Audio: IT WASN'T JUST THE CHARIOTS THAT WERE BURNING! by Tony Magee

In December 1982, I was working at Kent HiFi Canberra, aged 22, and the owner Rudi Langeveld flew to Japan and brought back a Sony CDP-101 Compact Disc player (the world's first CD player) so we could generate interest prior to the Australian release (June 1983), by hosting after-hours demonstrations for the listening public in our shop.

Sony CDP-101, world's first CD player

This went well and there was enormous interest, although a great deal of scepticism from some quarters as well. One such group was the Canberra Audio Society who invited us to demonstrate the new digital wonder machine to them at a private house, to which Rudi agreed. Myself and one other staff member (also named Tony) went along with the player and found about 20 guys, all audio enthusiasts, in a lounge room ready to listen and either be amazed or tear it to shreds. Pitched against our Sony deck was a Sota Sapphire turntable with a comparable arm and cartridge - perhaps a pinnacle of analogue LP record playback equipment of the time and probably still is. The contest was on and the room fell silent as we compared the Chariots of Fire soundtrack on both LP and CD.

The person in charge of switching machines and adjusting volume etc did so on multiple occasions and each time the function switch was changed, various cries of delight or scorn could be heard. The volume was turned down and then up again at each change.

Then, later in the evening, a change was initiated once again, or so we thought, with people saying "oh yes, the highs are very clinical on the CD", or "greater depth of bass there" and a myriad of other audio observations, when the operator suddenly announced that he hadn't changed anything and that both previous times it had been the LP record.

Pandemonium erupted, as many people suddenly felt cheated and betrayed - their golden ears had failed them! I really thought things were going to turn violent, so we packed up our Sony CDP-101 and bid them all adieu.

As it turns out, things are coming into full circle 36 years later and vinyl has made a triumphant return. I must admit, that I gain enormous pleasure from spinning records, but for convenience, most of the time, my hand reaches for a CD.

BTW, that first Sony machine retailed for AU$1,300 in 1983. Oh, and the world’s first commercially available CD was Billy Joel 52nd Street!