Yamaha CDX-10000
(1987 - 1988)

Probably the most remembered "Jubilee" or "Anniversary" series.
Yamaha spared no expense for the Centennial Series and could do so: this was before the 1987 crash and subsequent 1990s gradual retreat of all japanese brands toward the mid-end and low-end segments of the market. The production run for each Centennial unit still is a mystery but, contrarily to what one could believe, the three tenors of the series (CX, MX and CDX) did sell very well - given their pricetags that is. The NSX and HX are much much more difficult to find.

The CDX-10000 CD player featured Yamaha's Hi-Bit chip, part of the then-raging Bit-trek and Bit-tweaks, before the cheaper Bitstream wave hit just about everybody.
The CDX is built well enough too withstand an earthquake and a serial mom's fit of anger alltogether - 25kg of steel and triple chassis structure. The loading assembly is, rather strangely, as in all of Yamaha's top end players incrediblyy complex and heavy. If you've ever seen a CD-1, you know what I mean.

Over-engineering would you say ? Sure - but gloriously, lavishly, with style and grandeur ! A true 1980s byproduct indeed :)

The images for this post (and that of the CX-10000) come from an original german brochure dedicated to the series. I will bring online the full technical content of it, along that of the japanese literature I have as well, when it will have been translated from german and japanese to english. Stay tuned because the HX, MX and NSX will follow in the same manner !

Until then, Hi-Bit technology is covered here. The more technically inclined should do a Google search including the words <Yamaha> and <Stanford> to find plenty of PDFs covering the subject in a very scientific manner : Yamaha and the Stanford University are long-time partners in music&technology research.