shadow460's Blog - Big consoles need big features part 2

RSS Bot · December 14, 2009

And some have them. With the ability to play movies, CDs, games, even save your progress to a memory device, kick around PC files, and play karaoke, what more could one ask for? Oh, and it's got a headphone out jack, too. It also has optical output jacks, so that means it's not a Genesis. Besides, the Genesis ain't big even with the CD and the mushroom.

That leaves the PS2, right? lol, wrong.

Today I realized that I had never, ever, listened to any CDs on my LaserActive. I figured what the heck, you know a CD is just a tiny laserdisc without the video, so why not give one a spin? I listened at first through the small sound system I have hooked up to it, the I thought I might wanna try it straight off the LA unit itself. Unfortunately, the volume control on the headphone jack produces a TON of static when I adjust it. It needs to be cleaned like a paddle controller, I guess.

Sound? It's kinda "thick" if you ask me. I'm used to a crisp, clean treble response and it's definitely not here. Bass response is good, and everything sounds clear. It's not going to win any awards for "best CD player", but it does get the job done.

It has an option for CD-G, too.

I spun up the Columbia House release of "Open Up and Say Ahh!" by Poison, and I also spun up the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab disc of "Heart". I chose those two because I expect that they were both produced during the time the loudness war was beginning, but I expect an MSFL release to retain its full dynamic range. Right now, "Heart" is still playing on track 8, which is the remix of "Nothin' At All". The LA unit does not hide a little think sound and I almost daresay there's some tape hiss in there that its leaving intact. Of course, if you don't like tape hiss, you don't buy MSFL CDs, it's as simple as that. It really does sound like a new cassette being played in a well maintained, high quality tape deck with the Dolby B active. There's no distortion of any kind at all.

I wonder if the Sega pack has anything to do with the sound. I know it's awesome on Genesis games. I don't have a way to search discs without the Sega pack since I have no AAA batteries to power the standard remote that came with the LA.

One thing that surprised me is that with the Sega pack, a blue screen shows up while a CD plays. Without it, the screen is black.

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