Sony CDP-701ES
The Sony CDP-701ES was Sony's first high-end CD player, and it launched the ES line of digital components. High Fidelity (December 1983, p.17) ran Sony's own announcement of the ES series. It positioned the CDP-701ES as the centerpiece of a new class of components built to handle the phenomenal dynamic range of the digital format.
Before the 701ES, Sony had brought CD players to market in a more conventional format. This was the first model aimed at the serious listener, and the construction shows it. The fact sheet describes the build quality as excellent and jewel-like. Other manufacturers like Philips and Studer produced comparable devices of this class. The 701ES was the first in a Sony lineage that continued through the CDP-102 ES, the renowned CDP-302 ES, and later the CDP-552 ES.
Technically, the 701ES carries a feature Sony called "Digital Servo Control" - a DSP-based system controlling spindle motor speed and laser focusing. It was something of a gimmick, but it was also genuinely ahead of its time. Recording engineers used the player in the 1980s to evaluate the quality of their work.
Surviving documentation is thin on some details. No production years, dimensions, or DAC/transport model numbers are recorded. What is known:
- Original price: 1,500 DM
- Frequency range: 2 Hz – 20 kHz
- Distortion factor: <0.003%
- Channel separation: >90 dB
- Signal-to-noise ratio: >100 dB
- Dynamic range: >95 dB
- Weight: 11 kg
Collectors should know that even the 701ES suffers from what they call "bad laser syndrome." It needs careful handling, and anyone looking for a unit for long-term everyday use should be wary.
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