Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    BTW,  it uses the new Philips/Signetics chipset with dual 16-bit
    quad-oversampling DACs.  A plus over the competition.
    
    However, it does not use the digital filter/interpolator/error
    corrector chip that the larger machines will have.  No room.  So,
    ultimate sound quality will suffer, but still should be better than
    the single DAC Sony and Technics portables.
    

    I bought the CD9510 at Service Merchandise last night.   In exchange
for $169.95, what I got is a rugged, elegant looking CD player , an AC
adapter which directly attaches to the back of the unit, and stereo patch
cables.  The unit can take the AC adapter or an external 9V DC power source.
The control panel is made of black anodized aluminum.  All the controls
operate with positiveness and precision of a Nakamichi component, and the
layout is logical.  
    I synchronized a Technics SLP-7 (with random skip/repeat, silence
features - No, it did not have these features when I bought it 2 years ago)
and the CD9510 playing Telarc's recording of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in
D minor (the one we associate with Vincent Price).  My first impression
of the Magnavox during a direct the A/B comparison is that its sound stage
seems to reside in the head rather than in between the speakers.  It was
almost like listing through a pair of headphones.  Subsequent extended
listening seemed to confirm this first impression but only when a program
material rich in natural reverberation was played.  Overall, the Magnavox
seemed to reproduce less strident highs, but I was amazed how little 
difference I could hear between the players.
    When I listened to Handel's Messiah, by Ton Koopman conducting The
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, through a pair of Stax SRX-III "ear speakers",
I noticed, between tracks, very slight high pitched hiss which I did not
hear from the Technics.  The Magnavox seemed to have a tad more noise
both intrinsic and extrinsic (the compressor of a fridge kicking in, etc.)
than the Technics.
    I am quite happy with the Magnavox CD9510 with its looks of a finely
crafted audio component and great imaging.   The drawbacks are the heavy
weight and the lack of an integral battery pack which conspire to limit
its mobility.

Masamichi

    I bought one also, comments in 366.6 under *Players On Sale*.
    
    There is a review of the CD9510 in the July issue of Digital Audio
    and Compact Disk Review, along with other portables -- it was one
    of two getting 3.5 stars (highest current portable ratings) --
    they liked the sound and stability.
    
    As I mentioned there, mine fails to read the time and track information
    sometimes (1 out of 4 or 5 times) -- does this sound like a defect
    or a "learn to like it"?
    
    Dave Quimby

    I've had my 9510 for some time now, and am quite pleased with it.
    I've taken the skins off of it and it seems to be reasonably well
    built, as well.  I have only one major problem with it (still)
    
         WHERE CAN YOU GET AN EXTERNAL POWER PLUG FOR IT?????????
    

    I'm beginning to feel somewhat less effusive in my praise of the
    9510.
    
    Replaced the first one (which had trouble getting the table of contents
    on starting a disc).
    
    Second one starts up, within 2 seconds, everytime.  No problem.
    
    This one, however, lets motor noise into the audio signal, kind
    of a fluttering/humming sound.  Very distinctly audible at beginnings
    and ends of cuts (until muting logic cuts in when nothing is being
    played), and in quiet passages, when listening at moderately high
    volumes either through speakers or headphones and an external
    amplifier.  [The internal amplifiers do not drive my AKG 240's loud
    enough to hear it, or to be particulatly satisfying.]
    
    Don't know whether this is a problem for this unit only, or for
    all 9510's, or in fact whether most/all players have it.
    
    Personally, I'm rethinking need for a portable and may replace it
    with a 2041 instead.
    
    Dave Quimby
    
    

    Re/ .4:
    
    Has anyone figured out where/how to get an external 9V power source
    for this sucker?  I'm interested in getting one, but only if I can
    run it off a car battery (via a cigarette lighter adapter).
    
    I briefly owned a Technics portable, but returned it for lack of
    a car power adapter.  If either the Magnavox or the Sony players
    can be powered from a car cigarette lighter, I'll get one.
    
    Thanks.
    -pd

    I easily powered my Sony D-5 from my car's cigarette lighter
    using a Radio Shack adaptor that cost all of about $8.  Worked
    fine, though the plug tended to fall out of the lighter more often
    than I would have liked.
    					Steve

    Well, I just called North American Philips and was told there is
    no adapter for powering a Magnavox portable from a car cigarette
    lighter.
    
