waveform), my just-knowledgeable-enough-to-be-dangerous take on things was finding a conversion schema that best complimented whatever filters were available at the time. Early filters had a steep cut offs so manufacturers would use different methods to keep manipulation of the signal as far away from the filter as possible or use different filters at various points.
Then there is parts selection (some parts sound better than others), fault tolerance and calibration (you have a multitude of parts with variances in values. Does your design work within those variances or are you calibrating your parts selection to fit), and the often overlooked amplifier section that feeds your pre-amp. Add to that a health dose of snake oil and the possibilities are limitless.
A Ford and Ferrari use essentially the same technologies, so what makes one perform better than the other? The Ferrari is scrutinized more at more points in production and hand tweaked as needed. The Ford has looser tolerances and most of the parts are just good enough.
I am relieved you didn't destroy your original CD-exchanger.
...
And I laughed louder than I should be at the iPhone audio jack joke.
That wasn't a bad joke xD
Yaa it was not a bad joke
I was already thinking the same thing ahead of time, and I'd bet easy money that most of the audience was too.
I laughed for probably 5 minutes and then went on to screen record that clip so I can share it because I think there are more people out there that can benefit from it 😂😂😂
Sony made a very Courageous choice.
Love the more laid-back, off the cuff approach. Don't get me wrong, I love the polished videos also, but it's fun to see the videos with the "bloopers" included. Just more casual = fun. Thanks for the hard work in all of your videos!!
The Goodwill pick, CDP-C225 (1992), was a prior years model to the CDP-C235 and hence the missing exchange feature. The missing head phone jack on the CDP-C235 was likely a cost saving subtraction for Sony. Both your models are entry level 200 series CD Players. My model is the CDP-C545 (1994) or a year after the CDP-C235 model (1993). The 500 series CD Players included Custom File, Music Clip (A, B, C, D), Timer turn-on function, and head phone jack with disc exchange. Custom file allowed titling of discs + Music Clip favourite track memory for some 400 discs by reading the CDI data (no titles or track song names, just a cd serial number). You could load five discs and play your "mixed tape" selection in random order or in-order. WOW!
I remember the model-up 700 series included the same with 2-3 times memory storage and extra buttons for DSP mode "digital analogue effects" or pre-surround effects (Hall, Church, Jazz Club, Stadium, Dance). It was $100-200 more in cost. Searching online there were 200, 300, 400, 500, and 700 series CD players exported to North America (1994) before the ES Series (Expensive Stuff Series) in brushed silver fronts and lacquered wood trim. CDP-C stands for CD Player Carousel and appears to have started in 1992, Model trim level number in 100 series increment, and year by 10 level year increment + 5 for whatever (region maybe).
Extra! Extra! There are 1990 model years C201, C205, C301, and C305 found with 1991 model year skipped. Information is flaky for models unless it is sitting infront of you.
Didn't think I'd geek out so much on this Vid or Comment... But as an original owner of a CDP-CE535 (1993?).... I've always known about its Disc Exchange and the huge list of added features (headphone jack!). Feel sad now I never strut its FULL potential in the glory days. I've always meant to use the "Mega Control" feature with a future upgrade... Never knew if it'd work with a Sony DVD/Blu-ray Carousel Player... But I'm tempted now to "refresh" the AV Receiver Setup now. Goodwill's Supply of Sony Equipment at reasonable prices has always been tempting, more just for fun vs any need. (Couple times I've eyed a Sony Dual Tape Deck just to have it/complete my Mid-90's AV Setup... Although I suppose that means I should keep an eye out for Minidisc and LD options too... :) )
I'd guess that they decided no headphone jack was needed because most component cd players are hooked up to an amplifier, and those almost always have their own headphone jack.
I have a CDP-C500, that was manufactured in November 1989 and a higher end CDP-C705 from April 1990. Much earlier than I thought carousels existed. Obviously no ex-change capability for either unit. I just bought a Sony CDP-C10 10CD cartridge changer machine that dates to 1986! Sony didn't stick with the cartridge format for very long, and I didn't even know they had home cartridge-based machines. So it would seem that the CDP-C nomenclature doesn't exclusively refer to carousel machines.
You out-nerded the Chief Nerd!
@SteelRodent I have a Denon AV Surround sound system, and I like cartridge players better because they would hold more discs. and they were compatible automotive players. but Denon uses a tray and I believe the reason is the Denon disc changer. is not only CD player it's also a DVD player.
