Disc Players

When does a change warrant a new model name? I wrote in my last 'Off The Leash' column how, back in the old days, a product like the Quad II might have a lifespan of years, or even decades. What isn't generally revealed is what happens during those long runs. Pick up any owner's manual and, at the back, you'll read how the maker reserves the right to alter the product without notification. That's what happened to the AR turntable and many of Quad's original models, as I learned when working on the reissue of the former and researching the latter.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the loss of a supplier, manufacturers may be forced to change parts. It might be as minor as a new paint source for the AR's top plate, or the demise of a component type; the latter plagued both Falcon Acoustics and Rogers when reviving the LS3/5a [HFN Dec '18 and Jul '19]. Most of the time, nothing is said about this, and it affects vintage car purism, watch collecting and other manufactured treasures. For the REF CD9 SE, a major cosmetic change and the updating of the USB input fits somewhere in between. At the very least, the SE suffix openly identifies the changes.