Sony CDP-XB720

General

• Manufacturer: Sony
• Model: CDP-XB 720 QS
• Type: CD player
• Years of manufacture: 1998 - 2000
• Made in: Japan
• Color: Black, Silver
• Remote control: RM-DX 50
• Power consumption: 13 W
• Dimensions: 430 x 115 x 290 mm (WxHxD)
• Weight: 4,8 kg
• Original price approx.: 500 DM

Connections

• Number of inputs: 1
  • Sony system bus A1

• number of outputs: 5
  • analog stereo - Cinch
  • opt.digital output (Toslink)

coaxial digital output Headphones (not adjustable at the device, 32 Ohm)

• • Sony system bus A1

Specifications

• Transducer:
• Frequency response: 2-20,000 Hz
• Dynamic range: over 98 dB

Signal-to-noise ratio: over 102 dB

• Distortion factor:
• Channel separation: > 100 dB
• CD-Text: yes
• MP3 support: no
• Pitch control: no
• Auto play: no
• Shuffle: yes
• Title programming: yes
• Repeat: yes
• plays CD-R/CD-RW/HDCD: yes/yes/-

Special Features

• Sony's QS series: mid-range equipment series with upper-range and top-of-the-line units (mid-90s to early 2000s).
• 3 digital filter stages for the sound. The Hifi magazine Stereo (5/1999) especially praised position "2".
• Peak Search (peak level search) and other editing functions for dubbing
• displays CD text (Sony CDs, Itunes)
• plays CD-RW (rather rare equipment in this time)
• aluminium front (polished) with slightly rounded corners

Remarks

• Other devices in the series:
  • Sony CDP-XE320
  • Sony CDP-XE520
  • Sony CDP-XB920

• Predecessor unit:
  • Sony CDP-XE700

• Successor device:
  • Sony CDP-XB630
  • Sony CDP-XB740

• Sony has saved on the adjustable headphone output. Digitally the Phones output can be regulated over the remote control (RM-DX50) with the digital volume control at least up to

-20 dB. Without this volume attenuation, e.g. hi-fi headphones around 600 Ohm are hardly usable.

• Other models of the same series:
• Preamplifier:
• Sony TA-E 9000 ES

• Power amplifier:
• Sony TA-N 9000 ES

• Integrated amplifier:
• Sony TA-F 3000 ES
• Sony TA-FA 30 ES
• Sony TA-FA 50 ES
• Sony TA-FB 720
• Sony TA-FB 920

• A/V integrated amplifier
• Sony TA-VA 8 ES

• Tuner:
• Sony ST-S 3000 ES
• Sony ST-SA 3 ES
• Sony ST-SA 5 ES
• Sony ST-SB 920

• [[Receiver:
• Sony STR-DA 50 ES
• Sony STR-DB 725 QS
• Sony STR-DB 825 QS
• Sony STR-DB 925 QS

• CD players:
• Sony CDP-X3000ES
• Sony CDP-XA20ES
• Sony CDP-XA30ES
• Sony CDP-XA50ES
• Sony CDP-XB720
• Sony CDP-XB920

• DAT recorder
• Sony DVP-S 315
• Sony DVP-S 715

• Tape Deck:
• Sony TC-KA 6 ES
• Sony TC-KB 820 S
• Sony TC-KB 920 S

• MD Deck:
• Sony MDS-J 3000 ES
• Sony MDS-JB 920
• Sony MDS-JA 20 ES
• Sony MDS-JA 30 ES
• Sony MDS-JA 50 ES

• Digital Surround Processor
• Sony SDP-EP 90 ES

• Speakers:
• Sony SS-BG 30
• Sony SS-X 7

Pictures

• Picture: Sony CDP-XB 720

• Picture: Sony CDP-XB 720

• Excerpt from brochure: Sony CDP-XB 720, CDP-XB 920

• Excerpt from brochure: Sony Equipe series CDP-XB 720, MDS-JB 920, STR-DB 725

Reports

• Stereo 5/1999: sound 29%, price-performance 3 stars (excellent). "Complete equipment including CD text, CD-RW capable, metal front - respectable sound in filter position "2"."
• Stereoplay 3/1999: Stereoplay test verdict: very good. Sound very good, 47 points, test winner. "With the exception of a fixed-pickup drive, which noble players use to clamp the laser and move the disc above the light spot, the Sony has all the features of more expensive players. (...) In the listening test, the Sony quickly moved to the top of the test field: clean as a whistle in quiet passages, it didn't let itself get rattled even by loud levels. What's more, the sound was colourful, round and coherent. Most balanced in the filter setting "Standard". (Stereoplay 3/1999, p.47)

Audio 10/1998: good, upper class, 70 points, 3 ears.