Question: How does Yamaha PlayXchange differ from all other 5-disc changers that allow you to change discs while a CD remains playing?

Answer: transport design. Yamaha pioneered the first 5-disc CD Changer that combined the convenience of a changer with the performance of a single-disc player.

A number of years ago, when Yamaha considered the development of 5-disc CD changers, our engineers had some major reservations. And they had good reason to be skeptical, since 5-disc carousel changers were known to negatively impact CD player performance.

A CD carousel changer has a large tray or drawer that slides in and out to hold all five compact discs. The carousel tray transfers vibrations which seriously degrade the performance of the player. Although not the same, the problem is similar to that of acoustic feedback in a phonograph player.

Our engineers immediately went to work on a design with the convenience of a changer, but the audio performance of a single-disc player. The result: Yamaha PlayXchange.

The most important consideration might seem to be the ability to change four discs while the fifth continues playing. Many believe that all changers that have this feature are the same. But the core element of PlayXchange is a far more important element—the isolation of the disc that is playing.

The key benefit to Yamaha’s innovative design involves the way the playing disc is isolated from the tray. The superior isolation achieved with PlayXchange makes it perform like an audiophile-quality, single-disc player. The CD transport is mechanically separated from the rest of the chassis so that vibration and resonance do not affect playback. The playing disc is lifted off the tray by a magnetic clamp, suspending it away from the carousel assembly during playback.

The PlayXchange design is so unique that we have been granted a patent for its design.

This approach effectively allows the playback transport to function as a separate component. While the player may include a 5-disc carousel, there is actually a high-performance single-disc player hidden inside.