Sony CDP-C260Z 5-Disc Carousel CD Changer w/ Optical Out
$125.00
Five discs on a carousel, and Disc Ex-Change lets you swap four of the trays while the fifth keeps playing. This one has confirmed CD-R playback, which a good number of changers this age simply cannot manage. High Density Linear Converter D/A inside, and an optical digital output if you would rather use your own converter. Good cosmetic condition; Level 1 serviced here.
1 in stock
Sony CDP-C260Z 5-Disc Carousel CD Changer w/ Optical Out, CD-R Compatible
A good-cosmetic-condition Sony CDP-C260Z 5-disc carousel CD changer — a flexible, reliable, late-1990s Sony multi-disc player with the genuinely useful and somewhat uncommon ability to play CD-R discs, plus Sony’s Disc Ex-Change feature, High Density Linear Converter D/A circuitry, and an optical digital output for connection to an external DAC.
The CDP-C260Z is a well-built example of Sony’s late-1990s carousel-style 5-disc changer, and it remains one of the most practical formats for anyone with a working CD collection: load five discs, choose any track on any disc, and let the player handle the rest. Sony’s Disc Ex-Change feature is the headline workflow advantage — four of the five disc trays can be swapped out while the fifth continues to play, allowing for genuinely uninterrupted listening sessions across as many discs as the listener cares to load.
The most important capability of this particular player for many buyers in 2026: confirmed CD-R playback. Many CD changers of this vintage cannot reliably read CD-R or CD-RW discs (the laser pickups and read-mode firmware were optimized for pressed commercial discs), and a player that handles CD-Rs cleanly is a genuinely uncommon and valuable find — especially for collectors who have years of home-burned compilations, archival rips, or out-of-print bootlegs that exist only on CD-R media. This unit has been bench-confirmed to play CD-Rs reliably.
Audio quality is genuinely strong for a player at this price point. The High Density Linear Converter D/A stage delivers a 98 dB dynamic range, 102 dB signal-to-noise ratio, and 0.0045% total harmonic distortion — specifications that hold up well even against considerably more expensive single-disc players, and that make the C260Z fully suitable as the primary CD source in any quality two-channel or home-theatre system. An optical digital output also allows the player to be used as a transport feeding an external DAC, bypassing the internal D/A entirely and letting any future DAC upgrade extract the most from the CD source.
Connectivity is straightforward: stereo RCA analogue line output, optical digital output, S-Link control input, second-CD-player input for daisy-chaining a second changer, and a switchable command-mode selector that allows up to three Sony CD players to be controlled by a single remote in a multi-player setup.
This particular unit is in good cosmetic condition, with the typical light handling marks consistent with careful use and no significant blemishes to the front panel, top, or sides.
This Sony CDP-C260Z has undergone our Level One service and testing which should ensure many more years of reliable performance ahead.
Product highlights:
5-disc carousel CD changer with Sony Disc Ex-Change
Confirmed CD-R compatible (uncommon for this class of player)
High Density Linear Converter D/A circuitry
Optical digital output for external DAC use
Sony KSS-213BA laser assembly (well-supported, reliable)
Multi-mode playback: continuous, shuffle, program, repeat
Music Scan, Fader, X-Fade No Delay
S-Link control input for Sony system integration
Switchable command mode for multi-player Sony setups
Specifications:
Type: 5-disc carousel CD changer
Disc format: CD (commercial), confirmed CD-R compatible
D/A converter: Sony High Density Linear Converter
CD mechanism: Sony KSS-213BA
Frequency response: 2 Hz – 20 kHz
Dynamic range: 98 dB
Signal-to-noise ratio: 102 dB
Total harmonic distortion: 0.0045%
Line output: 2 V
Digital output: Optical
Year of release: 1997
Condition: Good cosmetic, serviced
Dimensions (W x H x D): 16.9 x 4.7 x 15.2 inches (430 x 120 x 385 mm)
Weight: 11.9 lbs (5.4 kg)
A good-cosmetic-condition Sony CDP-C260Z 5-disc carousel CD changer with confirmed CD-R compatibility — a flexible, reliable, well-specified late-1990s multi-disc player that remains a genuinely practical, musically rewarding source component for anyone with a real working CD or CD-R collection.
Backed by Radique Audio’s Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and our Perpetual Trade-Back Program, you can purchase with confidence.
| Weight | 14 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 19.2 × 20.9 × 8.7 in |
Sony began in Tokyo in 1946, founded by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, and it helped bring the world the Walkman and the compact disc. We carry Sony stereo and AV receivers, CD players, cassette decks, amplifiers and speakers. We've had more than 220 Sony listings so far, covering more than 185 different models. Every used Sony here is inspected, tested and serviced as required, then photographed in-house and covered by our Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and Perpetual Trade-Back Program. Don't see the model you want? Tell us on First Dibs and we'll email you when one arrives.
Sony models we've sold more than once include the TC-K61 cassette deck, the CDP-CE305 and CDP-C335 CD players, the STR-DA5700ES AV receiver and the STR-4800SD stereo receiver.
The Sony story, 1946 to today
Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo ("Totsuko") in Tokyo in 1946, growing out of a radio repair business Ibuka had started the year before. The company was renamed Sony in 1958.
Tape and transistors. The G-model tape recorder of 1950 is described as Japan's first, and the TR-55 transistor radio of 1955 was the first Sony-branded product.
ES. Sony describes the TA-1120 integrated amplifier of 1965 as the first all-silicon-transistor stereo amplifier and dates its ES ("Elevated Standard") line from it.
Walkman and CD. The Walkman went on sale in Japan in July 1979. Sony worked with Philips on the compact disc, and Sony's CDP-101 was among the first CD players on sale in Japan in October 1982. Sony still makes ES AV receivers.
Which Sony is which?
STR receivers: stereo receivers from the late 1960s on, such as the STR-6120, and later AV receivers, including ES models.
TA amplifiers and ES separates: from the TA-1120 to the TA-E86 preamplifier and TA-N86 power amplifier (1978).
CDP CD players: from the CDP-101 (1982) and CDP-701ES (1983) to changers such as the CDP-CE305 and CDP-C335 we sell often.
TC tape decks: reel-to-reel recorders until 1985, and cassette decks such as the TC-K61 and the three-head TC-K777ES.
SS speakers: such as the SS-G7 floorstanders of 1978.
Buying used Sony: what to check
CD players. Open and close the drawer several times; hesitation can be an early sign of trouble. Laser pickups wear, skipping is a symptom, and tray belts age.
Cassette decks. Belts dry out and cause slipping or uneven playback, and worn heads dull the sound. Run fast-forward and rewind, and check Dolby.
Amplifiers and receivers. Noisy switches and dirty relay contacts cause many faults, and bias settings drift with age. On tuners, look for blown bulbs and broken dial cords.
Everything we list is inspected, tested and serviced as required here, and comes with our warranty.
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