Optimus 3400 CD (per "Stereophile").
Sherman Wilcox
(Nicholas E. Damato) wrote:
> Any other feedback sould be appreciated.
> see the Stereopphile review for further data.
> (June 1994 p.45)
I have a question/problem I hope someone can help me with.
I'm new at assembling a nice quality portable CD system (to keep me from
going crazy on trips, and to sound good at home). I used to have a 3-year
old Technics CD portable player and cheap phones. Then I bought a HeadRoom
Premium. Nice! So then I bought some Sennheiser 580s. Even nicer
(incredible, actually)!
After seeing the discussions on the net and in Stereophile about this Radio
Shack 3400, I went out and bought one. Great too!
Now, my problem. When I put the 3400 on top of the HeadRoom, I get some
weird, tremendous interference. It varies, but at its worse won't even let
the CD play.
But it doesn't seem to be totally the HeadRoom. When I put the 3400 on my
lap, it also sometimes shows the same interference/distortion. When I plug
the phones into the 3400's phone jack, I don't get this. Even when it's
sitting on the HeadRoom. I also don't get the problem with my old Technics,
in any situations.
What's going on here? Is it something related to the 3400? To the HeadRoom?
To the combination? To the line out of the 3400?
Gotta tell you, though, except for this weird problem, this is truly
enjoyable listening!
===============================
Sherman Wilcox
wilcox@polaris..unm.edu
===============================
Nicholas E. Damato
Has anyone red Sam Tellig's column in the june Stereophile (p.45)?
I read it, and according to several Ear witness accounts this
little prtable CD player from Radio Shack was blowing $1000
units away. I read the column and went out and bought one, I
needed a portable anyways.
I'm here to tell you that the thing sounds Great! I didn't realize
it immediately, but I've been listening to it for a couple of days
and I plugged my CAL Icon MkII back in and I realized that in many wyas
ways the Radio Shack one was superior. It is still on sale for $129.
batteries, charger are extra.
I reccomend the radio shack "High Capacity" NiCads, they are a slow
charge high cap. battery that has a firly flat voltage curve, and they
deliver good current. Radio Slack has a book that provides really
detailed info on all their batteries for hobbiests, they usually
keep one near the battery shelf. I think that one of the advantages
of the player is that you can completely disconnect it from all
AC power, no Internal AC line transformer, no line cord, just clean
DC current. Also dissconecting it from the wall increases the
sound quality by eliminating a sort of low level "rumble" that is
present. from the charger.
The unit has a digital out, but the digital cable is completely
sold out and is "Back ordered indefinitely" I'd check into having
someone at a lab make one.
THe unit is based on a Mitsumi CD ROM transport, and according
to SP this is the main advantage of the unit. I'd like to
try it in a DAC.
The biggest imrpovement in sound I noticed was that my room seemed
larger, the sound stage was higher and more spacious, and the high
end was like honey, the cymbals and such were approaching the
quality of good LPs on my Sumiko Blue Point cartridge.
It was a bit Bass shy (compared to a really good CD player) but
I think it had more Bass than My friend's Rotel.
IT really shines on analog CDs that were badly mastered to
CD, reminiscent of my old NAD single beam push-pull
2x deck from '86 that sounded better on such material than
the ICON.
One thing that sucked was the incredibly S-L-O-W... Access
time.
I did tweak the unit a little bit. I slapped some "Dexter 432"
a material from Dexter automotive materials that is a dense
rubbery Constrained layer damping substance against an aliminum
"foil" not unlike the stuff you get in those book shelf speaker
"upgrading" kits. The stuff is great for getting bass out of speakers
by transfering cabinet resonance into heat. I got it from
Dexter automotive materials in Troy Michigan as a sample.
In this instance It was used to add mass to the player,
i noticed that even setting something with a little
weight on the top improved the sound. I then cut four
small squares of sorbothane that I got from a company in
Kent, Ohio as an industrial samplt and used them for "feet"
the sorbohtane was in a 3/16 sheet 8" by 8" and it only cost
$9!
This improved the sound even more, don't put too much wieght
on the lid as this will interfere with the motion of the CD.
Here are some "test" Albums and the results.
Mike Oldfield: "Crises" - an aweful sunding CD, i played it
twice and have been listening to the LP ever since. the remaster
was shrill, on the 3400 however there was a significant improvement.
It was actually listenable. Jon Anderson (of YES) vocals on
"In High PLaces" was like up on the ceiling, 7' in the air,
really cool, I never heard anything up there before.
