Sony CDP-CX53 51-Disc CD Changer
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- Device Type: Changer
- Number of Discs: 51
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Very reliable disc changer
Pros
Vertical multichanger, reliable, easy to use design.
Cons
Typical late-'90s Sony remote, decent styling, average build quality and styling.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A good, reliable changer. Populates secondhand shops, so it should be at a reasonable price.
I have had the CDP-CX53 since early 1999 and have used it twice a week. The big selling point for me, at the time, was the digital optical output (I was an active user of MiniDiscs at the time, but found other uses for the nice output), as well as the price was similar to the five and six disc horizontal changers at the time; however, at that price point, lacked the optical output.
The build quality is typical of compact disc changers at the time, which are actually the same as today, simple designs and as tall as a typical two-component stack, as deep as a competent modern receiver.
The functionality of the CX53 is quite flexible, with the S-Link connections, the CX53 can be linked to other S-Link-equipped Sony compact disc changers. Another feature, like most Sony disc changers, the unit can be assigned to one of three different "command mode" remote control addresses, the player with the corresponding command mode can be controlled with the supplied remote control - and vice-versa. This prevents unintended manipulation with other Sony CD players. The one function I tend to use most is the "Plus One", which is a direct key to slot 51 (actually identified as "Disc 51" when the key is pressed once again). I rarely use the grouping function, because of the odd variety of discs stored in the machine, but it is quite useful to get to specific sections of the carousel when needed.
The remote control is of standard late-'90s Sony fare, although I have not had good experience with some of the company's remotes at the time, this remote control seemed to have held up and had noticeably larger 10-key (0~9 keys) buttons and large basic transport keys. The remote control lacks audio level adjustment (this, on the other hand, was found on the company's five disc changers at the time); this was not a big issue, until I became an owner of an older Sansui G-801 receiver - where the setup is sometimes out of reach - except for the CX53's remote control.
The CX53 played moderately scratched and fingerprinted discs with ease and without error; however, heavily scratched discs performed as expected, with errors. The CX53 also plays a plethora of CD-DA-recorded CD-Rs and most CD-RWs; however, since this was in production during the early years of MP3-decodable players, this changer is strictly CD-audio.
The build quality is typical of compact disc changers at the time, which are actually the same as today, simple designs and as tall as a typical two-component stack, as deep as a competent modern receiver.
The functionality of the CX53 is quite flexible, with the S-Link connections, the CX53 can be linked to other S-Link-equipped Sony compact disc changers. Another feature, like most Sony disc changers, the unit can be assigned to one of three different "command mode" remote control addresses, the player with the corresponding command mode can be controlled with the supplied remote control - and vice-versa. This prevents unintended manipulation with other Sony CD players. The one function I tend to use most is the "Plus One", which is a direct key to slot 51 (actually identified as "Disc 51" when the key is pressed once again). I rarely use the grouping function, because of the odd variety of discs stored in the machine, but it is quite useful to get to specific sections of the carousel when needed.
The remote control is of standard late-'90s Sony fare, although I have not had good experience with some of the company's remotes at the time, this remote control seemed to have held up and had noticeably larger 10-key (0~9 keys) buttons and large basic transport keys. The remote control lacks audio level adjustment (this, on the other hand, was found on the company's five disc changers at the time); this was not a big issue, until I became an owner of an older Sansui G-801 receiver - where the setup is sometimes out of reach - except for the CX53's remote control.
The CX53 played moderately scratched and fingerprinted discs with ease and without error; however, heavily scratched discs performed as expected, with errors. The CX53 also plays a plethora of CD-DA-recorded CD-Rs and most CD-RWs; however, since this was in production during the early years of MP3-decodable players, this changer is strictly CD-audio.
