Philips CD960

Cutting edge and true high-end - in black-is-black looks : this is the Philips CD960 and... the Marantz CD-94.
The same, in all.

There's a TOS optical fiber output in the CD960, and very select parts, and an integrated amplifier for the cans' output, and a single TDA1541 d/a.
Minus the preamp/volume function, XLR outputs and supplementary transformers, the CD960 in fact holds a complete DAC960 !

The TOS however isn't really one, like that of the CDA-94 v1 and the CD-94 v1 : it's optical and red but doesn't use the regular Toshiba TX-176 / RX-176 terminals.
Wavelength also is at 800nm instead of the TOShiba standardized 780nm.

Unlike the Mrantz version which hid everything under a discrete front door, the Philips CD960 has a retractable lap / lip / flap which uncovers the programming and repeat modes. Like a CD650 only not as cute.
The display is also quite a display, leaning toward the X-Mas tree.

However, crucially crucial, beyond looks and design trends (or taste) : there is a CDM CDM1 mechanism in this very 1980s-ish design.

Praised as Absolute Spitzenklasse and Referenz in Germany in 1987 - as a drive the CD960 still is at least that much. And it will continue to be so until... 2192 ?



Nudies here.