upgrade rec from meridian 508.24

I have a 508.20 with the factory upgrade to 24-bit. I rarely used it for the past few years as I have been streaming and using a Meridian Director DAC (which sounds nearly identical to the 508, perhaps a tad better). This past Christmas, my wife was using it to play holiday CDs and I noticed it skipping a few times. I decided it was time to finally replace it, so I bought a Musical Fidelity M2SCD for $1,000. I didn’t want to spend a lot on a CDP because of how little I would use it, but I was pleasantly surprised at its sound. I plan to eventually buy a new DAC and will likely just use the new CDP as a transport.

I tried contacting The Repair Shop by email and via their repair form, but never received a reply. In the meantime, I put the 508 in my second system to see if I can replicate the skipping, and I cannot. It now seems to be playing okay. Go figure. Maybe it just needed to wake up after sitting idle for so long.

I need to decide whether to keep it or sell it.

I also like the Rega CD players and the functionality of the DAC in the Saturn-R. The current lower price CD player in the Rega line is the Apollo.

I had the Meridian 508.24 decades ago and recall enjoying it very much.

@lewdis I wanted to follow up on the meridian repair. I spoke with Mark at The Repair Shop and he thinks the laser needs to be replaced and I agree. The player has been showing "No Disc" with increasing frequency.  Estimated cost is $500 plus shipping which I'm not sure I want to do at this point.  When the player is working it sounds incredible.  I am currently using it as a transport in the following configuration: Optical output via a Lifatec glass cable to Wyred4Sound Remedy reclocker, then digital coax output to my new Musetec DA-005 DAC.  It is so smooth, musical, black background, incredibly deep and wide soundstage that I hate risk losing what I have going.  I was contemplating getting the AudioLab 6000CDT but will wait until my Meridian totally craps out and then decide.  The laser replacement is not the same as the original I was told.  What did you end up doing?

@lewdis It's been over a week and no reply from the repair shop when I used the contact form on their website.  I will need to call.  Please let me know if you've made any progress.

also JC please update the repair shop results on your player when known. ty

Thanks for the comments.

Hoosier: haven't reached out recently but I think I will now and update here on results.

jason and reubert: thanks I'll check out reviews

I owned a 508.24 years ago. Nice player. I've also owned lots of other similarly priced players. For the last 3 years I've been using a Rega Saturn-R and I've had no interest in replacing/upgrading it. It is a fantastic CD player. It is actually a CD Transport and seperate DAC built into a standard CD player sized enclosure. It is also top-loading, so it has a simplified mechanical system. If you even have any other digital sources, you can connect them to/through the DAC in the Saturn-R. I have an inexpensive Raspberry Pi based music server connected via USB to my Rega Saturn-R and the Rega's DAC does a really good job. I also have a BlueTooth receiver connected via toslink optical digital cable to the Rega and it also works/sounds great. You may not need the DAC functionality, but it's nice to be there, just in case and it does not detract, in any way, from the operation/functionality of the Saturn-R as just a stand-alone CD player.

I purchased mine used for $1500 three years ago. They are still a current production player for Rega ($2999 MSRP) and they still sell for about $1500 used (+/- $200).

The new Rega Planet supposedly a similar house sound to the Saturn-R, with just a little less sonic goodness at a much lower price.

Emotiva for $600 is an easy recommendation! Why pay more?

You've got my attention since mine (508.20 factory upgraded to 508.24) has been acting up as of late. I bought a new DAC and only use mine as a transport.  Sometimes the buttons don't work, the sled comes out only halfway, and intermittent inability to read discs.  It has not died yet but is moribund.  I loved it's sound and build quality but one of these days it will crap out.  I am waiting to hear back from the Repair Shop.  My guess is that it is not worth fixing.

I love the Meridian cd player sound and actually have 2 of the 508/24 that aren't working.  I have a 508/20 that sounds even better, to me, than the 24.  Can't explain that one.  I believe you will be hard pressed to find a cd player that does as good or better for the money, just my opinion.  Especially under $1,500. 

I need to reach out to these guys and see about getting mine repaired, if possible.  Don't know if you have already tried?? If you have, I'm curious what feedback you got. 

https://www.the-repair-shop.com/meridian