New transport or repair CD player
I have a 508.20 series Meridian CD player being used as a transport which has trouble reading CDs ("NO DISC" message) that it had no problem with in the past. I suspect the laser is dying. The Meridian is a very well made player but to my ears sounds better being used as a transport into my external DAC. The repair center in Georgia wants $500 to replace the laser mechanism. A new transport such as the well regarded Audiolab 6000T is $600. Seems to me it is worth getting the Audiolab or something similar rather than fixing the Meridian but not sure how they would compare sonically. Plus, due to its age the drawer mechanism on the Meridian might become problematic in the not too distant future. I need to keep it under $1000 otherwise I'd spring for one of the better transports such as Jays for example. I suppose I could buy a new transport and if the sound isn't as good as the Meridian I could return it. What would you do?
If best sound quality is your goal; one of the dedicated transports mentioned above probably is the way to go. If budget is the priority, then find another competent repair shop. $500 seems very expensive if it truly is a laser assembly swap out. Before any of that a little player maintenance as Kingsleuy suggested seems prudent if you were satisfied prior to the malfunction. |
Audiolab CDT6000 sounds very good, has IEC connector so you can upgrade power cord in the future. |
I sold my 508.24 earlier this year primarily because of its age and my fear that if it broke, it would be expensive to fix or impossible to fix due to the lack of parts. I spoke to my local Meridian dealer, and he advised against spending any money to repair such an old unit if it broke (but of course he wants to see me new stuff). I sold the 508 to The Music Room and they listed it for over $900. I recall seeing some other on-line classifieds for the 508 in that price range. In my case, I mostly stream, so I just bought an inexpensive CD player (that matches my integrated amp) and connected it to an external DAC. I think the practical answer is to just get a new transport if you are using an external DAC. If you like the looks of the 508 or have an emotional connection to it, it is a tougher call. I'm curious about what external DAC you are using, because I thought the 508 was pretty damn good as a stand-alone CD player, even by today's standards.
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@dinosore I am currently using the Musetec DA 005 DAC which replaced an Ayre Codex which was also very good. The Meridian player is still competitive! |
