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SLOT LOADING CD MECHANISMS - DO THE DAMAGE CD'S?

Of recent, I have been considering the purchase of a new CD transport (no DAC). There are several that have caught my attention; - - one in particular is made by AUDIOLAB. The one factor that leaves me "hanging", conceptually speaking, is the fact that AUDIOLAB exclusively uses "slot loading" CD mechanisms.
I have owned a couple of good quality CD players employing this type mechanism, and in both cases, eventually discovered marring to the playing surface of the CD. I am fanatic about proper preservation of CD playing surfaces. I certainly don’t want more CD’s ending up in the garbage can. (and I don’t like polishing, making a bad situation, worse !)

In turn, I have read many articles and customer reports complaining of the same issue. I consider AUDIOLAB products to be of a quality and performance level that leaves me somewhat dumbfounded as to why they would employ the use of a questionable mechanism that has so many historic issues.
So, what have they done that would be any different than other companies using this concept? I can’t imagine that they would invest the R&D money to develop their own proprietary mechanism.
Anyone out there that can validify the credibility (or lack of) AUDIOLAB’S use of "slot loading ?. Direct experience would help the most.
128x128axpert
bhagwanh's avatar
bhagwanh
4 posts
 
Greetings from the UK!

I am in the position to own the Audiolab 8300 cd player with its slot loading mechanism and have no problems at all. This is also the case with my Honda Jazz which has the same tech.

As my dear mother says to me if you started today to play all the cds you own you'd be dead before you finished.

Here is a link to Audiolab UK. They will be very helpful get in touch.  Jan Ertner is the designer message him on instagram.

Hope this helps

BhagwanH
bob540
407 posts
 
I bought the Audiolab 6000CDT a few months ago, after doing a bit of research on-line.  The reviews were good and I saw no concerns expressed regarding the slot loading mechanism.  The only other slot loader I have used is in my Honda and, yes, that slot loader can and does scratch CD’s.  

I have not had any problems so far with damage to my discs with the Audiolab.  The regular price of the Audiolab 6000CDT is $550, but I got mine for $100 off and couldn’t pass up that deal.
richdirector's avatar
richdirector
269 posts
 
I bought a project rs2... Beyond superb. Rather unbelievably the cd layer of a hybrid SACD sounds better of the rs2 than the sacd layer sounds on my Arcam SACD.

I'm hitting charity shops buying cds for less than £1... 
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 
You cannot damage a CD - perfect sound forever.
They told us that in 1984.
deralte
33 posts
 
I bought the AUDIOLAB 6000cdt a few moths ago and I am very pleased with it. Sounds much better than the CAMBRIDGE CXC i had before.
The slot loader is from JVC. Never noticed any scratches on my cd's. Nearly the same player is also available under the LEAK (cdt) brand from the same manufacturer. The only disadvantage for me is that there is no RANDOM function on the AUDIOLAB. 
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