Key Features
Built around a solid one-piece die-cast aluminium chassis and finished with a substantial die-cast heatsink to the rear, the CD104 is a genuinely heavy, over-engineered piece of equipment by CD player standards, reflecting the engineering approach of Philips’ earliest digital players before manufacturing costs were pared back industry-wide. At its heart is Philips’ original CDM-1 swing-arm laser transport, a mechanism widely regarded by collectors and restorers as one of the most robust and serviceable ever fitted to a domestic CD player, contributing to the model’s enduring reputation for long-term reliability. Digital-to-analogue conversion is handled by a pair of Philips’ own 14-bit TDA1540 DACs, run in Philips’ signature 4x oversampling configuration via an SAA7030 digital filter — an approach that gave early Philips players a distinctive and highly regarded house sound.
The front panel uses Philips’ original “linear skate disc loading mechanism,” a horizontal-loading tray design, with microprocessor logic control handling transport functions, track selection, and a basic programmable memory function. There is no remote control fitted, in keeping with the model’s position in the range at the time.
Technical Specifications
(Source: Hifi-Wiki)
- Type: Compact disc player
- Model designation: CD104/65
- Laser transport: Philips CDM-1 (swing-arm)
- DAC: 2x Philips TDA1540 (14-bit)
- Digital filter: Philips SAA7030, 4x oversampling
- Loading mechanism: Horizontal tray, linear skate disc loading
- Power requirement: 240V, 50Hz, 30W
- Chassis/construction: Die-cast aluminium chassis and heatsink, metal and polystyrene casework with aluminium trim
- Country of Manufacture: Belgium
- Year of Production: 1984
Important Owner’s Notes
As with any CD player of this age, the drive belt inside the loading mechanism and the internal electrolytic capacitors are consumable items with a finite service life; while this unit has been fully tested and shows no faults, a future service (belt and capacitor renewal) is sensible routine maintenance to keep it running at its best over the years ahead, as is the case with any CD player of this vintage. The CDM-1 transport fitted to this model has a strong reputation for being both robust and repairable, which bodes well for the player’s future serviceability compared with many later, more disposable designs.
Why Buy From Us
With over 40 years of experience in the Hi-Fi industry, we are well placed to assess and test equipment of this type. Every item we list is fully inspected and tested before sale — this unit was checked by Andrew in our workshop.
When you buy from us you can expect:
- Full inspection and testing prior to listing — not simply a visual check
- A 3-month guarantee on every item we sell
- Transparent descriptions with no omissions
- Professional packaging to ensure safe delivery
- After-sales support available by phone or email should you have any questions
Summary
A genuinely excellent-condition example of an early Philips CD104, offering a fascinating and highly listenable window into the earliest days of digital audio, built to a standard rarely seen in CD players from any era. This is a single-unit listing. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions prior to purchase.
