The Compact Disc format changed the way we listened to music in the 1980s. Sony's first player, the CDP-101, went on sale on October 1, 1982, in Japan, and six months later here in the U.S. At $1,000 it was pretty expensive, but supplies were limited, so every one sold for full price. Before the CD arrived, the mainstream music market was split between vinyl albums/singles and cassettes, and strangely enough, it wasn't just CD's sound that won over the masses, it was digital audio's no-wear durability and noise-free sound that drew raves. Audiophiles' reactions were mixed; some loved CDs' clarity, but many thought CDs sounded cold and hard. I was in the second group and waited until 1989 before I bought my first CD player.
(Credit: Sony )
The CD was an evolution of the analog video LaserDisc format that debuted in 1978. Prototype players were developed by Philips and Sony independently in the mid- and late 1970s. The two companies collaborated on the development of the CD.
I was a high-end-audio salesman in the 1980s, so I can tell you from first-hand experience that turntable sales actually went up after people heard the first few generations of CD players! I took great pleasure in selling turntables to my customers shopping for a CD player. They just assumed CDs would sound dramatically better than LPs, ... [Read more]
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