The original PlayStation needs no introduction, but there’s a detail that often goes unnoticed among users: the exact number of revisions the console went through. In our minds, the PlayStation 1 is split between the classic “gray rectangle” and the white PS One model that appeared much later. Recently, Imgur user “DivOveR” shared the unboxing of his PlayStation 1 that still has the security seals, and as if that weren’t enough, it’s one of the most sought-after models among audio enthusiasts…
If you have an original PlayStation nearby but know nothing about its origins, it’s likely it received one of these mods over the years: the “modchip” to play copies, a power supply swap, or a complete lens replacement (more than once, I imagine). However, there’s another line to follow in its story: audio. Imgur user “DivOveR” managed to get a PlayStation 1 in its box with the security seals intact, and it includes a very interesting extra: exclusive audio outputs.
The PlayStation 1 as a HiFi audio player
This all goes back to a review published on the 6moons.com portal in April 2007. There, the PlayStation 1 SCPH-1001 is recognized as “an out-of-the-ordinary digital music front end” and a “much-loved giant killer” in the underground HiFi audio circuit.
Another article published by NBC News in November 2006 points in the same direction, speaking of a “second life” for the console as a dedicated player. The presence of RCA outputs not only allows audiophiles to experiment with their own cables, but also to combine the virtues of Sony’s “HiFi hardware” with alternative equipment.
Now, I imagine there’s a significant amount of “hype” associated with the PlayStation 1 as a HiFi CD player, but there are two points we can’t ignore: it must be one of the first models (the SCPH-1002 we see here is basically the SCPH-1001 for PAL regions), and it must still have its original lens.
The market is full of clones with questionable quality, and it’s likely the factory lens is no longer part of the console. “DivOveR” has an advantage in this case, but I suppose there’s nothing lost in testing on other units…
Access the gallery on Imgur: Click here