This video seems so odd compared to his other videos not that that's bad but because he's not using his "Charismatic Entertainer Persona" It really feels like this is his real personality which actually makes this more interesting.
I think it's the opposite. I think over time he felt more comfortable showing more of his real personality, which is being snarky and funny, and in his earlier videos he was more reserved and shy towards his audience.
This pops up every so often in my Recommended, and the thumbnail makes me laugh every time!
I acquired a Sony Tape deck at a yard sale this spring for $1, it didn't work, and I stumbled on your primary channel, and Techmoan's as well, whilst researching repair options, and generally geeking out on old stereo equipment. I wound up binge watching nearly every video on your channel, and always await new ones. The second channel is a perfect compliment to the first one. Well done. One bit of logic that I assume exists on the 235, because it's been on most changers I've used, and that I always thought was neat, was simply how it prevents you from "seeing" the empty tray of the disc that is playing. If Disc 2 was playing and you ejected the tray, the system would only allow 1 and 5 to be exposed, or 3 and 4, ensuring 2 was always fully inside the system. One model I saw previously, had a "next disc" button, and while a disc was playing it refused to expose the tray it occupied. Even if you were looking at say slots 5, and 1, and 2 is just inside, and you pressed "next disc", it would reverse and go the long way to 3 and 4 to ensure slot 2 didn't even see the light of day. It wanted no chance you could load a disc into that slot.
#1: best intro ever
#2: got a good laugh out of the "ding" sound at 05:47
#3: the Apple joke was excellent
#4: I loved this video!
I had a good laugh when you talked about the double vs quadruple button press and how you discovered that the turntable would reverse. I was an inquisitive kid too, whenever my parents would get a new “gizmo” I’d have to spend hours trying out every permutation of button presses and see what it’d do!
It’s not just you, it’s interesting to see the slight differences
I’ve only just discovered your second channel - personally I prefer this format. Whilst I appreciate all the preparatory effort you put into your regular videos, I do like the relaxed and chatty nature of this video. Thank you.
I definitely nerd out on this stuff. I've taken apart more than one machine in the past to see how it works, I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I never knew that I wanted to see the differences between two similar CD changers, but thank you for making it very clear to me that that was exactly what I wanted to see. If this video was two hours long, I'd be staring at my phone for two hours in a trance.
Yes, I am a nerd, and yes I really find these videos interesting. I am absolutely the kind of person that would notice two devices being almost the same and want to take them apart to figure out what makes them different. Also, I really like this more casual format. It's like my friend and I are nerding out over details that the general audience from the main videos wouldn't care about.
Exactly how I felt as well.
Well you stumbled your way through this. Great video tho. Love both your channels. Your sense of irony and sarcasm is as good as us Brits. Keep it up!
He did better than I would have with no script, that’s for sure
I get warm and tingly watching these videos, how can anyone not nerd out and appreciate this
As a designer I really enjoy Your devotion for details and the way You take time to look really into things / topics. In fact, the only two technology/productdesign related channels I ever recommended are Your's and techmoan.
And I like the double-track approach of scripted and non-scripted videos. Keep up the good work.
All-out nerd-out, and I love it, thank you!
But you shouldn't look near the laser when the cover is off :P Carefull with them eyes, you only have 1 spare :P
Sven Almgren I used to be terrified of our top-loading CD player with the many many warnings on stickers and in the manual "INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN AND INTERLOCKS DEFEATED. DO NOT STARE DIRECTLY INTO BEAM." Influenced my CD player purchase decisions (tray only!) for quite a long time.
@Sven I thought they could be mail ordered :)
A little off topic but Techmoan just released a video about Video 2000 and linked to your Beta vs VHS video
I want a collab of those two
@@friemo660 the puppet than cannot stop talking about traffic lights and laserdiscs
Pierre Dubois lol!
He also linked to my VCR video: ruclips.net/video/wC_CLEQnM8w/видео.html
More on-topic, my Sony CD player seems to be a mix of these. The CHC-CL5MD is slow to check CDs, but can disc swap during playback. It has a three-CD stacked changer.
