Sharp DX-R250 CD Player
I own this one. It was between the DX-R250 and the DX-200, and I assumed that the only difference between the two is the DX-R250 is equipped with a remote. Both of these are advertised to have had DACs, and that seems to be what sets them apart from the other models using the same chassis, such as the DX-677. Indeed, I watched a video of a guy working on a DX-670, and the PCB is different, as is the build of the disk clamp. If you are looking to get closer to the signal, which I think is a pretty cool thing to try to do, you could do a lot worse than the Sharp DX-670, or even the DX-R777, which would be the top of the line for those single-DAC models.
The disc transport assembly is almost completely made of plastic, but it seems sturdy and even somewhat beefy. The laser is easy to access with the tray ejected. It is held in place by three easily-removed screws, then it is tethered to the PCB by several wired connections, but these look to be easily removable, too. Accessing the belt looks easiest from the underside, which would mean removing or partially removing the transport assembly.
The belt has some play, which I could see when I ejected it with the top off, so I am planning on replacing it soon. When I first got it, I have it a good wipe down, and it was pretty clean already, and even had the factory sticker still on the facia. I used some alcohol and a microfiber clother, and I went to town on it. the tray was coverd in a fine white dust, a good film of it, so I wiped that down. When I played the first disk, the machine really labored to start playback. It took several seconds to get going. When I had the top off, I cleaned the lens with a Q-tip and some alcohol, and I let that dry. From that point forward, playback begins almost instantly. Push play, pow! I figure that lense must have had that white dust on it just like the tray.
On the negative side, I'm not sure what is going on with the player's feet. The foam pads on the read of the unit were pealing off and frayed with age, and the front feet are actually sort of faux feet. They are built into the facia. My unit didn't have anything there for cushioning. Nothing. Just care plastic. I noticed this when I was getting a disk out of the cabinet, and when I closed the door, the vibration caused the machine to skip. That's when I discovered that vibration dampening is virtually non-existent. Any taps near the machine are likely to result in skips.
I scrolled Amazon for a shock absorbing feet solution, and there's all sorts of things, but when I looked over the machine's insides and saw all that open real estate, it made sense to me to scrape off the old foam pads and install some screw-in rubber feet, which would be a more permanent solution. I had a set that I had saved from another project, so I put them on, and they make a huge difference. The machine no longer skips when I close the cabinet door.
As others have commented, it sounds good. I mean, good, at least to my ears. I'm not an audiophile. In fact, I'm hard of hearing on one side. I think this player, though. I read that these Sanyo chips apply minimal filtering, and I can accept that. It sounds really live to me.
Here's some more pictures of its innards:
