For a CD Recorder, I love the Tascam CDRW-900. Best feature is definitely the front-panel PS/2 
keyboard jack, and the keyboard can be used for almost all remote/menu functions plus super-easy 
writing of CD Text before closing a disc. As with all CD recorders, it takes some fiddling to figure 
out where to set the song-cut sense level and it's not perfect with LPs due to ticks and pops in the 
dead grooves. I just do the recording real-time and set the song cuts myself as they come along. I 
have not come across a CDR or CDRW type that this machine won't record. As a CD player, it's just 
fine. Not the greatest D-A I've ever heard but as good or better than most reasonably-priced 
players. The best sounding CD player I ever had was a MicroMega (French) unit that one of my 
audiophile friends gave me when the tray-eject quit working. Turns out it was a $10 belt but the 
bigger problem was the Philips drive had that lube that turns to clay. Eventually, the drive died 
but I still managed to get $200 ebay for it. It had a fantastic D-A circuit with a great line amp. 
Interestingly, aside from the CardDeluxe card in my DAW, the next best CD player sound-wise is that 
little $150 or $200 Toshiba DVD/CD/SACD player I have.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard L. Hess" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Multi format DVD/CD/SACD, etc Player


> At 01:32 PM 2006-12-23, Don Chichester <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>While on this subject, I have been trying (vainly) to replace my one drawer
>>CD component player.  Mine seems no longer to read CD-Rs.  But can I  find
>>one?  Tried Circuit City, Best Buy, and (cough) Radio Shack.   Plent of
>>boom-boxes, but no CD players.  Is this a trend???
>>
>
> Yes...I noticed it several years ago before leaving the U.S. in mid-2004. It is the same here in 
> Canada from the limited looking that I've done.
>
> What's worse, is that Sony discontinued the CDR-W33 CD writer which was one of the joys of simple 
> digital conversions.
>
> My kids use cheap DVD players as CD players but they lack the displays and really need a TV which 
> is not going to happen in the kids' rooms for a while.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
>
> Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
> Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
> Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.