Ahhh! Back when Hifi equipment looked like HiFi equipment... I was about to say that it's a pity that CD players didn't have level meters and you just mentioned that the display mode switches to the level meter.... I almost fell over! Now I have to have one of these things!!! It's also fantastic that Technics placed the laser focus control over on the main PCB unlike most newer CD players where they put it next to the laser where it's really hard to get at! Most people think that the laser is burned out when all that you need to do is adjust the focus control... I believe that over time as components drift in value, the laser goes out of focus and won't read the discs, by simply adjusting the focus control with a screwdriver, you will fix it in 5 minutes.. Technics placed the focus control in the best place possible to keep it running for years to come!..

Awesome, i just now googled what i pulled out of the trash a few weeks ago. Unbelievable what people throw away. just connected it and it works perfectly. amazed at how well it is build and how many features it has. nothing i have ever seen on a single deck CD Player.

Back in the day audio equipment was made better and made to last.

@Popart-xh2fd

6 жыл бұрын

Nowadays you simple don't need them anymore!

@jeremytravis360

5 жыл бұрын

I was going to say not always. Some brands were and others became downgraded. I dropped my Sansui account when they started making the cases out of plastic and the back panels out of fibreboard ~ basically a compressed cardboard. Technics was a premium brand and was built to last.

@lucalone

4 жыл бұрын

my Sony Amplifier from 1992 is Made in Japan and works till this day!

A very nice video, once again. Got one of these *for free* when my job (broadcasting company) cleaned out a lot of old gear a couple of years ago. Sounds so good that it replaced my now 27 years old Sony CDP-X33ES player!

A few days ago I purchased the Technics SL-P720, it works and sounds very well, despite the fact that the model is from 1987. And the design is cool.

169€ actually is a pretty good price, usually they go for more. It's crazy, I know. But as I explained in the video, I had to have this CD player. It sounds excellent, too.

Nice informative video. I have seen this unit on ebay and had thought about buying one for quite some time. I really want to get one after watching your review and demonstration. I really like the way the laser mech. is designed. Thanks for sharing.

would love to find one of these! thanks for the tour!

Glad to see you are back on track Mr. DrCassette. You are a Big Big fan from Ontario and we wish you well. Hope someday you will post new videos of rejuvenating old school cassette players.

Great player,! i have SL-P 550 sounds superb !

Very nice video. The laser head moving mechanism is called a linear motor. I have a SL-P999 which uses the same system. It is very fast and silent - amazing technology. Thanks

I had this back in 1987. I bought it at Circuit City. My first CD player

So I eventually received my Technics SL-P770, at first it worked well but eventually started to skip tracks and then it wouldn't play at all. I cleaned the two guides and put clock oil on them and I also cleaned the wiper(recommended if you didn't), this made all the difference and it now plays flawlessly, very fast seek and sounds very very good indeed, in fact better than any other cd player I've ever owned. Next I had to strip the back panel off and re-solder the rca jack connections as they had cracked, now it is working 100%, while working in it I did notice a few differences, where you're machine has the small board with the two output adjustments my one does not and also the transformer board has three fuses instead of one on you're 770. I'm very happy with this CD player and your video both made me decide I wanted one of these machines and helped me understand what it was like to work on before opening it, thanks.

Thanks, Dr.Cassette! I had the same problem at Technics SL PG 560A with skipping while playing and I cleaned and oiled the metal bar and the plastic rail of the pickup mechanism. It's playing like pristine new now!

Excellent video! I have the Technics SL-P550 it sounds better than any other cd player I have ever used. Technics built some of the best cd machines, way better than what's available now. I also very much like your spoken commentary.

@DrCassette

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you :)

Well described, really enjoy your video, been looking for one for a while and now just waiting to be delivered, bought it a bit expensive than you but hopefully it worth, it was the missing piece of my technics line

An very informative review of the mighty Technics SL 770 cd

I have an SL-P370 & SL-PS900 which I purchased around 1990-1991 & they still work perfectly to this day. This was when they were still being designed & manufactured in Japan.

This is really amazing buddy..