When people ask me _"VHS or beta?"_ I always reply _"Video 2000!"_
I love BOTH TC channels! Superb content, engagement and I find myself stay up waaaaay past my bedtime to see how things work! Great work!
i saw apples watch 4 commercial and said "well it looks like apple stopped thinking differently and started thinking the same"
I have a yet later model, Sony CDP-CE315, that rotates the platen when closing (indeed saving some time on initial loading of disk 1) but it also has the "Disk ex-change System" that allows swapping disks while one is playing.
So Sony (naturally enough) developed their product by taking the best parts of both of those you describe, and put them on the new model.
The thing you did not notice (or don't mention, anyway) is that the one-by-one slow scan of disks gives you the added bonus that the player then knows the number of songs on each disk as soon as the platen has been rotated through all of them. This allows for direct selection of a song to play from any of the disks, or creating a playlist (or random play) from all the disks.
Also - in place of the headphone jack, this model has "AMS", a rotating knob to quickly skip to any song on the disk - a function that requires data of the contents of the disks.
I love how you just roll with it in this video.
Nerding out to these vids is the most relaxing thing! I love taking small machines and appliances apart!
that Bananaphone CD tho
He deserves a thumbs up just for that CD! I used to have Bananaphone as a ring tone on my first mp3 capable phone... :D
Appreciate the Video. As an owner of a Sony CD Player with the Disc Exchange (CDP-CE535)... Fun to see someone cover it. I never tended to use/need it at its full potential (and I have the remote) it is mostly used for Shuffling Holiday Music or on rare occasions a Multi-Disc Audiobook. (Major selling point why I got this player for, and always look for and appreciate when Discs are precoded with CD-Text so it can Display what is currently playing.)
The machines aren't necessarily ~10 models apart, but more likely they are the second and third model in the range, if my guess about organised model numbers is correct
Basically it's something like this:
CDP-C225 means that it's a *CD-P* layer with disc- *C* hanging functionality, *2* nd generation, *2* nd model (if they don't skip numbers), that stores *5* discs
CDP-C235 means that it's a *CD-P* layer with disc- *C* hanging functionality, *2* nd generation, *3* rd model (if they don't skip numbers), that stores *5* discs
EDIT:Formatting
Sony always encodes a year code into a model name for every product - Like TVs today they are currently using A B C D E F(2018) codes in their XBR models (but all TVs are now XBR for some reason - I thing it is the 'X' product naming mystic thing) Like the iPhone XI - what that doesn't exist. The second digit is the 199x model year, first digit the model series (trim/feature level) 100's (components) or 1000's (receivers) depending on device. The CD Players were Carousel models (Merry-Go-Rounds) Sony also made 50 - 200, 300, 400 disc Carousel monsters as CDP-CX models
Your videos are so gratifying to watch! Thanks for your hard work on the content!!!
I don't know why. But this dude's humor just makes perfect sense.
You crack me up, but in a good way. I've been enjoying your videos for quite a while now, and I can tell there's a lot of prep in about everything you do, so this one made me chuckle because I could see those ideas in your head trying to come through and just being a little difficult. Oh the number of times that's happened to me. I love it. Keep it all up, and thanks.
It's possible that the removal of the headphone jack was a cost-cutting measure. It would no longer have to include the jack itself, the volume control, and the amplifier. How often would someone use a 5-CD changer by itself and not as part of a multi-component system, which would have a dedicated amplifier/receiver with its own headphone jack?
That was my thinking. Add fancy new gadget, remove something else to balance the cost. If fancy new gadget is successful then add back the sacrificed thing in the next model.
That was my thinking too. And then have a different model that has the headphone jack at a higher price point. So, if you want the headphone jack, you will need to upgrade to xyz model that cost 20 (dollars, pounds, marks, etc) or so more.
The headphone jack was an energy saving feature as you did not require the receiver (or amplifier) to be powered on.
Plugging headphones into the CD player's jack often sounded better than plugging it into your receiver, depending on the quality of your receiver.
@@Hyxtryx When CD players first appeared on the market, most people wouldn't have any really good source of audio to plug into a receiver, so having a top-quality receiver wasn't very important; consequently, most receivers were designed to offer lower-quality audio at a lower price. After CD players had been on the market awhile, the sound quality of receivers was perceived as more important, and a larger fraction of the people buying CD players would have a good quality receiver to use with them.
I love how you left the outtakes in the video! I enjoyed it and nerded out the entire time.
It bothers me to see patron dislikes without a comment as to why.