    I guess Sony wins it.

    9V is 9V. Most of the "universal" adapters like the Radio Shack one
    (I have one from Recoton) have a set of connectors to mate with
    most players. You just use the connector that fits the player
    you have. 

    But isn't a car battery 12V?  I'd want to be sure of electrical
    compatibility before I just plug in anything that fits.
    
    Does anyone actually know if you can run the Magnavox off a car
    battery?

   RE:10
    I assume that these adaptors lower the voltage from 12 to 9v.  I'd
    be interested in how they do it.  The only thing I can think of is
    putting a few diodes in series, each of which would drop the voltage
    about .6v., but that seems a bit of a kludge....
      -Steve

    The ready-made adapters will drop the extra 3 volts (more or
    less) -- but there was a recurring theme earlier in this
    conference about the fact that the external power socket on
    the 9510 is unusually small, and that maatching plugs are
    near impossible to find.
    
    
    dq
    

    re:  .11
    
    Don't they still make zener diodes?
    
    You would use a resistor and 9 volt zener diode as a voltage divider
    delivering 9 volts over a range of currents (basically, the zener
    sucks up enough current to drop the unnecessary voltage across the
    resistor).
                                                                  
    Of course, if it's a REALLY cheap adapter, they might use just one
    or two resistors.  
    
    dq

    The adapters do use diodes, or perhaps tapped resistors, to
    drop the voltage.  As long as the power consumed is small, the
    wasted power is inconsequential.
    
    RS does sell an AC adapter with six different size plugs, but the
    one I bought for car use just has one standard plug.  Perhaps
    they (or others) offer adapters with other plugs.
    				Steve

    I'm sure that voltage can be lowered electrically.  My question
    is "Does the Magnavox accept a standard, readily-available plug
    from a cigarette lighter adapter?"  All other speculation is
    interesting, but so far, I wouldn't buy the Magnavox on the
    strength of these arguments.
    
    Does anyone know for sure?

    An adapter for running anything from the cigerette lighter of a
    car can, if a universal one cannot be found which is doughtful,
    with a couple of components that can be picked up from your local
    radio shaft. 
    
    The first thing you will need is a package to put it in. RS has
    a little experimenters box about the size of a pager with a proto
    board that fits inside for about $2.49. Now a device to convert
    the voltage is required. Again, RS carries a varity of voltage
    regulators that you can use. If they don not have a 9V regulator
    in stock the RS down the street will or you can get fancy and use
    an adjustable regulator. If your saying to yourself that you do
    not know how to design with a voltage regulator; never fear because
    they come with a schematic on the package. A couple capacitors might
    be needed to filter any noise out of the source. Now you need a 
    connector for the cigerette lighter and the CD player, RS has them. 
    
    I have been wanting to use my D5 in my car but I do not have an
    adapter. So this week I am going to sit down and design an adapter
    for the car to power a CD player from the cigerette lighter. If
    anyone is interested in trying to build one themselves I will reply
    to this note later in the week with the specifics of the power supply.
    
    I know what the D5 needs for power since I have one. If someone
    could send me the power requirements for the other portables I will
    try to accomendate them as well. The info I need is:
    	
    	Voltage(s) and currents
    	connector types
    
    Send mail to   DSGN01::GOODWIN 
    
    paul

    I recently received a little catalog from Technics which gives basic
    information about their audio products.  (I circled their number on
    a bingo card.)  On the same page that they show the XP8 and XP5,
    they show an optional car battery adapter (SH-CDC7).  I don't know
    where to find one though.
    
    The catalog does not show an XP7, but I suspect that that is because
    the XP7 is a 1986 model, and the catalog shows 1987 models.

Re:
< Note 308.16 by APOLLO::GOODWIN "Send lawyers, guns, and money... " >

> A couple capacitors might be needed to filter any noise out of
> the source.

At least one decoupling capacitor each on the input and output of the
regulator will be necessary to guarantee the stability of the regulator.

