2. digital
  3. 180916-10204

New transport or repair CD player

I have a 508.20 series Meridian CD player being used as a transport which has trouble reading CDs ("NO DISC" message) that it had no problem with in the past. I suspect the laser is dying.  The Meridian is a very well made player but to my ears sounds better being used as a transport into my external DAC.  The repair center in Georgia wants $500 to replace the laser mechanism.  A new transport such as the well regarded Audiolab 6000T is $600.  Seems to me it is worth getting the Audiolab or something similar rather than fixing the Meridian but not sure how they would compare sonically.  Plus, due to its age the drawer mechanism on the Meridian might become problematic in the not too distant future.  I need to keep it under $1000 otherwise I'd spring for one of the better transports such as Jays for example.  I suppose I could buy a new transport and if the sound isn't as good as the Meridian I could return it.  What would you do?

jc4659

Showing 2 responses by soix

soix
8,822 posts
 

Have you tried just cleaning the laser?  Probably at least worth a try.

soix
8,822 posts
 

Yeah, the Meridian owes you nothing at this point and could well fail going forward. If you wanna stick with a CD transport I’d get an Audiolab, Bel Canto, or Pro-Ject transport and either an Empirical Audio Syncho Mesh or Wyred4Sound Remedy if you can’t pony up for a Jay’s Audio transport.  But, honestly, I’d get an Innuos Zen Mk3 that you can load all your CDs into and have all your music available from one source in any order from your chair.  Plus you can stream with Qobuz and have worlds of new music at your fingertips, and much of it in hi-res u ain’t gonna get with a CD drive.  Also, many of your CDs are probably available on Qobuz so you may not even need to burn too many of your CDs into the Innuos.  I just no longer see the need for a CD transport these days — it’s like the buggy whip of the  21st century IMHO.  And, the biggest improvement by far as a long-time audiophile hasn’t been equipment, it’s been being able to find new music I would’ve never, ever heard but not for streaming.  Like many others, I rarely play my own CDs anymore because it’s infinitely more interesting to hear new music rather than listening to the same stuff over and over, as entertaining as that can be but has its limits.  Just my $0.02 FWIW.

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