Great video, really good detail. I remember watching this in 2014 before I bought my first one. Modern CD players are just no fun, and when you open the lid they are half empty! From my experience most of them need the rails cleaning and oiling. In 89' Technics ditched the SOAD60A mechanism for the improved SOAD70A found on slp555/777/999 ect, it never sticks or needs oiling. The newer machines don't have the build quality of the SLP990 or 1000 For the 770/990 I don't think you need a servo generator to adjust the analogue servo, I've done a few with test discs, its the 777/999 you need special equipment, as you cannot get to the pots whilst a disc is inserted

Awesome video and good score! Funny thing: I have the same in silver but with a black remote, the latter also having that plastic foil coming off! The transformer has two separate windings for digital/analog circuitry; kinda neat. About the regulator near the DAC chips: its heatsink is ok since the DACs barely need any current. I noticed that your laser sled is missing a plastic protection foil over the left metal bar (no worries about that). The mechanism needs a bit of oil every half year.

Very interesting CD Player. Thanks for showing.

Cool.A very nice CD player.When I saw it was already on the shelf I didn't think I would see the inside.Thank you. The only real "problem" with CD players,cheap or expensive,is the laser.This is why I sold mine and start saving to get an external DAC.

This one and the 990 are both great CD players. They share this special dial what comes from the older Technics players (also used on : 520, 720 , 1200, 1300 and SL-P50P) Personally I prefer the older types and i have a 720 (my first CD player) and two 1200. Good old times... I'm the first owner of the 720 and still have the original RC and manual with it. What can i say? 3 times cleaned in the last 30 years and still works as it should be. Superfast and read the burned CDs without problem. It was a great investment....

Nothing like the quality of early technics,very nice sound and quality,nice to look at.

My laserdisc player has the jog/shuttle control which also works when playing CDs, but I still prefer the regular search buttons.

All Double CD players for the Disco equipment has the Search Dial (Jog Wheel) and the Features that are around It to.

I scored one of these and use it as a transport for an outboard dac. Can you believe someone sold it to me near mint for 20 dollars.

My first Technics CD player was the SL-P477A which also had a similar search dial on it.

excellent review

Is it really so terribly hard to understand that I am not here for other people to tell me what (in their opinion) I'm doing wrong?!

That's a really nice CD deck. It's a lot nicer than any CD player I have ever had. It must have been really expensive when it was new. Good Score!

I am not going to join all this cable madness. I made sure to use good quality cables that are as short as possible. I am not willing to spend ridiculous amounts of money for some pieces of wire. If I can get better cables for a decent price, I will. But so far I haven't seen any :)

Nice CD player! I have a Technics SL-P520 from 1987 that works just like new, but i never use it because i don't like CD's/Digital music. It's laying there together with my other Technics audio gear from the late 80's just for the look.

Very nice CD deck (CD player). Очень красивая CD дека (CD плейер).

Nice. I too have the follow-up model SL-P777 which I've owned from new. I keep looking or a nicely-priced and good condition SL-P999, but it seems they have attracted themselves a bit of an eBay cult following and usually go for more than I am prepared to pay for a 23 year old player with an unknown history.

Remember I live in Germany. The prices for this kind of stuff are a bit higher over here.

Inside shots exist thanks to the magic of non-linear video editing. I didn't take this thing apart again just for the video :) Of course this player won't last forever due to the laser going bad, but I am going to enjoy it for as long as I can. I don't understand what you are saying about an external DAC. You will still need a CD drive to go along with it and that will contain a laser as well ...

just picked up a mint one today complete with manual and remote for£35 and liking what I am hearing, always liked Burr-Brown dacs.

@DrCassette

5 жыл бұрын

That's a very good price for one of these.

Sweet, never seen a cd-player like that before. Technics made good hifi equipment. I've always liked Technics. Must have been expensive when it was new. I have the SA-TX50 receiver from 1997. But sadly, the remote for it is missing.

I have two SL-P770. They work just great, but one needs to have the sled adjusted. For me they are just the most perfect CD-players with all the functions I need.

(part 3) Also above were the earlier SL-P1000 and SL-P1200. The direct successor was the SL-P777 (only minor differences). It would be funny if we could exchange our remotes. It won't happen though for mine still smells a bit as it came from a smoking household. Anyway, sorry for the many comments. Enjoy the newcomer! It's worth it.

very interesting,nice unit.

