How old is too old?

@jl35 and @winoguy17 +10

Mike

I’d say by 75 you might as well throw in the towel.

I golf with a guy who is 79. He shot 76 a few weeks ago, and still has plenty of good moving parts. I’d say he is good for a few years yet. 

I am using a 43 year old turntable that I managed to do maintenance on and am not a former tech. It's speed is right on. I am using a 25 year old CD player, purchased used, and only needed to clean the laser pickup. Since I stream music about 90% of the time, I can't imagine spending thousands on comparable, new decks. I recently became a septuagenarian and my moving parts are more compromised than the 20+ year old equipment I am using.

Take a look at used Esoteric SACD/CD players.  The transports are built to be indestructible - think the offspring of Patek Philippe and the Sherman tank.  I gave my 18 year old X-03 SE to an impecunious friend when I needed a DAC and I upgraded to a K-01.  This is now his single source component.

The electronic engineering is similarly excellent, the DACs in the K family are first class performers. The SQ is neutral to slightly analytical/revealing, no fake warmth.

There are several units listed on eBay but, caution, some are 230/240 volt Japanese market units.

PS.  Since others have wandered a bit off-topic, I am 81, I play golf almost every day in Summer and ski for a few hours every other day in Winter. Between seasons I play with building electronics and doing paper engineering for my wife who designs holiday cards for MoMA.  Year round I am webmaster and treasurer for the local historical society.  Age is not "just a number" but one can adjust to its effects.

I am hoping for quite a few more years of sports and audiophilia, though I may have to switch to more forgiving irons and softer skis and boots, and hyperacusis makes me very sensitive to hardness in the treble range.