Is mi drive on Primare CD21 dead?

It's not a question of "if" but only a question of :when" the cdp fails.

You will need professional repairs assistance: get the PRIMARE distributor to identify an authorized repair facility. I would not send it to a non-recommended shop-- this is not a cheap chi-fi big-box store kit.

Prior post addendum: It ain't likely gonna be a cheap fix (assuming that it is out of warranty)

At $100/hr labor: invest the diagnostic time to have it PROPERLY assessed FIRST ~ 1 hour; and get a written repair estimate and then decide if the new parts and repair labor cost is a go or no-go.

The issue you described does not sound like a minor one so it can easily range in the multiple to mid hundreds depending on what failed

If it's a 10 year year old unit that was about $1500 new, its market value now -- even restored-- may not longer be worth your outlay cost to restore it -- (the warranty on a repaired item is usually very very short)-- and maybe its time to move on to a new cdp.

Tiofelon-

if you enjoy the Primare sound, check out the newest spinner CD32. It features a newly designed transport/laser assembly via Sanyo. Keep me posted & Happy Listening. =JA