The SL-P777 is the follow-up model of the SL-P770. The 770 came out in 1988, the 777 came out in 1990 I believe.

Looks like a great unit. Of course now the problem will be to get the matching power amplifier :D

All right, that's good to know. I put oil on there several times, so there should be enough for quite a while.

Nice CD player!

I use a Yamaha Natural Sound 5 disc DVD player as my main CD player even now. Sounds great.

@DrCassette

3 жыл бұрын

DVD players are fine as CD players - if you can properly operate them without having to connect them to a TV. A while back I saw a Yamaha BluRay player that had a button on the front for a "CD Mode". I assume that would be some sort of audio-only mode.

I bought a sl-p333 from a gumtree seller and it had the same problem. I resolved it by adjusting those tracking dials. I didn't use any special equipment just used trial and error and got lucky. I didn't notice the sled being dirty but if it happens again I'll take a look. My understanding is that you need you use the right oil since general oil can dry up and become very sticky and hard to remove.

@DrCassette

6 жыл бұрын

Indeed you need to make sure to use a high quality oil.

To get the best sound from cd's you need the right components.I have the Technics SE-A5MK2 power amplifier and Technics SB-M3 Honeycomb Disc speakers(designed for cd monitoring)...sounds fantastic.

@DrCassette

6 жыл бұрын

I used this CD Player in combination with Sansui B-2101 und C-2101 pre- and main amplifiers and transmissionline speakers that I built.

That was a top loading model and kind of off by itself in the Technics lineup.

that can be used for professional use particulary in radio stations.

Awesome! Sad that all has gone downhill in the last 15 years and they build stuff like that no more nowadays. :-(

hi. I have this cd player. Except cd jumps randomly! Strangely, I also have the same tape deck as you.. which allows tape editing reverse play features...If I'm correct! any ideas on jumping issue? thanks

My latest find at a local thrift store early this year was a Pioneer laser disk player DVL-919 which was produced up to mid 2000 and mine is a {sept 2002}..It can play DVD with up to a 780p..Plays double side of laser disk and my Onkyo DX-V801 can do that also which is nice..The DVL-919 came with the manual and remote..Only cost me $20.00 and the Onky0 $15.00 The DVL-919 has optical out and S-video and composite for the DVD player..

i've got the technics sl-p555 which is a very similar model, except the control dial as the main difference. and the thing i miss from the higher end model is stereo peak view. this model has only a combined peak level display (and i like to watch the peak while playing a cd, i use a technics rs-b665 tape deck with its huge display). the slp555 is working great for the age, except the analog output is not as good as new hifi players like cambridge audio, so i use it as transport.

excellent cd player i use to have one just like this one

Just checked out this video again because I love this CD player and I noticed at 9:49 that you have that extra circuit-board at the middle right for the output volume (below the two PCM56P DAC chips). My unit does not have this, and it may therefore well be that your version features a remotely controllable output volume! There are some Technics CD player remote controls that feature buttons for the output volume. If you are lucky enough to find one of these, try it out with this unit! It may work!

@DrCassette

10 жыл бұрын

Maybe. The remote that came with the unit does not have volume controls, so as you've said, I'll have to find another one.

I guess what he meant is the laser diode loosing intensity over the years until it eventually doesn't work anymore at all. There are problems with that (especially with Sony laser assemblies it seems), however, it generally must be a very slow process since my 1984 Philips CD204 CD players are both still working fine.

I like the window to see the cd spinning but the LED is to dim or the effect of the tinted plastic. Maybe a brighter one to replace it with? You were playing a dark coloured cd in it

You know guys, I love vintage audio gear as much as the next guy, but the best thing to do with almost ANY CD Player made prior to the late '90s would be to enjoy the features/programmability/displays of players like this and early Sony ES gear, and buy an outboard D/A converter and have the best sound quality along with the great features that are not found these days. I don't mean this in a snobby or condescending way at all, but If you haven't been exposed to high end gear, you probably wouldn't know what you're missing.

The knob of search was born on the line of the professional players, I believe...

Great video! I wonder why computer CD drives don't use the awesome magnetic technology?