Bob

    The power socket appears to be a 2.5 or 3mm coaxial. I've been looking
    for a matching plug for quite some time now, with no success. If
    anybody manages to find one, I'd like to know about it...
    
    BTW, the 12V -> 9V conversion is cake.  That's why God gave us
    three-terminal regulators! (total parts count = 7: two resistors,
    three capacitors, the regulator, and a box). Film at 11.
    
    
    ...tek

    

3 mm coaxial power plugs are easy to find.  Rat Shack has 'em.
The shack now (after waiting for 2 years) has 1.5 mm connectors
that Sony uses for everything.  Both come two to a package for
about a buck and a half.  I suspect that the 1.5 mm ones are
what you're looking for.

R.

    re .20: Huh?
    
      last time I looked, the smallest coaxial plugs they had were 3.5mm...
    Coaxial power plugs are the ones with the hole in the middle, not
    the ones that look like earphone plugs... Are these what you mean?
    
    ...tek

re: .21

YES, the ones with the hole in the middle (1.5 mm and 3 mm ilks)
exist at RS.

R.

    Hi,
    	We just got an adaptor for our Sony portable that fits into
    the cassette unit of the car.  It seems to work fine.  Not sure
    how it operates.
    						Hazel
    

    Re/ .23:
    
    There are two separate issues here:
    
     -	How to get the sound through the car stereo
    
     -	How to power the player from the car battery
    
    The adaptor you described solves the first problem.  
    
    As to the second problem, it seems I have two choices:
    
     1)	Get a SONY, or
    
     2)	Get a Magnavox, buy a bunch of parts at Radio Shack, solder
    	them all together, and probably destroy both the player and
    	my car's electrical system at the same time.
    
    I think I'll take option 1.

    I have an adapter widget that I built to power/get signal from my
    D5 (which I no longer have).  I can supply build-it info.  (And
    it really, really works!!).
    
    CAVEAT:
    
    If you build your own adapter, the signal ground CANNOT be grounded
    to the power supply ground or car body, or nasty things happen!!
    
    				Vernon
    

    Oh, yes.  I found out this vacation that Radio Shaft stores in
    different parts of the country carry different things (believe it
    or not).  The ones in the Midwest (at least in Indianapolis) don't
    carry DIN speaker plugs, for instance, but the RS in Milford, NH
    has zillions of 'em.  So, if you guys are seeing different coaxial
    plugs in your respective RS stores, maybe it's true!!  :-)
    
    			Vernon
    

                Remember that Radio Shack has two classes of stores. The
        ones most commonly seen around here (or any metropolitan area)
        are company owned stores and carry the entire line and ONLY the
        Radio Shack line. The others (mainly in suburban to rural areas)
        are Associate Stores which are localy owned and can carry what
        they want of the line as well as other manufactures lines (a
        dead give away that it is an Associate Store!). Note that you
        can find either type anywhere, it just tends to break down this
        way.
                
                /s/     Bob

    Associate stores have a different sign also.  I think it has a white
    stripe in it(?).  At least more white.
    
    Burns
    

    But the real solution is to get the RS part number.  Parts are
    generally hung in numerical order, and even if they are not, event
    the most witless salesperson can find it and/or order it.
    
    Burns
    

    Eureka!  I finally located the right AC/DC adaptor plug for the 9510.
    It is a part of an 11-piece assortment that fits Radio Shack AC-to-DC
    and DC-to-DC universal adaptors.  It is a 3.0/1.0 mm coax plug.
    R.S. Cat. No. 274-1501.  Price $6.95.
    
    Masamichi

    Re/ .30:
    
    Is this a car battery adaptor?

    I think he's not referring to an adapter at all, but to a set of
    "universal" coax plugs that RS sells to fit on their adapters. 
    The hard part isn't getting the voltage; it's finding the right
    plug to fit the power socket on the player!!
    
    				Vernon
    

    Re:.32

    Yes, I was referring to the assortment of adaptor plugs, not the adaptor
    itself.   My Radio Shack Universal AC-to-DC Adaptor, which is rated
    at 300mA, (273-1650) had insufficient current capacity to power
    the 9510.   The original equipment AC-DC adaptor is rated at 500mA.
    I am planning to solder the 3.0mm/1.0mm coax plug on a high power
    cigarette lighter adaptor with 1.0A capacity for in-car use.