How do you know they are patrons? For all we know, they are just bozos who got lost here on RUclips. :-)
also, some dislikes are fat fingered On phones, the thumbs up / thumbs down icon are too close together, making it hard to touch the correct hand
If you look at the time of the comment compared to when the video was released you should understand how he knows.
It matters little to me because I feel most people who click Thumbs Down, fat-fingered or not, are bozos. Indeed, the only time that I ever click that hateful button is when I am totally and utterly deceived by a video title, only to watch the video and find it's a totally unrelated ad for something or something nonsensical. If I am not deceived and watch a video that I think is lackluster, I just move on. Clicking Thumbs Down, in my mind, is like an act of revenge or punishment. Anyway, two thumbs up to Technical Connections! It helps fulfill my inner geek!
A thumbs up or thumbs down both give the same benefit (RUclips "engagement"?) to the channel.
I love these style of videos. It’s more of a conversation than a lecture. Great work!
12:25 I actually laughed. It was a good joke.
I just love this channel so much more because it's just...talking and disorganized in a lovely way.
A reason to remove the headphone jack from changers like that was probably that most people had receivers with headphone jacks on them anyway. I never used the headphone jacks on any of the components of the hi-fi my family had, except on the cassette deck to check it was recording alright. By using the on-device headphone jack typically you lost your ability to control volume and any remote control (I used headphones on a long coily-cord extension), and so on. I was using a JVC system that had Compu-Link so components like the CD player didn't have individual remotes - thankfully - the receiver controlled it all through mono 3.5 mm cords daisy-chained on the back side of the devices.
Unless you had a high-end deck with separate REC/PLAY heads, you were listening to the signal being recorded as opposed to the off-tape playback.
i find this kind of exploration fascinating. Your appreciation for design and attention to detail makes for a compelling analysis.
You have me thinking of my Mitsubishi ck-3530r fisheye faux-wood rolling TV circa 1989.
Still here right in front of me :-)
"so lets take them off" *HEAVY BREATHING*
Love the "unplanned" part of your videos. It lends them a unique charm. Kudos!
I still use these machines and collect them. Maybe I'm the one who's crazy! Some play dvd, sacd , and dvd audio too.
Slow day for video topics? Awesome, you point out the difference between two different models of a cd player. I'm shocked that two different models have differences. It's just weird! I guess you have pointed out that different models have different ways of doing things. Thank you so much! In the past, I've been upset that my purchase of a new model was different. Now, because of this video, I now know this is normal! Imagine my surprise! Thank you, thank you! 😊
I love the thumbnail
I grew up with the C225 as the family CD player and hearing those mechanism sounds again is quite nostalgic. I once wanted to take mine apart but my parents wouldn't let me - thank you for sharing this and satisfying my curiosity-circa-8-years-old.
VFDs get dim because of "anode poisoning", where phosphor has been ripped off the anode segments and deposited on the cathode filaments. LCDs have a similar problem, being ruined by constant biasing. A good controller will drive the filaments with AC, at least 50Hz and up to 200Hz. The display doesn't work while reverse biased, but also repels the phosphor, preventing the problem.
They seem quite resilient displays, I have seen quite old ones on VCRs or ovens that work fine being on 24/7.
I absolutely love this channel and videos like it. As a kid I would spend so much time obsessing over stuff like this.
Whoa! Nice thumbnail mate.
My family had the CDP-225 when I was 'growing up' in the 90's, and all it's complimentary components. I'd forgotten about it, and enjoyed your video. We always had music in our house too, with diverse music tastes. Fond memories of the ways these systems could be utilised as a kind of 'modern jukebox' too.
Great video. And I thought they apple joke was a good joke!
Ultimate meme God. Keep it up man Class-A work on all of your content.
Re: the headphone jack
I suspect it was removed to cut costs and because the amp would have come with one. Why place a jack on every component in the system? Remove the redundancy and lower COGS. Your system (some combination of turntable, CD player, tape deck, amp) would have a headphone jack (on the amp) and you'd be good to go.
I'm pretty sure, you are right. Always wondered why they put headphone jacks (and amps for it) on CD players. What is the chance, that somebody will buy a CD player as an standalone component only to use it with headphones? )
@@dopeless That is the only logical reason I could see for one, or to save power as you wouldn't need to turn it on for headphones. Either that or you could be playing a different component out the amp while someone else listens to a CD.
