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.
axpert

Showing 3 responses by fuzztone

Just invest in a top loader. Much fewer "wearing and breaking" parts. And no mechanism to blame for disc mishandling.
Your sanity is worth it
Not so. The Stream Unlimited Pro 8 drive is new from the ground up, top load. As found in the Gryphon Ethos. Yes Mr. pair of noid, there are parts available. This drive is soooo much better than my 4 year old NAD was. AND you don’t have to wait for the mechanism to respond. Or not.
It takes 5 seconds to load a disc and 3 more to read in the TOC.
Yes I listen to 90% files but most music sounds better on this CDT, with the same DAC.