    Masamichi

    I'm sorry, but I'm not exactly an electronics whiz.  If I understand
    correctly, Radio Shack sells two parts which, together, will allow the
    the Magnavox player (model 9510, the one Sears has for $199?) to be
    powered off a car battery.  One part is the car cigarette lighter
    adaptor, and the other is an adaptor for that, which makes the plug fit
    the player. 
    
    Is that correct?  I don't know from AC-to-DC or DC-to-DC, or milliamps
    or any of that stuff.  I just want to make it work with a couple of
    off-the-shelf parts. 

    Re: .34
    
    THE EASY WAY:
    
    If you can find a 12V car adaptor that puts out 9V at 500 mA, then
    buy that.  In addition, you'll need an adapter plug, which plugs
    into the CD player, and then the car adaptor plugs into it (so that
    the same car adaptor can be used with all different makes and models
    of stuff).  From the notes above, it looks like RS sells both of
    those things.
    
    THE HARD WAY:
    
    If you can't find a suitable car adaptor, you can make your own
    by using an LM340T adjustable voltage regulator (also available
    at RS for a couple of bucks).  The directions on wiring it are on
    the back of the package; with a soldering iron, a drill, and a few
    parts, and a little time, you can build a nifty-tronic power supply
    for yourself.
    
    Good luck in either case!!
    
    					Vernon
    

    Re:.34,.35

    Last night I modified a car DC adaptor with the elusive 3.0mm/1.0mm
    coaxial power plug so that I can listen to the CD9510 in my car.
    These are the steps I took:

    1. Bought a Radio Shack replacement modular power plug set, Cat.
       No. 274-1501, $6.95.

    2. Bought a Radio Shack Car/Boat DC adaptor with the required voltage/
       current capacity 9V/500mA, Cat. No. 14-844D, $6.95.
       (Unfortunately, there are no replaceable-plug DC adaptors with this
       voltage/current rating.)
    
    3. Cut off the original power plug on the DC adaptor and solder
       the 3.0mm/1.0mm coax plug from the modular power plug set (colour
       red) in its place.


                       ~~~~~      ++++++++++++++++++ BLACK WIRE
                +------+   +      V solder here
                |          +=============+
        ++------+  +---+   | upper strip |
        ||      |  |TIP \   ]            |
        ++------+  +-----+ | lower strip |
                |          +=============+
                +------+   +      ^ solder here
                       ~~~~~      +----------------- WHITE WIRE


                 Fig. 3-1: 3.0mm/1.0mm Coaxial Plug

    4. Cover the soldered joint with a length of heat-shrinkable tube.


    Since Step 3 will void the warranty on the DC adaptor, make sure
    that the DC adaptor is in good working order before you proceed!
    One word of caution: Since the adaptor's primary and secondary sides
    are not isolated, keep the power plug and the CD player away from
    any exposed metal in the car.   Naturally, I will not connect
    the CD player to the car stereo directly with a patch cord until
    I make certain the player's signal ground is at the same voltage
    potential as the car stereo's.

    Masamichi

    P.S.  Be sure to use genuine, quality Radio Shack parts 8^)

    I did something similar to what's described in .36, and it works
    like a champ! (So far!)  I got two different adapters from Radio
    Shack: one that has interchangeable plugs, and one that has a switch
    setting to output 9V at 900 mA.  Then I just cut the wires and soldered
    'em together.  I also had to get the extra plug kit which includes
    the 3mm/1mm plug I needed to fit the first adapter.
    
    This cost more than the solution in .36 ($12.95 for one adapter,
    $9.95 for the other, $6.95 for the plug set), but it had a couple of
    advantages from my perspective:
    
     -	it let me solder wire to wire, instead of wire to metal contact
    	strip, and
    
     -	I now have a 9V, 900 mA adapter with interchangeable plugs.
    
    Actually, the Radio Shack 9V, 900 mA adapter supports interchangeable
    plugs, but only the four that come with it, which, of course, don't
    fit the Magnavox player.  Just goes to show what happens when you
    have an OEM who doesn't care about product compatability.