I came here after deciding if iI cannot easily get my "Ferrari" Cd Player (the SL-P8) to match my SC-2020D Package System I should get a "Toyota" for temporary and picking up in a thrift store an SL-PD867 from 1994 that meets half of my 4 requirements 1: Technics, 2: Fits in my Cabinet 3: Matches my system 4: Era Appropriate. I meet 1 and 2 with it, and it works well and I can keep hunting for something more appropriately matched to my system as time goes on.

I just bought a mint 990 on Reverb. I cannot wait to receive it.

Dear DrCassette All CD-Lenses are moving by a Magnetic Field. This will be realized with 2Coils one is for the Permanent Magentic Field this is the slow Focus Regulator the other Coil is for the Dynamic or Impuls Focus reading. the Lens Servo is controlled over the 6Photofield Sensors A,B,C,D (that shows the Servo the Focuspoint on the Track - if all ABCD have the same Voltage so the Focus is correct, if A,C deliver a higher Voltage so the Focus is to low => Regulate the Lens up - If B,D is higher the the A,C the Focuspoint is to high => Regulate the Lens down. and E,F is for the 22kHz OnTrack information. If E>F slide the Laserbeamhead more inside the Center. If F>E slide the Laserbeamhead more outside the Center. This is the Trackfollowing. Other the CDM Lasersystem from Philips they regulate the Trackinformation over only the A,B,C,D Feedback and the Laserpickup is making each Round a Sinus movemend. [This idea came from i you make everything wrong this is also correct!] IT is funny hahaha if you have Questions about the Systems so please ask me over my account i will search a technical answer for you. Best Regards Volker King

@DrCassette

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info, however, what I was describing in the video is not the focus adjustment (indeed that's always a magnetic field setup), I was talking about the tracking adjustment.

@volkerking5757

9 жыл бұрын

The Tracking is realized in Japan CD-Players with the Photosensors E & F this are the Tracking Sensors and hold the Lens in the Track. BR Volker

@FixedHDD

9 жыл бұрын

Volker King Funny that was just the topic I had lectures in today :) (Control Engineering in audio technics was the subject)

I've bought mine in the year 1989 for 999 DM. It was the last one I could get, because of the SL-P777, which appeared in that year. The price of of the SL-P990 was 1599 DM.

@DrCassette

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info!

I got the Technics SL-P999 a few days ago for £25.00. It's nice, but the build is crap compared to that of my Sony CDP-337ESD. It troubles me when a component has such a large case, but inside there isn't really that much in there. Sounded good, but it is a bit sterile for my taste, so I've sold it on to someone else (and made profit, of course!) I love the VU meter level display - wish more CD players had that.

@samuelfellows6923

5 жыл бұрын

Craig McLellan - VU meters tend to be for recording levels, so CD-R/CD-RW/mini-disk recorders and compact cassette decks have them - players less so. 😉

a good one

It's a shame Technics din't produce a SACD player, but a nice looking player.

Thanks for this video! Question for you---- My version of this has a stuck drawer. When there is no disc in the drawer, the magnetic clamp is so strong that it does not allow the top arm (with magnet) to pop up and let the drawer open. It clamps on the bottom spindle and won't let up. I think the bottom spindle has a rubber coated ring that is just so old and dried up that it has increased the magnetic attraction there. If there is a CD in there, it's no problem, it opens right up. I'm thinking of finding a fiber or neoprene ring/washer that I can put over the dried up rubber on the bottom spindle, and glue it down. That would lessen the magnetic attraction. Any suggestions? Thanks

@DrCassette

3 жыл бұрын

Are you sure the dried up rubber ring is really the problem? Or is the drive belt for the drawer mechanism bad, so that it does not transfer enough torque to properly operate the mechanism? Is the drawer mechanism motor stalling out when trying to open when there is no CD loaded?

@dennismcgarry6486

3 жыл бұрын

@@DrCassette You are correct! The rubber belt was not gripping, it was way under there I did not see it. I replaced it with an 50 cent "O" ring about the same size and we are off and running. thanks so much.

