Why Did Early CD-ROM Drives Rely On Awkward Plastic Caddies?

These days, very few of us use optical media on the regular. If we do, it’s generally with a slot-loading console or car stereo, or an old-school tray-loader in a desktop or laptop. This has …

Early CD Player Teardown

While CD players are nothing new today, they were the height of high-tech in the early 1980s. [w1ngsfly] shows us the inside of a Phase Linear 9500 player from 1983. Not only does it have many comp…

CD Player Powered 555 Piano Goes Accordion To Plan

Ah yes, the 555 piano project. Be it the Atari Punk Console, or some other 555 based synthesizer, Hackers just love to hear what the 555 can do when attached to a few passives and a speaker. It&#82…

Rotel launches Tribute hi-fi products designed by Ken Ishiwata

The late audio legend's final collaboration