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CD Players

RexIsInMinn

RexIsInMinn

New Member
My Pioneer cd player, PD 5030 (1987), is giving me grief. It frequently will not respond once I push any button, and the laser doesn't always want to read (acting like it's dirty). So I decided over the weekend to do some shopping on Ebay. The selection is bewildering, even in the price range I'm considering of $300 or less.

I decided to buy an inexpensive Technics (and an extended service warranty) with the hope it would last long enough for me to have my Pioneer serviced. I've found a local service tech who is willing to work on it, but I wonder if I'll be throwing my money away. I don't mind paying for good work but I don't want to be stupid either.

What are your thoughts? Should I cut my losses and go with a higher-end vintage Yamaha (such as the Natural Sound line) or do you think once I invest $150 in the Pioneer I'll be good to go again? Here's the thing: I like the display on my Pioneer with the macro letters in orange on the black background. So that's a big consideration for me. Looking for opinions and ideas.
 
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Most of the time, Buttons need Deoxit D100 cleaning, Optical need Alcohol cleaning, and Mechanisms need cleaning and lubing with White Lithium Grease (Tube)

Maybe easy to fix.

Image of an extended cleaning of the optical, under the top lens, (but most of the time, no need to go as far)
http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TRANSPORT/laser/Laserology.html
http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TRANSPORT/laser/Laserology.html
Sometimes I lurk on for some AS-IS good quality CD Players on the cheap just thinking I could fix it, but I have less and less use for a CD player.
 
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Thats what I do with my DVD/CD/SACD player. A little cleaning and light lube and she is as good as new. The CD/SACD player hasn't given me any issues yet. But I am prepared.
 
The biggest problem is obsolescence. I have a Yamaha DVD-CX1 which is an amazing CD player. Pieces parts are gone. I've got a backup to cannibalize and the last laser assembly from factory inventory. From there, it's going to have to be cheap players into a DAC. But right now, it's 25 lbs of sweetness.
 
mroboto said:
Most of the time, Buttons need Deoxit D100 cleaning, Optical need Alcohol cleaning, and Mechanisms need cleaning and lubing with White Lithium Grease (Tube)

Maybe easy to fix.

Image of an extended cleaning of the optical, under the top lens, (but most of the time, no need to go as far)
http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TRANSPORT/laser/Laserology.html
Sometimes I lurk on for some AS-IS good quality CD Players on the cheap just thinking I could fix it, but I have less and less use for a CD player.
Click to expand...
With the Detoxit, is that something I can spray once I open the housing? I'll take a look at the link, thanks!
 
Up until early last year I had a Pillips 6 disc cartridge CDP rebranded Realistic that was also branded Marantz. All three brands were the same exact CDP.
It was my favorite. It just sounded so good. I bought it new for my mother all those years ago and was used almost daily by her. She had bought a dozen or so cartridges she would load up with disc's. I wound up with it in 2011 and used it as my main CDP until last year when it finely died. I couldn't complain though.
It worked perfectly without any maintenance all that time. I tried cleaning the Laser lens, clean and lube it, clean the controls, etc. But nothing brought it back.
I wound up buying a new Teac that works well. I haven't had much luck buying used CDP's from theft stores myself. So I just bought a simple and new single disc CDP.
 
Keep and enjoy the Technics. Digital gear is supposed to sound exactly the same. I've had at least 5 CD players not counting computers, and they all did.

I am currently using a $30 Sony CD/DVD player from eBay because it would fit on top of the receiver next to the Bluetooth receiver. It sounds wonderful just like my pricey players, because, you know, digital.
 
A few years ago, used CD players were plentiful and cheap, like under $10, and I wound up with a bunch of them. My focus was Philips, NAD and Luxman.

Near to when the format was introduced, I bought the NEC CD-803 store demo from the shop I worked at. It lasted a couple of years then crapped out. At that time, there was no tech in the country (Canada) that could work on them so into the closet, then garden shed, then recyclers it went. I bought a brand new HK HD-7600 which I still have but it's been packed away in it's box for a number of years.

I then got a used Rega when they were a hyped brand. It sounded OK, not startlingly so, but being a top loader, it was awkward to position so it got sold. The old Philips and NAD's sounded good too so that's what I primarily stuck with. I kept one each of those plus the HK I mentioned. The player that's seen the most use here is a NAD 5100 I brought back from the dead. Other than "because I can", I've had no reason to swap it out.

With CD players and old audio gear in general, being sold for the prices they get, if you like the Pioneer and are accustomed to it, a $150 fix would be acceptable. At least to me.

I picked up a 12" (medium), four topping pizza from a local joint a couple of weeks ago and it was $26. So for the cost of 6 pizzas, you get your CD player fixed.
 