Yeah, and the amp probably has volume control, an equalizer, and switches between multiple devices (meaning if you’re using headphones you’ll probably have them already plugged into the amp and not want to go swapping headphones jacks). So I too would bet it was considered redundant.
I luv what you do. And I loved your joke about the head phone jack. Keep up the great videos
disk tray asmr~
Man this guy's expose on how all the tech I love works is a labour of love. This dude does not look rested lol
Thank you for the video!
Can I help you find another coat? You're about my size I think I have lots and lots of quality classic menswear to spare.
Who knew a CD exchanger could be so damn interesting?! Loved this video, and the enthusiasm you show. It really makes me wonder how many other undiscovered wonders there are in the thousands of other electronic products of days past.
I'd love to see if the circuitry for the headphone jack is still intact on the newer machine.
Yeah, that would be awesome to see
I don't think there's really a circuit other than an amplifier, the headphone output is basically the main output with a different connector.
If PCBs are identical, I guess you could repopulate the board and add the headphone output to the CD235. You may add the volume knob too. Well of course you need to drill the front panel but the previous output location is blank so no need to squeeze it elsewhere. IMHO an easy hack.
A separately buffered copy of the main out, with a volume knob somewhere. A dozen components to add. :-)
Probably left out because this was around the time when people had tape decks, tuners, and possibly still a turntable - which means they probably also have a receiver. So who needs a headphone out on the player?
Many of my separates had headphone jacks, and I often wondered ... why? My tape deck even had a headphone out with no volume control. It was too loud to listen to, which I only know because I got curious enough to try once.
For my childhood usage it allowed my father and me to individually listen music without turning on the power-hungry amp. We're now even more headphone person with our computers.
My own big interrogations are why there is no direct I²S output on digital audio devices but things like spdif that requires a conversion circuit, same with VGA that still are more present than DVI on LCD monitors and small computers' outputs, also why the symmetrical XLR connection never replaced coaxial output on analog audio devices. I guess there is a lot of technological inertia and formats wars. :)
Am I a nerd? Probably, since I am watching (and enjoying ) this video. Will never get tired of watching them. Keep up the good job!
The headphone jack was probably dropped just because it costs a little and is rather unnecessary. You have the player connected to an amp anyway, and it has a headphone jack. So, leaving it out means you can be a bit cheaper, and people buy the cheaper one.
Does anyone know if any other components had their own headphone jack? I have a similar system with a tuner too and there is no headphone on that.
It still amazes me all the things about older technology especially before I was born. Love watching your videos
Please. Do yourself a favor. Watch this video at 0.5x speed
😂😂😂😂 goddamn it, it's actually funny for a bit. Makes it seem like he's drunkenly talking about two nearly identical CD exchangers.
Lmao
1.5x is like he's on coke!
I'm not high enough to subject myself to such silliness
This adds an entirely new dimension.
Your videos are way above my head sometimes. But your passion for the subjects you cover is infectious, and make them fun to watch. Plus, I learn stuff.
13:19 - "I have to expose the disc. Ew, that sounds nasty." Instant RUclips demonetization. lol
I've been watching many of your tutorials and YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF AND YOUR COMEDIC about the whole thing thanks for the entertainment and knowledge
what happens if you load the later one up with 5 cds while one was already playing?
Y u do dat
David Sky Walker to see what happens, duh
@@jasonmurawski5877 truuuuuue
It won't reveal the tray for the playing CD. When the tray is pulled back in while playing, that little jog is so that it can do the disk check in the trays it was allowed to reveal.
pouncytaur what happens if you have the top cover off, open the tray while disc 1 is playing, and put a disc in that tray - will the separate IR sensor catch it?
I've watched all your videos and this one is my favorite for some reason. I love seeing variations between identical products and trying to understand the thought process or reasoning behind changes. If you come across more weird stuff like this definitely do another video of this style on it!
You should never expose your disc on youtube.
But that's why it definitely isn't my first time coming to (oops I meant across) this channel.
Great stuff. I love how were both into the same type of stuff.
