Kenwood D-3300P (1986)
The Kenwood D-3300P was the company's flagship CD player for the 1986 model year, and it was built like one. At 10.8 kg, it's heavy. Most of that comes from an approximately 1 kg aluminum die-cast base under the mechanism, a 3-mm-thick bottom plate, and 300 g weight stabilizers. The cabinet uses extruded aluminum and wooden side cheeks.
The D-3300P is built around a discrete, left/right independent ladder-type D/A converter. It uses two PCM56P-K 16-bit DACs (one per channel), fed by a 4× oversampling digital filter. The analog low-pass filter is a 7th-order Butterworth in FDNR configuration, with no active elements in the signal path, which keeps noise down. Kenwood also went to unusual lengths to isolate digital noise from the analog stage. The data line, mute signal, and emphasis signal all pass through photo-couplers, and the digital and analog grounds are completely separated. You can even switch off power to the D/A converter and analog section entirely when using the digital outputs. An invert switch flips phase 180° at the digital data stage.
The digital outputs are notable for 1986. There are both optical and coaxial, and the coaxial output uses a pulse transformer for electrical isolation between components. The stated specs are strong even today: signal-to-noise ratio of 105 dB or better, dynamic range of 97 dB or better, and THD of 0.003% (EIAJ). Frequency response is rated from 1 Hz to 20 kHz.
The transport uses a non-contact optical reading system with a GaAlAs laser (780 nm), CLV rotation at roughly 200-500 rpm, and Kenwood's "Optimal Servo Type III." Per the period literature, that system drops servo gain to zero momentarily when the laser hits a scratch, then restores it once the disc passes. The mechanism sits on an elastic insulator system with coil springs and a "Howbrid" insulator supporting the pickup. Conveniences include a music calendar display for up to 20 tracks, 10-key direct selection, four play modes, auto-open at disc end, auto-close after five minutes, and a wireless remote (RC-P3300D).
The D-3300P was a Japan-market model, priced at ¥160,000 at release. Documentation in English is thin, and much of what circulates about it comes from Russian-language enthusiast communities, where it's remembered as a rare top-tier player. One forum commenter on drive2.ru called it among the best Kenwood CD players, alongside the later DP-7090. A Russian listing described a unit bought without its laser pickup. A Yamaha head was swapped in successfully, though the disc would spin but not read fully.
Known specs, in brief:
- DAC: 2× PCM56P-K (16-bit, one per channel)
- Digital filter: 4× oversampling
- S/N ratio: 105 dB or more (EIAJ)
- Dynamic range: 97 dB or more (EIAJ)
- THD: 0.003% or less (EIAJ)
- Outputs: Fixed 2.0 V, variable 0-2.0 V, optical digital, coaxial digital (0.5 Vp-p/75 Ω), headphone (25 mW/32 Ω)
- Power consumption: 16 W
- Dimensions: 475 × 109 × 316 mm; 10.8 kg
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