Nice CD deck..Do you happen to own a laser disk player?..I have 4 of them in which 2 are in use and 2 in storage..These laser disk players are Pioneer {3} and a Onkyo..One of my Pioneer player is the CLD-1010 was also the first laserdisc player capable of playing the then-new CD Video format of discs, it is one of only two players manufactured by Pioneer to ever use a red-diode laser..Very expensive to make and produce this red diode laser as i read..

Wow, can’t believe this vid is 10 years old!

@DrCassette

6 ай бұрын

Me neither :D

And btw.. the top of the line model was the SL-P1200 (not 100% sure)

Dr. Cassette. Thank you for all you do. What are your thoughts on the Technical SL P550? I have this one.

@DrCassette

3 жыл бұрын

Looks like a nice CD player. I had the Technics SL-P770 for a while, it seems to be a higher ended model from the same series.

@recalcitrantone

3 жыл бұрын

@@DrCassette sorry. I meant SL P555...that is the one I have...can you compare it to the one you are discussing in this video?

@DrCassette

3 жыл бұрын

Oh, I got confused. This is the video about the SL-P770, so no need to mention that I had one... The SL-P555 is part of the successor series of Technics CD players. The successor of the SL-P770 shown in this video is the SL-P777, and I assume the SL-P555 is the smaller version of that.

@recalcitrantone

3 жыл бұрын

@@DrCassette OK thanks

i have sl-p116 it has a funky drive system for the laser no linear drive

Volker is mr cd guru ;)

(part 2 of the comment) 169 Euro are not too much in my opinion. This player beats the crap of most modern ones which are lot more expensive. And if you take care of it (lubrication, as already said), it will last forever. Some more stuff about the versions: you once had the smallest one of this family (SL-P110). Greater models were the SL-P990, right, but the SL-P1300 was released the same time (it uses the same PCM56P DAC chips in 18-bit configuration).

Suffering from OCD , I had to buy all of them and compare them SL-P770, SL-P990, SL-P777, SL-P999, SL-PS700, SL-P900, DVD-A10, they are all highly sought after and collectable now, hence you having to pay 169 euro for your 770 ( with cosmetic scratches, ouch ) , I bought all mine many years ago when Technics top end gear was much more affordable, and big auction site didn't exist, or was in its infancy. I don't think I paid much more than that for all 7 of them, just trying to justify that I'm nutty , but not filthy rich, anyway what I wanted to say is the 7s and the 9s had a considerably large price jump between them when they were new, hence the reason a considerable price jump still exist when buying them second hand, although the 7s and 9s in each series look almost identical on the outside, the major difference is the 9s all have TWO power supplies and TWO transformers, separate for digital and analogue circuits. Without opening them all up, from memory I think all the models have the same laser and loading mechanism, SOAD 70A , which is probably the best, longest lasting and fastest acting mechanism I've ever owned in a CD player, and I do also have a ReVox B225 with Philips CDM 0. which I consider second best laser and transport mechanism. My favourite is the SL-P990, I sometimes wish I had the SL-P1000 aswell, ( left it too late, now it's expensive ), all sound great, but best sounding is the DVD-A10.

Which remote control is suitable for technics sl p770

I could use a CD player as transport,but I can(this is what I'm planning)also "convert" my CD's in WAV and use the PC to play music through the external DAC(using an USB cable).So I would need a CD/DVD-ROM just to conevrt the CD's. I would like to have a very nice player,but thinking ahead I know it'll brake.It's a stupid thought(it will definetly last for a long time)but still.

I wanted to get a player like this, but currently have the SL-PD888 for the 5 disc changer, but this doesn't have optical out or the jog control, which is a shame. I do love the fast laser mechanism on these technics players

@DrCassette

8 жыл бұрын

+Jake Hancke Yes, the linear motor for the laser is a really nice feature!

@supermasterPIK

7 жыл бұрын

Got the same player (cheap plastic buttons). Works fine . I saw SLPD887 and has standby red light. 888 don´t have it.

Not necessarily.There is USB DAC's as well.That's what I was intending.

Technics made the best CD players

Accuphase is good. And expensive. VERY expensive :)

No more videos Dr.Cassette?

No está mal

Tenho um Technics SL-P333 a gaveta por vezes nao abre, mas dando um toque leve com o dedo nessa parte branca dentro, levanta e a gaveta ja abre, como resolver esta situaçao?

