Nakamichi CD-3 (circa 1990)

Little is documented about the Nakamichi CD-3. The record shows a standalone CD player made around 1990, finished in black and built to Nakamichi's usual mechanical standards. Period magazine references to this model are scarce. A price of $479 was listed in HiFI-Stereo (November 1985, p.143). No original retail price has surfaced, only a used listing at $350 from a non-smoker home.

The CD-3 used an 18-bit PCM system and a Sony KSS-210A laser pickup. It measures 430 × 100 × 375 mm and weighs 7.8 kg. The digital and analog circuitry isn't recorded in the available documentation. A service manual exists and a few collectors hold copies.

Owners report one consistent issue. The belts fail over time and are "a royal pain to install", but replacing them restores full operation. The only other public record is a Consumer Reports mention in 1991.