August 19, 2026
#551
Gentle reader,
Most of you are aware that I have been in the home audio hobby for fifty years now. Thanks to the thrift stores, yard sales and eBay, I have bought, tried and passed on to others, HUNDREDS of components and speakers. I like vintage gear. But, like all things, the older they are, the likelier they are that they will break. That was the case with what I was listening to CDs on in the stack of components next to me.
Top image is of the box art. Lower one is Yamaha's own and was used by the seller on eBay. Retail price is $499.00US. The eBay seller wanted $359.00US. I pounced on it.
These images are courtesy of Yamaha.USA
Rear view.
And, coincidentally, it shows the CD-S303 with their A-S301, just like I have.
Also, coincidentally, Techmoan released a YouTube video the other day: “Just play your CDs in a Blu-ray player…” - YouTube Having watched that, I used his criteria to find a new CD player.
It was to replace one of the two Music CD recorders I had in the stack of components (which began years ago with all vintage Yamaha equipment) which sit inches from where I am typing this. This is what the stack looked like before replacement:
Note the new Yamaha A-S301 stereo integrated amplifier. It replaced the last vintage Yamaha component in the stack. What is on the VERY top is my EPSON Photo/Film flatbed scanner. Which, my standing over six feet tall, is the perfect height to work for me.
Geez, looking at this picture, I see it is a little jiggly. Photographing dark and/or shiny things is difficult. I used the flash, but image is what it is. The Philips CD recorder stopped working altogether. So, it was removed. The RCA unit atop of it still works but sometimes the music sounds...scratchy. I hope that it will still record CDs okay. The left disc drawer does not recognize that a disc is in place and thus, useless.
The Nakamichi 480 Cassette deck (above) was a $7.99 thrift store find! It still works perfectly and sounds amazing! I have all new belts for it, just in case. Above that is a SANGEAN HD Radio Tuner/Radio. One can listen to it with headphones as well as via a stereo system. It does not have speakers though, like earlier models I had tried.
I was an early adopter of HDRadio. It stands for Hybrid Digital, not High Definition. FM finally sound's like Steely Dan promised in their song, FM "Not static at all, FM!"
In fact, I added an HDRadio tuner as well as Sirius Satellite tuner to my 2000 Audi TT, many years ago.
I created a panel to hold them both. You can see the wire to the Cassette adaptor, in the factory AUDI stereo above.
Back in 2009, I had purchased a new HDRadio tuner from Best Buy, it bore their store brand name of Insignia, but was made by Sangean for them. It was not as nicely featured nor as sensitive as the SANGEAN I have now. See it below with the tiny BLUE screen.
It's the one right beneath the turntable. This was when we still had kids living at home. So, the stereo was in the living room. It had to comply with "Spouse-approval", thus the speakers were right next to the rack/shelf. I never know what to call that equipment-holding platform.
NONE of what you see above do I still have or use except for the Adcom ACE-515 power conditioners and the rack/shelf to which I added heavy duty casters to ease getting behind it.
Longtime readers have been introduced to every item you see here. The system, along with two more power amplifiers and eight highly efficient speakers and a whole lot more reside in the Listening Room.
The box was still factory sealed and this is what I found inside.
This is what is inside of the smaller brown cardboard box. None of that, except the power cord is being used. I don't need a remote since it is inches from me. Plus, I would not trust those cheap batteries or skinny RCA cables.
The box is ridiculously large for the size of the unit, but, I understand Yamaha's logic in having most boxes the same size regardless of what's inside it.
Released from the protective covering, it's an understated beauty.
The aforementioned build date of April, 2026.
Standard stereo RCA analog connectors plus coaxial digital and optical digital outputs.
And, now, the "After" picture. This one turned out much clearer and everything is turned on, except the scanner. The new CD player is less deep, front to rear than the PHILIPS CD recorder it replaced. But, deep enough for the RCA CD recorder's rear feet to firmly sit on it.
Fear not, the components are designed to be stacked. The heaviest, the integrated amplifier sits at the bottom of the stack, obviously.
The Yamaha CD-S303, of course, works perfectly. The music sound's fantastic and I don't have to wonder when it's going to develop a problem or stop working.
The fact that CDs, like LPs before, have become collectible again while many artists are putting out their music on both formats. Some, even on audio cassettes! "What's old is new again." Like long hair on guys.
And, that is I, in the middle, green sweater over khakis cargo pants. Still tall, far less hair on my head and now 70 years old.
That is I, along with Susan in 1974. I was a Senior in High School and she a Sophomore.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to read this rather long article. When I started this blog back in 2008, I had no idea that anyone would read it. As of this moment, I have 818769 readers and you are one of them. I am truly humbled.
Feel free to leave a Comment below or via Facebook.
Scott Robb
August 19, 2026
#551
