Sony released the first CD audio player on this day in 1982
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- Sony launched the world's first CD player, the CDP-101, on October 1, 1982, in Japan at a price of JPY 168,000 (about $1,060 then or $3,700 adjusted for inflation).
- The launch was limited to Japan because partner Philips was not ready; U.S. and European consumers had to wait until March 1983.
- The CDP-101 had a limitation: a single DAC for both audio channels caused a slight sync issue of approximately 11 microseconds.
- CDs offered advantages over vinyl and cassettes: no wear from laser reading, instant track selection, skipping, and replay, but adoption took years due to high player costs and limited album availability.
- Initial album support was 50 titles in Japan and only 16 for the worldwide launch; CDs became a hi-fi staple by the mid-1980s after prices dropped and DDD releases appeared.
- The CD-ROM-driven multimedia PC era began in the early to mid-1990s, building on the success of audio CDs.