@DrCassette

4 жыл бұрын

This problem is probably caused by a bad drive belt in the drawer mechanism.

my yamaha cdc-615 now tracks CD-R. but wont track regular recorded cds. thats ok cus i have a technics to do that.

80's CD player?

I've just bought one of these online, how reliable has it been for you DrCassette?

@DrCassette

7 жыл бұрын

Normal CDs all played fine for me, but this CD player is very picky when it comes to CD-Rs. Some will play fine, but others, even brand name products burned on a slow speed just won't.

@KeltyVince

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply... Yes well I have some info on that kind of thing you might be interested in, I also recently bought another Technics SL-P477a, quite a decent machine as well but not as elaborate as the 770, I tried a few CDr's that I had laying around and they didn't work at all but some others of a different brand did, so I proceeded to use another of the CDr's that didn't work at all and burned another album using a different laptop and this time that brand worked fine, I also did another few and no problem but burned in the original laptop again that brand of disk didn't work in the 477 although it did work in all other cd players I own, so it seems more like a combination of the actual drive used to burn the disc rather than the brand of disc its self, I also tried different speeds in the burner that made failed disc's and no difference, still didn't work, Like you I was under the impression that It was the actual disk brand that was the problem until I tried the other burner so you can now add this to reasons why some disks don't play in some cd players, try using a different drive or machine to burn a disk if you have that option.

I would guess this thing is from the Early 90s, right?

@DrCassette

8 жыл бұрын

+MAGNUM05 The CD player is from around 1988.

@MAGNUM05

8 жыл бұрын

DrCassette Ok

@mateuszbak3814

7 жыл бұрын

first my Mind from 90 92

Hi, wie mache ich den magnetischen transport mechanismus sauber und womit am besten ölen?

@DrCassette

6 жыл бұрын

Die Gleitschienen mit Waschbenzin vom alten, verharzten Fett befreien, dazu Q-Tips (Ohrenstäbchen) verwenden. Danach neu fetten (nicht ölen, das habe ich damals falsch gemacht!) mit Lithiumfett, dieses vorsichtig zum Beispiel mit einem Zahnstocher aufbringen und verteilen, auf keinen Fall versuchen, das Fett aus einer Sprühdose o.ä. direkt aufzubringen! Die Laserlinse vorsichtig mit Alkohol (Fensterreiniger z.B.) und einem Q-Tip reinigen.

Laser Discs never became popular in Germany, so I don't own a player. Never even saw one in person.

7:48 Telex - Moscow Discow

you should have just asked the customer if they were willing to donate the player to your shop, tell them you could use it for parts, then maybe the owner would have let your keep it.

Did you buy this from Atlanta, Ga? (from eBay)

@DrCassette

5 жыл бұрын

No, this was bought in Germany as I am located in Germany.

@brentaudi9354

5 жыл бұрын

@@DrCassette Reason I asked is because I have had several of these. I sold one on Ebay to a guy who's eBay name was "Dr. Cassette". He also lived in Germany and spent a fortune in shipping. Thought it might be you. Cheers.

@DrCassette

5 жыл бұрын

@@brentaudi9354 No, that wasn't me. I have a different user name on Ebay :)

I have the SL-P555.

0:41, ''Fancier Digital to analogue convertor'' so presumably it sounded better than the SL-P770? the D.A.C is ALL that matters, it's the defining component of the CD player. A unit can have all the bells and whistles but if the DAC is crap then what's the point? Even now technology is struggling to produce a DAC that has that can produce the warmth and natural sound of high end analogue.

@DrCassette

8 жыл бұрын

+fridgemagnet At least on the front it had a much fancier golden label boasting the DAC technology they used. Either way, it's all good enough. Don't get me started on all that digital vs. analog nonsense.

@fridgemagnet

8 жыл бұрын

you're right, it's an endless debate that goes around and around. I am a fan and avid user of both!

@victorcoss2600

6 жыл бұрын

If it has a digital out then it doesn't matter much as you can use whatever DAC you want.

Correct. I am making the videos. And I make them the way I want. If you don't like that, go watch something else.