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I've had great luck with Sony decks, these all retailed for $1000 or more, I paid no more than $80 for any of them. Doesn't hurt that they also have great SQ along with their outstanding reliability.

DVP NS900V
sony900v.gif
I have two both in black, my favorite although they all sound equally great.

DVP NS999ES
x158dvp999s-f_LD.jpeg
Mine is silver just as pictured, looks great with my silver faced Kenny gear

DVP CX777ES
x158DVPX777-f.jpeg
Paid $63, needed belts, $12, easily replaced it's so cavernous inside. Absolutely reliable going on 6yrs now.

All are SACD capable players if that matters, and prices have gone up since I purchased these 6yrs ago.
 
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These are all very handsome machines but I don't like their display. My old Pioneer has the larger style numerals in orange and I love that, to me that's worth the price of admission right there. That's probably why I'll use the Technics until I can get the Pioneer fixed properly. Virtually all of the new ones I looked at have a blue readout and are harder to see, more micro. I'm accustomed to the more "macro" display of the Pioneer, nice 'n basic.
 
Wondering if those CD Cleaner Discs actually work. I've used them sporadically for a number of years for both CD and DVD and wonder if they just move the dirt around. How do they actually work?
 
RexIsInMinn said:
These are all very handsome machines but I don't like their display. My old Pioneer has the larger style numerals in orange and I love that, to me that's worth the price of admission right there. That's probably why I'll use the Technics until I can get the Pioneer fixed properly. Virtually all of the new ones I looked at have a blue readout and are harder to see, more micro. I'm accustomed to the more "macro" display of the Pioneer, nice 'n basic.
Click to expand...

The displays can be shut off for superior SQ, the same for the video components of the decks.
 
Sgt Shultz said:
I've had great luck with Sony decks, these all retailed for $1000 or more, I paid no more than $80 for any of them. Doesn't hurt that they also have great SQ along with their outstanding reliability.

DVP NS900V
View attachment 2799674
I have two both in black, my favorite although they all sound equally great.

DVP NS999ES
View attachment 2799675
Mine is silver just as pictured, looks great with my silver faced Kenny gear

DVP CX777ES
View attachment 2799673
Paid $63, needed belts, $12, easily replaced it's so cavernous inside. Absolutely reliable going on 6yrs now.

All are SACD capable players if that matters, and prices have gone up since I purchased these 6yrs ago.
Click to expand...
I would jump on one of these but NEVER see any of this quality. Mostly carosell players around me
 
Any time I see a vintage "single spin" CD player for $30 or less, I buy it.

I have a stock pile of almost a dozen in case the one I'm using bites the dust.

It's fun to rotate them in and out, too.

I have taken to bringing a set of headphones and a 1/8 to 1/4 adapter with me on thrifting excursions, to weed out the ones that don't work.

Usually the same store has a bunch of CDs I can test with.

If I don't have those, or the deck has no phones output, I make sure it reads the index, and then I carefully watch the counter on play.
 
RexIsInMinn said:
With the Detoxit, is that something I can spray once I open the housing? I'll take a look at the link, thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes, DeoxIt D100 or D5 (less concentrate) should reach the contacts inside the buttons.

And you should push repeatedly the buttons while DeoxIt works the electric contacts.
 
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BillyTheKid said:
It's all in the DAC, I guess
Click to expand...

I don't want to get into another version of cable wars here but I've had Panasonic, Technics, Onkyo, Sony, and Pioneer CD players and they are indistinguishable from each other for me. It's just my opinion, but they are so cheap nowadays used that I would not consider rehabbing one. (I made an exception for one Panasonic combo DVD/CD/VHS tape unit because I wanted to play archived videotapes.)

DACs too are supposed to sound the same. Most modern ones even use one of the same 2 lines of mass market ICs. I guess some feel they can hear differences but whatever they are if any, they are inaudible to me. More power to you if you can hear between those zeroes and ones...

The only digital sources that are noticeably inferior to my ears are Bluetooth and mobile phone sources. I suspect preamps are the problem with both of those.
 
C Hart said:
I don't want to get into another version of cable wars here but I've had Panasonic, Technics, Onkyo, Sony, and Pioneer CD players and they are indistinguishable from each other for me. It's just my opinion, but they are so cheap nowadays used that I would not consider rehabbing one. (I made an exception for one Panasonic combo DVD/CD/VHS tape unit because I wanted to play archived videotapes.)

DACs too are supposed to sound the same. Most modern ones even use one of the same 2 lines of mass market ICs. I guess some feel they can hear differences but whatever they are if any, they are inaudible to me. More power to you if you can hear between those zeroes and ones...

The only digital sources that are noticeably inferior to my ears are Bluetooth and mobile phone sources. I suspect preamps are the problem with both of those.
Click to expand...

I think you just contradicted yourself. :)
 
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