Keep up the great work!
bananaphoooone
I just came back to this video again to say how much I love the thumbnail
5:56
I have a CDP-CE215 which I got a couple years ago at...a Good Will store. It has the disc exchange and no headphone jack. On another subject, I started my career as a technician working on consumer electronics in the mid-80s when CD players were a pretty new thing. I enjoyed the work but soon figured out I had picked a very challenging job that payed rather poorly. I did that for a few years. I developed some mad skills and moved to a different line of work that made those skills pay much better. I still like this stuff. I have vintage stereo equipment stacked in my storage closet to play with when I can retire. Enjoy your videos by the way. We should hang out some time.
I always watch every video as soon as humanly possible, love the deep explanations and the knowledge that is being shared.
I love little unseen revisions and stuff like this. Keep on keepin on!
i like the dry, "i just woke up", maybe even a bit hungover kinda feel to this video. its nice and calm and i think it makes me relaxed
Once again, a video on something I never gave a second thought to, but ended up being extremely interesting none the less. Nice!!
I absolutely love these types of videos. Keep it coming!
So much button-pushy goodness. Awesome video showing so much detail.
Love the comparison method as you can see how the engineers refined things between models
they removed the headphone jack because they had the courage to do so
A possible future connextra: Why the different size headphone jacks?
I found this fascinating in any case, but *especially* so because I have a Sony CDP-265 unit, which is my most recent CD player (around 1997 or so). It seems to combine the best features of both the featured players. The carousel rotates on eject and load, like the 225; however it has the disc exchange feature of the 235, plus the return of the headphone jack. It checks for CDs quite quickly and the display is very similar to the 265, showing either NO DISC, or the disc slots where a CD is present, soon after loading. I haven't fired it up in around ten years, as I now rip all my CDs to iTunes for playback in the car through my iPhone and CarPlay, or the Apple TV in the living room. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, when Sony gear was excellent and the core of my video and hifi.
I'd love to see a video on how a cartridge or magazine CD changer works. Great video as always! Love your stuff!
This video really underscores how much time, effort, and frustration goes into producing your primary channel videos. Thanks for driving yourself crazy for our sakes.
1. The thumbnail is priceless. 2. The intro. Keep these videos coming!
15:17 - YES DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY YES TOTALLY YES!!!
You've done a great service here. The hours, and hours and hours, and hours, over the span of my childhood that were spent pressing buttons over and over trying to see mechanics in action (often with a flashlight or magnifying glass).... Or happening upon the duplicate of something I owned, seeing something was slightly "off", then poring over both to find what was different, and wondering why.... And other various observations about the mechanics and features of objects we take for granted.... All of that, the "wasted time" feels justified now that I've spent 20ish minutes watching a professional RUclipsr do *exactly the same thing* that I used to do for fun.
(In my collection of laptop computers there are 2 pairs that appear similar/identical on the outside, with variations inside the case. This was purely coincidence, the first pair obtained within months of each other from 2 different people, them a few years later the second pair in the same month from another 2 different people. From the 4 individuals who were either upgrading or simply discarding a broken computer, I turned each pair into a fully functional laptop that became my 'daily driver' for several years, respectively. So yes, there's certainly value to be had in owning similar models like these: thanks to my curiosity - costing only some focused time to research, tear down, rebuild, and tweak - I went over 7 years without buying a new computer but owning one that performed better than what I actually needed.
Fantastic deep review, never saw anywere else. Sony engineers have to thank you for revealing deep design subtilities. These black boxes contains so much love from them, thanks.
This is THE most mesmerizing and entertaining video about CD players I've ever watched.
Some may think this was a pointless vid... its not. Its quite significant in fact. This was a giant leap in keeping the party going whilst actually still being able to take part in.. well, the party.
Always enjoy your presentations even if the subject matter is way over my head. Thanks
I’m sure that as long as you keep making video’s, I’ll watch them for the rest of my life.
These channel 2 videos are fun as it reminds me of how a conversation would go if folks were talking shop theory over a pint.
I love hardware revision comparison, great video! Probably just a mix of cost/feature, and sony's love of making a billion revisions of any given product range.
Bought mine in January of '94. Really liked the disc change functionality, while playing another disc. Very reliable machine for about 20yrs. Eventually got to where it couldn't figure out where the tray was in rotation and couldn't load a disc, or wouldn't open the tray. Ended up junking it. Mine didn't have a remote. Was available for them, if I bought the next more expensive machine. But, didn't really need that, and got the cheaper one.
my grandparents had the older Sony one... I remember playing with it back in the day.. They had a bunch of stuff, and speakers, and I would mess around with them