Kenwood DP-5090 (1998)

The Kenwood DP-5090 is a late-1990s single-disc CD player built around the company's 24-bit Fine D.R.I.V.E. system. Kenwood's idea was to recover low-level signal detail from 16-bit CD audio that normally got discarded as digital noise. The player pairs that 24-bit DAC stage with a 32fs (1411kHz) oversampling filter. The specs are respectable for the era: a signal-to-noise ratio of 114 dB or better, dynamic range of 100 dB or better, and total harmonic distortion rated at 0.002% or less (all EIAJ). Marlene's Musings found that the DP-5090 measures exceptionally well, with noise and distortion essentially absent in jitter testing. It also observed that internally the player is quite similar to the cheaper DP-4090. The main difference is that the pricier model uses several ICs for the DSP stage instead of a single chip.

Kenwood put real effort into the transport. It has a "silent mechanism" that decelerates before and after the tray opens and closes. An interlocking shutter keeps sound pressure from entering the chassis, and an aluminum top mechanism suppresses unnecessary servo current. CDTEXT is supported, and both the output level and headphone level are adjustable. There's also a cassette-editing function with auto-space, so the player was evidently aimed at people still dubbing CDs to tape in the late 1990s. Digital outputs come in both coaxial and optical form.

The record on this model is thin in places. It was released in 1997, though at least one used listing claims a 1998 build date. The original Japanese price was ¥50,000. It runs on 100V AC, weighs 5.0 kg, and measures 440 × 127 × 366 mm. Power consumption is rated at 10W. A remote control was included. On the used market, Russian listings have ranged from about 10,000 ₽ to 35,000 ₽, with sellers calling it a "legendary" Hi-Fi player with reliable mechanics and detailed sound. One Japanese auction listing noted a dark LCD as a flaw. Service manuals do circulate in PDF form for repair purposes.