Enya, first album the vocals suddenly came alive, like she
was breathing down my neck, and the reverb she uses really
sounded HUGE.
THe CARS : "THe CARS" standard analog recording, a little
flat, the soudstage delth opened up beyond the width of my
speakers and sounded good.
Ultravox: "Rage in Eden" - THis CD (and LP too) gives new meaning
to the term "COmpression" if you play it on an amp with
power needles, the needled mever move, this thing is
compressed to the max, it still sounded that way on the
3400 but I was getting better channel separation.
Nancy Griffith: "Late Night Grand Hotel" - I have a problem
with boomy bass on this recording, not anymore!
THis thing is a steal for $129, and I need a prtable anywyas.
I'll probably keep the ICON, but I was planning on using it
as a transport eventuall, If this thing is as good as
Stereophile says as a transport, I wonder if I'll bother,
hmmm.
Has anyone out there played this unit on a decent DAC?
I would really like to know. I suspect that plugging this
into a DAC-in-the-box, even with the regular price being
$180 I think you are going to have a unit sounding
like a $1500 unit for $400!
Any other feedback sould be appreciated.
see the Stereopphile review for further data.
(June 1994 p.45)
NED.
###
###
Nicholas E. Damato
In a previous article, wil...@triton.unm.edu (Sherman Wilcox) says:
>In article <2s6m7e$k...@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, co...@cleveland.Freenet.Edu
>(Nicholas E. Damato) wrote:
>
>> Any other feedback sould be appreciated.
>> see the Stereopphile review for further data.
>> (June 1994 p.45)
>
>
>I have a question/problem I hope someone can help me with.
>
>I'm new at assembling a nice quality portable CD system (to keep me from
>going crazy on trips, and to sound good at home). I used to have a 3-year
>old Technics CD portable player and cheap phones. Then I bought a HeadRoom
>Premium. Nice! So then I bought some Sennheiser 580s. Even nicer
>(incredible, actually)!
I reccomend an inexpensive pair of Grado's with this CD player, sounds
great.
>
>After seeing the discussions on the net and in Stereophile about this Radio
>Shack 3400, I went out and bought one. Great too!
>
Scary isn't it? That you can get that wide of a soundstage from something
so cheap?
>Now, my problem. When I put the 3400 on top of the HeadRoom, I get some
>weird, tremendous interference. It varies, but at its worse won't even let
>the CD play.
>
>But it doesn't seem to be totally the HeadRoom. When I put the 3400 on my
>lap, it also sometimes shows the same interference/distortion. When I plug
>the phones into the 3400's phone jack, I don't get this. Even when it's
>sitting on the HeadRoom. I also don't get the problem with my old Technics,
>in any situations.
>
>What's going on here? Is it something related to the 3400? To the HeadRoom?
>To the combination? To the line out of the 3400?
>
>Gotta tell you, though, except for this weird problem, this is truly
>enjoyable listening!
>
Interesting problem, Based on process of elimination I'd say that the
CD3400 is interfering with the Headroom somehow. First, make sure you're
not using any line cords, just NiCad batteries, that will eliminate
one possibility, then try the headroom with the headphone jack, that will
eliminate another. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you.
(Particularly without hearing what the "Distortion"/"Interference"
sounds like.)
Sherman Wilcox
(Nicholas E. Damato) wrote:
> Scary isn't it? That you can get that wide of a soundstage from something
> so cheap?
Yep, the sound is great. So mellow...
> Interesting problem, Based on process of elimination I'd say that the
> CD3400 is interfering with the Headroom somehow. First, make sure you're
> not using any line cords, just NiCad batteries, that will eliminate
> one possibility, then try the headroom with the headphone jack, that will
> eliminate another. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you.
> (Particularly without hearing what the "Distortion"/"Interference"
> sounds like.)
Called HeadRoom and talked with Tyll. He says the problem is an interaction
between the power supply of the 3400 and the HeadRoom. But he says they can
fix it (by "floating" the HR's power module? -- I understand nothing of
this). The fix is free.
===============================
Sherman Wilcox
Dept. of Linguistics
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
===============================
Daniel Richardson
: to SP this is the main advantage of the unit. I'd like to
: try it in a DAC.
: The biggest imrpovement in sound I noticed was that my room seemed
: larger, the sound stage was higher and more spacious, and the high
: end was like honey, the cymbals and such were approaching the
: quality of good LPs on my Sumiko Blue Point cartridge.
