RADAR is a price search engine. We link to the original listing — we never sell direct. Transactions happen on the source site.
*US* BUYERS IGNORE MESSAGE ABOVE SAYING THERE IS TARIFFS FOR THE BUYER THAT IS NOT TRUE! I PREPAY ALL US BUYER TARIFFS NO TARIFFS FOR YOU TO PAY, YOU PAY IS ONLY AT CHECKOUT NO HIDDEN FEES*The Vintage Magnavox CDB 480 CD Player is a rare and highly sought-after piece of consumer electronics. This high-fidelity CD player features a sleek black color and a headphone jack for added convenience. With the ability to play one CD at a time and audio outputs for both headphones and stereo RCA outputs, this Magnavox CD player offers a unique and versatile listening experience. Perfect for audiophiles looking to add a classic touch to their home audio setup.
Compared with the obvious alternative at this price point—a newer generic CD player—you’re paying collector-adjacent money here, and US$186 looks high for a standard used Magnavox CDB480 unless it’s exceptionally clean, fully working, and comes with extras. The few available market signals for vintage Magnavox CD players point more toward roughly US$30–US$100 in ordinary used trade, with the upper end usually reserved for especially nice or sought-after examples.
What makes it worth considering is the appeal of a late-’80s Magnavox player: solid build, old-school transport feel, and a bit of vintage charm that many buyers want for a secondary system. If it’s original-owner, unmodified, and includes the remote/manual, that adds real value; otherwise, at this ask, I’d want strong proof of laser, drawer, and disc-read health before jumping.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Magnavox traces its origins to 1911 in Napa, California, where inventors Peter L. Jensen and Edwin Pridham, operating initially as the Commercial Wireless and Development Company, pioneered the world's first moving-coil loudspeaker in 1915. Named Magnavox—Latin for "Great Voice"—this breakthrough allowed a single human voice to reach an entire town, marking a pivotal moment in audio history. The company formalized in 1917 after merging with Sonora Phonograph Distributing, evolving through innovations like the first all-electric tone arm in 1916 and single-dial radio in 1923, under leaders such as Frank Freimann during its mid-century "glory years."
Historically focused on loudspeakers and pioneering consumer electronics, Magnavox expanded into phonographs, radios, televisions, and phono/filmstrip projectors like the Illustravox. Its legacy includes the 1972 Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console, alongside early plasma displays and Navy-grade speakers. Today, under Curtis International Ltd. since 2025, it emphasizes budget-friendly home appliances and electronics, though specific modern hi-fi categories like amplifiers, turntables, or DACs remain less prominently detailed.
Magnavox holds a revered position as a vintage pioneer in American audio, celebrated by collectors for its foundational loudspeaker patents and mid-20th-century dominance in TVs and radios from Fort Wayne, Indiana plants. No longer a high-end or boutique contender, it occupies mid-tier, accessible territory in today's market, its innovative heritage preserved by dedicated associations while evoking nostalgia for hi-fi enthusiasts.
See all Magnavox listings on RADAR.
