First of a Kind
by Venoth Nair
It’s quite common to find comfort in something familiar. This is after all human nature as we are drawn into things which have been tried, tested and have a reputation or somewhat. The same logic applies even in the world of Hi-Fi where tried and tested brands with an equally established popularity are usually the safe bets when it comes to performance and quality expectations. There are however rare instances where a new unknown element comes in and delivers a totally unexpected result. This is might be the case with the Pro KTV CD 63 and CD 99 compact disc players.
Pro KTV is a brand which as the name strongly suggests, is a Karaoke equipment manufacturer. With a prolific reputation in the Karaoke industry, it’s rather odd to see the company delve into the high-quality Hi-Fi CD player market. After all, the world of Karaoke and Hi-Fi are pretty far apart. Nonetheless, it’s worth checking these new spinners out, as they might surprise you with their performance.
Unbox the CD 63 and CD 99 from their packing cartons and suddenly you’re greeted with amazing high quality packaging which is usually associated with high end products from the hi-fi world. The units themselves are seriously weighty thanks in part to their all metal chassis which provides some serious isolation to the unit and the electronics inside.
The player is solidly built with large screws dotting the upper and lower panels. On the top right corner, we find (identically on both players) a little tinted window which reveals the 2 tubes used in the player design. The differences between the two players in terms of appearance are notable with the display which is the usual rectangle shaped display on the CD 63, whereas the CD 99 has a unique round display. Another key physical difference is the CD loading mechanise in which the CD 63 is a tray mechanism while the CD 99 is a top loading design.
On the rear the CD 63 has the usual complement of connectors with an RCA output with both an optical output and coaxial output. The CD 99 however has a little more to offer with a pair of XLR outputs to complement the RCA, as well as a USB type B input should you want to use the CD 99 as a DAC. This makes the CD 99 a little more flexible when it comes to inputs allowing for your digital media to be graced with the same sound quality as your CD collection as they go through the signal processing of the unit. Both players come complete with a remote which is also made completely of metal and allows for all the basic command and control functions needed to operate the units. A change of batteries however may be challenging as the back plate is held in place with six screws as opposed to a tool less lid.
On the inside both players come equipped with CS 4398 Digital to analogue converter chip which is paired to OPA 2604 Operational amplifier to provide a clean audio signal. The digital signal is handled by the Phillips SAA7824 Servo circuit before it goes to the DAC components. The converted signal is then passed through high quality vacuum tubes and this is where the two players are different. The CD 63 utilises 6N3 model tubes while the CD 99 uses the more premium 12 AX7 tubes. There are other electronic improvements also put in place for the CD 99 which justifies its more premium price and performance.
Overall the CD 63 and CD 99 compact disc players are a great first effort by a brand that usually prides itself in making YOU sound good. These are both respectably well-built and designed players that show a genuine focus on producing a high-quality audio output and definitely deserves a second look. The CD 63 and CD 99 retail for RM 2299 and RM 4299 respectively.
For further details contact:
Style Laser Audio Sdn Bhd.
Tel: 03 91003023
Alfred Lee at: 012 2222232
