Rotel RCD-850 (1986–1987)
Not much is documented about the Rotel RCD-850 today, but period publications give a few concrete details. It was a drawer-loading CD player from the mid-1980s with a three-beam laser pickup. One beam reads the signal data, and the others handle tracking and focus. You could program up to nine tracks in either random or sequential order. The fluorescent display showed track number, elapsed time, or remaining time. Controls covered skip forward and back, fast forward and reverse, pause, and repeat. The chassis design was noted for an independent disc suspension system.
HiFI-Stereo (August 1986, p.21) listed the RCD-850 at $499 upon its introduction. By 1987 the same publication showed the price had dropped to $370 (p.119), suggesting a fairly short production run or a quick market adjustment. Maximum line output was rated at 2 V. No further specifications, circuit details, or service history appear to have survived in the usual enthusiast channels. What remains is a brief snapshot of a competent, mid-tier Rotel CD player from the early years of the format.
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