cartridge and carousel players are
about the same.
• Four times oversampling: Early-
model CDs scanned a given portion
of a disc twice, the second time fill-
ing in any digital blanks caused by
scratches or fingerprints to cut down
on skips or dropouts. Today's
systems typically sample four times
(some eight or 16) to smooth out even
more glitches. Virtually every player
currently made has at least four
times oversampling.
Pricier players, particularly those
with disc changers, may last longer
than less-expensive models. That's
because they tend to have better-
quality circuitry and moving parts.
Higher-priced players are often
heavier, too — which may reflect a
maker's interest in reducing the
number of skips that can happen
when players are jarred. Models
with more substantial chassis and
heavier bottom pads also help in-
sulate a player from vibration.
Other features that are often
standard in the $200 to $500 range
are less useful. Among those pro-
bably not worth paying extra for:
Programmable play. You program
selections on a CD you would like to
an inexpensive player will sound hear and in what order. Newer varia-
just as good as a player costing hun- tions on this include shuffle or ran-
dreds more. That's because the basic dom play or juke box, in which the
CD player picks the order of the
technology is the same.
For the average listener, players songs.
Direct track access. You can go im-
with list prices of $200 to $500 will
mediately to any point on the disc.
do just fine, says Changing Times
Repeat lest you play a CD over and
magazine. In that price range, you
get features that add convenience over.
Indexing. you can use this to fast
and versatility.
forward to a given place in the music
Two of those stand out:
• Multidisc play: One of the hot- using index numbers supplied with
test developments in CD players is the disc.
Three-beam pickup. This feature
the changer, which plays more than
one disc automatically. You can splits the laser signal into three
choose between cartridge and parts instead of two, in theory to im-
carousel models. The cartridge prove tracking.
You may want to put out the extra
systems, in which stacked CDs slide
into the machine on a tray, usually money for a remote control device
hold more discs than carousels — up (the best remotes also control vol-
to 10 or more — and take up less ume). Many models add a keypad on
the chassis as well as on the remote
room.
The carousel changers, basically so you can program the discs you
rotating platters, are easier to load want to hear from either component.
Other features affect sound in a
and easier to use than the cartridges
way that appeals to audiophiles but
if you want to play just one disc. It's
probably won't make much of a dif-
also easier to replace a disc on a car-
ousel; in some models you can ference to the average ear. You may
have to train your ear to appreciate
change discs even while another disc
many of the subtle differences these
is playing. And because the car-
ousel's mechanism is simpler than features add to performance:
Dual digital analog converters.
the cartridge's, there may be fewer
repairs. Suggested retail prices for The dual system splits the signal

BEST BETS IN
COMPACT DISKS

C

ut through all the hype, and
the important things you
should know about com-
pact disc players boil down

to these:
First, they aren't all created alike,
but it's a close call. Even players
that cost around $100 deliver better
sound than the vast majority of
phonograph systems. Second, what
you get for more bucks are mainly
more bells and whistles, few of
which are really necessary for most
people. Third, for audiophiles with
an ear for musical nuances, some
features found only on higher pric-
ed compact-disc players may indeed
be worth the extra money.
If you're making the transition
from LP to compact disc for the first
time, even the cheapest CD player
will sound a world apart from your
phonograph — now more pops,
wheezes or wow and flutter caused
by warping, deteriorating vinyl,
damaged needles or inconsistencies
in turntable speed.
You'll appreciate the convenience,
too. You don't have to flip a compact
disc to hear the whole recording pro-
gram, and the protective plastic
coating means disc care is minimal.
What's more, to the average listener

GIFT GUIDE '89 C

