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SLOT LOADING CD MECHANISMS - DO THE DAMAGE CD'S?

Of recent, I have been considering the purchase of a new CD transport (no DAC). There are several that have caught my attention; - - one in particular is made by AUDIOLAB. The one factor that leaves me "hanging", conceptually speaking, is the fact that AUDIOLAB exclusively uses "slot loading" CD mechanisms.
I have owned a couple of good quality CD players employing this type mechanism, and in both cases, eventually discovered marring to the playing surface of the CD. I am fanatic about proper preservation of CD playing surfaces. I certainly don’t want more CD’s ending up in the garbage can. (and I don’t like polishing, making a bad situation, worse !)

In turn, I have read many articles and customer reports complaining of the same issue. I consider AUDIOLAB products to be of a quality and performance level that leaves me somewhat dumbfounded as to why they would employ the use of a questionable mechanism that has so many historic issues.
So, what have they done that would be any different than other companies using this concept? I can’t imagine that they would invest the R&D money to develop their own proprietary mechanism.
Anyone out there that can validify the credibility (or lack of) AUDIOLAB’S use of "slot loading ?. Direct experience would help the most.
128x128axpert

Showing 2 responses by axpert

axpert's avatar
axpert OP
124 posts
 
Thanks "FUZZTONE". I am aware of the PRO-JECT piece. Very interesting, but by the time I pair it up with a respectable performing high performance DAC, the total will be beyond my budget spectrum. The AUDIOLAB piece is an excellent performer in it's (my) price class.. But the loading mechanism issue lingers. The suggestion of making "throw away copies" is just not my style. Guess I am still hoping to hear from someone that has an AUDIOLAB transport. Nothing like "hands on" experience.
axpert's avatar
axpert OP
124 posts
 
As a "follow up" to my original post, I'd like to mention that since my original post, I made contact with customer service engineers at AUDIOLAB. (At least they were supposed to be). The responses I received back were cryptic to say the least. In turn, I can't honestly say that any plausible answers to my inquiries were forthcoming. I felt that they were just "dancing around the issue". That can only tell me one thing; - - - - - - - there is a lingering issue with slot loading mechanisms.
Some of you have pointed a finger at dirt and debris attaching itself to the the actual slot pads or, failing to insure that the CD being played was properly cleaned or at least, inspected before loading. This all makes perfect sense. especially when much of the reported damage took the form of "scuffs" as opposed to prominent scratches. I too do not proport having to make back-up copies so that the original can be preserved without flaw. I too, have several thousand discs. I have developed my own cleaning process that I have proven to myself, works better than all of expensive chemicals on the market (and I've tried them all). So taking that into consideration I would have to assume that what I am doing would pose a much lower "hazard" To the integrity of the disc surface.
BUT, nobody's perfect. One slip up and you might "drag" a particle of dirt or debris that will become imbedded in the slot window strips. So assuming that issue is a possibility, how does one inspect, or for that matter, clean those slot port strips that the CD's pass over. I agree with the gentleman that cited that he had too much invested in his collection to take that kind of risk. If there is even the slightest chance of damaging a disc, I just can't justify that.
Top loading mechanisms are my preference. The good ones are expensive and are currently out of my budget range. The REGA would be a good starting point. AYON would be my choice if I could justify the expense. 
I believe that AUDIOLAB has done some excellent research and development incorporated into the 6000cdt. They have addressed most of the historic issues associated with CD mechanisms and tracking accuracy. Was the slot loader a necessary compromise to keep costs down. ? I'd really like to see what they could do with a top loading mechanism, employed into the 6000CDT product. That could be something to really brag about.
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