Sony CDP-X55ES

Second generation "X5" player with a mechanism equivalent to that of the CDP-338ESD but with either the almost mighty KSS-151A or the more common KSS-270A.

ICs are PULSE driven with the 50MHz CXD-2552Q and the usual 45bit/8fs CXD-1244 digital filter. The central IC is the CXD-2500 (PLL, servo, 32kb RAM, 4x error corection).

Inherited from the CDP-X77ES is the copper-plated chassis and dual transformer ; the single boards' population is however less high-end... but the output potentiometer is however remote-controlled and lit with a LED :) Being an X5 only, analogue outputs are only unbalanced and optical TOS for digital.

The CDP-2700 professional version (june 1992, 150k¥) had a somewhat modded and grey faceplate without front flap, varispeed and, naturally, AES/EBU & XLR balanced circuits and terminals added ; that version remained available until about 1995.
The US models had a tiny but golden ES badge added ; otherwise equivalent to the JP/EU original.

Images of an american X55ES at the indispensable vintage-audio-laser.com and images of a japanese 2700 here.