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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.
axpert

Showing 2 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 


You can't get away from it slot loaders are usually cheap Chinese made computer/car transports, and their laser are also, as the come as a complete package.
And it only takes one grain of dust on the insert bush wiper to put a fine scratch right across the cd.

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

Slot loaders are usually cheap Chinese transports so are their lasers, and are used in cars and computers.

Just look at what happens to your CD’s that were used in the car, the slot loaders do put many fine scratches across the CD’s.

Tray load or top load the better way for quality transports, and many are Philips, Sony, Teac, Sanyo etc etc

Cheers George
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