: It was a bit Bass shy (compared to a really good CD player) but
: I think it had more Bass than My friend's Rotel.
I am confused. How can a transport make any difference to the sound.
All cd players just read digital info off of the disk and then run it
thru a DAC. I can see how the DAC would affect the sound, but how could
any of the digital stuff (assuming there is no processing, it is just
straight thru? Thanks.
Marty Zimmerman
the great reviews have stirred my interest in the Optimus 3400, but where
are you all finding it for $129? All of the Radio Shacks I have visited
sell it for $179.
--
-------
Marty Zimmerman,Computer Services,University of Idaho,Moscow,ID,USA
mar...@uidaho.edu 208-885-6721/voice 208-885-7539/FAX
Arthur Chan
(which has the so-called anti-shock circuit) is. I can't tell if this
(3420) player is better than the others through the supplied earphones.I wonder if any one in the net had compare these two players. I would
appreciate it if you would share you experience with us. Thanks in
advanced.
Arthur
--
Arthur Chan
John Lee
---------------------------------------------------------
I just got one _today_ for $129. I just asked the sales person if I
could still get it for $129 and she just said yes :). She also
mentioned they have rainchecks issued for 50 unit !
John
mikeg
Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound quality.
Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
end portable system for under $200!!?
Someone please comment!
(Stupid Internet! Be Smarter!)
Sherman Wilcox
>
> Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
> review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound quality.
>
> Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
> end portable system for under $200!!?
>
> Someone please comment!
I don't know about the Grados (I've heard they are great), but I have the
Optimus 3400, a HeadRoom Supreme portable headphone amp, and a pair of
Sennheiser 580s, and the sound is GLORIOUS!!!!! And I can carry it around
with me...
Guenter A. Scholz
>
>Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
>review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound quality.
>
>Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
>end portable system for under $200!!?
No, not quite. You forgot the $500/m of cable you do need according
to stereophile :-)
- regards, guenter
Chris Cannon
: >
: > Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
: > review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound quality.
: >
: > Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
: > end portable system for under $200!!?
: >
: > Someone please comment!
: I don't know about the Grados (I've heard they are great), but I have the
: Optimus 3400, a HeadRoom Supreme portable headphone amp, and a pair of
: Sennheiser 580s, and the sound is GLORIOUS!!!!! And I can carry it around
: with me...
How much $$$ were the headphone amp and those headphones???
--
--
=================
can...@netcom.com
Janik Joire
>
> Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
> review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound quality.
>
> Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
> end portable system for under $200!!?
>
> Someone please comment!
Sounds like a nice combination... I am glad more people want the
ultimate in portable sound! However, I must add to the discussion.
For many years, I have owned different portable CD players and
cassette players with assorted headphones. Eventually I settled on a Sony
D-303 Discman with Koss Porta Pro headphones, a great combination for superior
portable sound. But, even though the D-303 works well, it still skips on
some bumps and remains relatively cumbersome (1 and 1/2 CD boxes cannot fit
most pockets...) The Porta Pros offer decent sound, but not quite to the
standards of my home Beyer Dynamic DT-990!
In my quest for ever more convenient yet acoustically correct portable
equipment, Sony invented MiniDisc. So as an adventuresome technological
enthousiast, I purchased the first generation MZ-1 portable recorder... I was
left dissapointed with the sound quality (the D-303 sounds wonderful for a
portable unit) but charmed by the features and practicality (except also for
the size of the MD machine)!
Time passed and I became impatient. I wonder how you handle three
pieces of equipment on the go, in addition to the media! Anyway, I was
soon rewarded by a real surprise: Sony's second generation MiniDisc units...
I checked out the new MZ-R2 portable recorder that a friend got in Hong-Kong
and was amazed. Not only was the new machine small (like what I expected
originally, ie. the size of a mini Walkman) but the sound quality was
*incredible*! Most compression artifacts seemed gone, with much higher
overall resolution and balance...
So as soon as my dealer received one, I purchased it and *now* I
have finally achieved portable bliss. I still use the Koss Porta Pros, but
I want to check out the Etymotik in-ear headphones reweved in _Audio_ a
few months ago. So I record what I feel like, digitally from CD to MD and
enjoy convenient and true portable high fidelity sound.
BTW, no flames please. I have nothing to do with Sony, but own
many Sony products. Overall, I am a satisfied customer. Finally, some people
will argue about the difference in price between Mike's three piece method
and my approach: I respect the fact that some customers are on a budget.
