On the positive side: A case study counterpoint argument to “bad” reliability : REGA ISIS / REGA ISIS VALVE cdp/dac
Those worried about the viability of the CD format and getting your player serviced in the future, fear not. Inside the owner’s manual, there is a signature from the technician that assembled your ISIS, another tech that QC’d the electrical and mechanical systems and the tech that tested and archived not one, but two spare laser units.
Component-parts-matching for the Isis is extremely selective so that Rega actually chooses three hand-matched sets of laser/lens assemblies for each unit; one set gets installed in the player you buy, while the other two are marked and held in reserve at the factory for use as spares should your player ever require them.
I think it’s safe to say that the ISIS will last longer than most of its owners and I appreciate this attention to detail, with CD transport mechanisms getting scarcer all the time
My personal experience:
I’ve had my REGA ISIS VALVE cdp/DAC now for a decade plus now, The only thing that I needed to repair or replace were the upgraded MULLARD NOS tubes that I had foolishly selected as a recent “upgrade” step, but somehow these NOS ka- Ching priced aftermarket replacements were an illusion that quickly flunked out. after a year+ use. Not my finest moment .
So I went back to the OEM units provided with no problems at all .
TAKEAWAY AGAIN:
1) Build quality matters.…big-time.. You get what you pay for.
When you remove this beefy 55-pound (25kg) CD player from the box, you know it’s high-end, reliable , and built to last with a lifetime bullet-proof spare parts plan in place,