Theta reliability

Thanks people,
I am reconsidering the Theta, between your answers and the seller's non-answers to my questions I feel I must look at other options.
Thank you for your help.

I have a Theta Data Basic which is the non-universal transport based on the Phillips CDM-9 Pro assembly. I play on average about 7 hours of music a week and the rest of the time it is in standby mode. The unit is now 7 years old and still works fine. As with any player/transport I get a disk from time to time that it doesn't like but those are rare and usually can be solved by cleaning the disk. If the laser mechanism does go out it can be replaced, however the CDM9 Pro assemblies are no longer available and a CDM12 unit will be substituted. The CDM12 units from Phillips are not of the same quality as the CDM9 Pro's. I also have a Theta DAC that has been just as reliable. I understand that the CD/LD transport that was based on a Pioneer assembly did have some issues.

The Thata transports sound good but are notoriously unreliable. Eevn the newest carmen II was actually shipped out with a suspect chip which caused it to produce digital signal drop outs.

As a previous Theta Basic owner I can attest to their unreliability. I owned it for 8 yrs. and had it repaired 3 times(only once during warranty period). Drawer mechanism,laser,chip had to be replaced. Theta service was excellent. Fortunately I really liked the sound, especially the bass and PRAT. Had I known all this beforehand I probably would not have purchased the transport. I'm not trying to condemn the company as I really like their DAC's but you need to know the facts.

I owned a Theta Data Basic for about 8 years. It never gave me any problems despite heavy use. It was a great transport in my opinion. The only problem however is that the transport mechanism is no longer made so it cannot be replaced.