So, anyone interested in a fisrt generation Sony MZ-1 portable
MiniDisc recorder?
Janik
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Janik Joire The University of Western Ontario, Canada
Software Design Consultant Faculty of Engineering
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Babyak
: John
Can anyone tell me if it is worth it to spend the extra $20 to get the
3420 CD ($199)? I don't think I can get the 3400 for $129 anymore.
Jack DuMoulin
(Guenter A. Scholz) writes:
>
> Msg-ID: <Cr6tx...@watserv2.uwaterloo.ca>
> References: <2t7ecl$o...@panix2.panix.com>
> Posted: Fri, 10 Jun 1994 15:34:46 GMT
>
> Org. : University of Waterloo
>
> In article <2t7ecl$o...@panix2.panix.com>, mikeg <mi...@panix.com> wrote:
> >
> >Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
> >review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound
> quality.
> >
> >Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
> >end portable system for under $200!!?
>
> according
> to stereophile :-)
>
> - regards, guenter
>
>
Not to mention the Mpingo disk!
-Jack
--
Jack DuMoulin Burnaby, B.C. Canada
JMD Consultants
Jack_D...@mindlink.bc.ca
An Hong
: I just got one _today_ for $129. I just asked the sales person if I
: could still get it for $129 and she just said yes :). She also
: mentioned they have rainchecks issued for 50 unit !
Can anyone tell me if it is worth it to spend the extra $20 to get the
3420 CD ($199)? I don't think I can get the 3400 for $129 anymore.
I don't know about that one. To get the $129 price, I bought the lower
CD3380. Of course I'm waiting for any Father's Day sale (I've never
waited for Father's Day before, don't know y) for a swap. I'll probably
will also get the $60 5-yr warranty. The unit seems very fragile.
A hifi dealer told me that the life of a CD player is about 4 to 5 years
with good use. Don't know exactly y he said that.
The Optimus 3980 sounds great (with a Counterpoint amp driving Acoustat
speakers), better than the Sony ES601 I've earlier tried and returned.
Also, I bought a Monster interlink-400 Y connector for $30. Haven't tried,
but will report if it sounds any different from the packaged Y. I don't
yet have a pre-amp, so I have to suffer with the variable output.
About the CD3980, I believe the core player technology is the same as the
CD3400's, but with less equalizing features. Likewise, I think
3420-3400 == some shock-absorbing technology (perhaps a better chassis with
damping rubber?) that should improve mobile performance. Don't
know y RS isn't making a stationary player with the 3400 technology.
Is there one? One carousel Optimus I've tried sounds terrible.
%%%
mikeg
: : I just got one _today_ for $129. I just asked the sales person if I
: : could still get it for $129 and she just said yes :). She also
: : mentioned they have rainchecks issued for 50 unit !
: Can anyone tell me if it is worth it to spend the extra $20 to get the
: 3420 CD ($199)? I don't think I can get the 3400 for $129 anymore.
Ok, I'll probably buy one. If the reports are even half true, I'll be happy.
Can someone explain the difference between the 3400 and the 3420. Are
they the same inside? Is anyone sure? Are there other models in the
line? All help is appreciated.
o Bob Schaefer
To all interested in this unit:
My housemate is a sales droid for RS in NE Ohio. Here's what I know so
far about the 3400 and the 3420. (I haven't had a chance to listen to
either one yet) The 3400 was on sale for $129, but is not on sale now (at
least in Ohio) I'm told it probably will go on sale again sometime soon
(no further details available). The 3420 is the same as the 3400 but has
a 5? second look-ahead internal buffer. So the anti-shock is only good if
its less than the 5? second buffer after that it will skip. I will try to
get some time and listen to it and see how it sounds. One additional word
on the 3400, if its the one I think it is, I don't believe it is made by
RS, Optimus or Tandy, I believe it is second-sourced. (not sure on who
actually makes it, housemate didn't know) Hope this helps the fire.
Bob Schaefer
Bob.Sc...@launchpad.unc.edu
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\ The above does not represent OIT, UNC-CH, laUNChpad, or its other users. /
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arthur Chan
:
: About the CD3980, I believe the core player technology is the same as the
: CD3400's, but with less equalizing features. Likewise, I think
: 3420-3400 == some shock-absorbing technology (perhaps a better chassis with
: damping rubber?) that should improve mobile performance. Don't
: know y RS isn't making a stationary player with the 3400 technology.
: Is there one? One carousel Optimus I've tried sounds terrible.
