Expensive CD players - worth it?

[walpurgis]

My Pioneer PD-S703 is between 30 to 32 years old and still operates flawlessly.

So does my old Pioneer PD-S505 Precision and I have a spare back-up. They sound fine as a stand alone player and work great as transports if I bung the Monarchy M22B DAC into the equation or the very worthy Musical Fidelity V-DAC. I also have the Trichord Research 'Digital Turntable' transport, which also uses a similar Pioneer mechanism. Had loads of other makes, but won't change now.

[Macca]

That's why I like buying from specialist one-man bands, such as Anthony (Tube Distinctions) and Croft (Glenn Croft), whose equipment can be fixed or serviced as long as they remain alive, and if necessary afterwards by any competent EE. Nothing in their designs is 'unobtanium'

Marco.

Valve amps are much simpler designs to begin with and usually point to point wiring so much easier to fix (for someone who knows what they're doing).

Most solid state amps don't use 'unobtainium' parts either but are usually more complex so can take a lot more time to find the fault and that's where the repair cost can mount up. Modern ones often use surface mount components which also makes life harder for the repairer.

[Macca]

After selling Mark Levinson Audio Systems to Madrigal, Levinson started a new audio company Cello, retaining Colangelo as designer. In turn Cello 'morphed' into Red Rose which, I believe, used a Chinese company to build the valve-based electronics. By this time Colangelo had left to start up his own company: Viola.
.

Oh yes, 'Red Rose' was what I listened to in NYC, not Madrigal. It was a quarter of a century ago now!

[Marco]

Valve amps are much simpler designs to begin with and usually point to point wiring so much easier to fix (for someone who knows what they're doing).

Most solid state amps don't use 'unobtainium' parts either but are usually more complex so can take a lot more time to find the fault and that's where the repair cost can mount up. Modern ones often use surface mount components which also makes life harder for the repairer.

All true, and another good reason to use valve amps!

Marco.

[CageyH]

Can younstill source good "power" valves at sensible prices?

[Marco]

So you're not one of those audiophiles that keeps 5 of everything in case they break down? [emoji23]

No, lol!

Nor a surplus of equipment to 'collect', some of which is broken... I have one of everything I need (save speakers and cartridges), and that's ample, until I decide to change - and I'm no box-swapper.

Marco.

[Marco]

Can younstill source good "power" valves at sensible prices?

Yes, KT88s, KT120s and 150s are readily available brand new at reasonable prices.

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Took the Marantz into Richer Sounds this morning. Bloke there is pretty confident the fault will be the belt, as you suggested I know you said they are about a fiver, but I wouldn't be confident messing with it. If they can sort it for the sixty quid I advanced I'll be ok with that.

An update on my Marantz CD player:

This morning Howie from the shop phoned to inform me that the player had been damaged by the courier, and by way of compensation, I could give them an extra £60 (bringing the total outlay to £120), and they will give me a brand-new CD6007 (the later version of my player, currently selling for £350 reduced from £400), complete with 5 year guarantee I didn't have to think too long about that offer, so the CDP should be with me Tuesday...

I was already a fan of Richers and their wonderful enthusiastic and motivated staff, this just piles on the goodwill

[Marco]

Richers are quality and show some snobby independent hi-fi dealers how it should be done!

Glad you got things sorted

Marco.

[Macca]

Good result. I've been using Richers for almost 40 years, never had a single bad experience.