:
: %%%
The 3420, I just found out, looks exactly to a Sanyo portable CD-player.
According to the Stereophile, the 3400's transport is made by a CD-ROM
manufacturer. Unless they owes Sanyo or vice versa, I would think that 3400 is
quite different from 3420.
Arthur
--
Arthur Chan
Kerry Shetline
to music and not to price tags, our high-end friends must occasionally:
A) trash some very expensive piece or equipment
...and...
B) find something really cheap and praise the hell out of it
...and...
C) invent home-made tweaks that don't cost anything?
-Kerry
PS: Doncha just love the idea of a Radio Shack CD player with a Shun Mook
device stuck to it!!!!!
Michael Shoemaker
>get some time and listen to it and see how it sounds. One additional word
>on the 3400, if its the one I think it is, I don't believe it is made by
>RS, Optimus or Tandy, I believe it is second-sourced. (not sure on who
>actually makes it, housemate didn't know) Hope this helps the fire.
and specs. I know that RS sources many products from Sanyo Electric as does
Fisher. Could be the source for this. I do not know if this is true of the
3400, however, but will try to find out more.
Gregory Germain
: Maybe I missed it, but has anyone out there verified that incredible
: review? I'd really like to hear some outside opinions on the sound quality.
: Hmmm... if I also bought those $69 Grado headphones would I have a high
: end portable system for under $200!!?
I bought the 3400, a headphone amp (little), and a pair of Grado 80s
(cost $100). They sound very good. The headphones are a bit
uncomfortable (and the 80s I hear even a bit less comfortable than the
100s). Still, after listening for a couple of hours -- even with the
Little Headroom's special circuit, I get a headache. There is something
unnatural about headphones -- the resolution may be great, but the sound
does not compare with a great pair of speakers in my opinion -- unless
the only thing you care about is resolution.
I think the Grados compare very favorably with my Stax Sigmas. Sigmas
are more combortable (although you look more like a dork wearing those
Sigma boxes on your head), Grados have much better resolution. And, best
of all, the Grados don't require step up transformers, etc., and are much
cheaper.
I also ordered a pair of Grado 60s, but they havn't come yet.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gregory Germain
Landels, Ripley & Diamond
350 Steuart Street
San Francisco, California 94105-1250
(415) 788-5000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Len Moskowitz
Gregory Germain <gger...@netcom.com> wrote:
> ...There is something
>unnatural about headphones -- the resolution may be great, but the sound
>does not compare with a great pair of speakers in my opinion -- unless
>the only thing you care about is resolution.
You might try listening to binaural recordings. You'll never hear a
more realistic playback, and certainly not from speakers.
--
Len Moskowitz
Core Sound
mosk...@panix.com
Brock Hannibal
Yes, but binaural recordings don't sound right over speakers plus there is
not much commercial material to choose from.
Brock
Gregory Germain
: Gregory Germain <gger...@netcom.com> wrote:
: > ...There is something
: >unnatural about headphones -- the resolution may be great, but the sound
: >does not compare with a great pair of speakers in my opinion -- unless
: >the only thing you care about is resolution.
: You might try listening to binaural recordings. You'll never hear a
: more realistic playback, and certainly not from speakers.
Yes, I have heard that. But they are hard to find, expensive, and there
are not very many recordings in binaural.
TOM H LUU
Michael Shoemaker
>To add to the fire, look closely at the RS 3420 and the Fisher PCD-5 in design
>and specs. I know that RS sources many products from Sanyo Electric as does
>Fisher. Could be the source for this. I do not know if this is true of the
>3400, however, but will try to find out more.
undoubtedly sourced from different vendors. Sanyo Electric does build the
3420 and it is similar to the Fisher PCD-5, but the 3400 appears to be from
another Japanese supplier - possibly Matsushita. Just FYI!
Eric Thomas
In a previous article, shoem...@delphi.com (Michael Shoemaker) says:
>An update on my own mail! The 3420 and the 3400 are not at all alike and are
>undoubtedly sourced from different vendors. Sanyo Electric does build the
>3420 and it is similar to the Fisher PCD-5, but the 3400 appears to be from
>another Japanese supplier - possibly Matsushita. Just FYI!
Changing the subject a bit...
From what I recall, Fisher is a subsidiary of Sanyo anyway. Please
correct me if I'm wrong...
--
+_________________________________________________________________+
| Eric Thomas, Ottawa, Ont. Canada. ae...@freenet.carleton.ca |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+