lorne
Sonic Lizard
I agree with this too, even though older/vintage machines can fail. But as Kingshead says, and as I inferred above, TOTL vintage stuff can be an excellent investment. And again, as he says, if it fails in a few years, you've probably spent less than you would have spent buying cheap, new players with these admittedly good audio chip-sets. (I've had three die on me ... and not lasting much more than a year — if memory serves me.) Of course you can spend more and get more. But ....
Some time ago I trawled the net for info about audio disk players. I tried to get from under the voodoo and down to some bedrock. Now, there may be objections to this thesis, and I welcome any of it as it might pertain to the OP's question:
Transport can contribute to the big, nebulous bugaboo known as jitter. The more rigid, dampened, and mechanically accurate and precise the transport is, the better the reading of the disk. This was even part of the TOTL cassette players of another era — and I have one. The 'door' is activated via solenoids units, and when closed the cassette is not only locked in by the usual hardware, but held rigid by an additional, dampened, insulated enclosure. Was it a gimmick? Did it add anything to the quality of recording and playback. Well, I have no measurements, but this Akai machine has glazed-coated heads that are virtually indestructible. It's built like the proverbial tank. Recordings are the best I have ever heard and rival the iconic 'Nakamichi Dragon'. I do not think that Akai was trying to fool anyone with gimmicks.
And so I believe — despite my being without engineering training or an electronics maven — that precision transport is important. If you look at TOTL disk transports, they fall in line with the mechanical integrity I attributed to my Akai cassette machine. On the other hand, so many disk players are feeble bits of wobbly PVC pulled about by bits of nylon. How does this compare with a tray formed out of a metal casting dampened with a bitumen-like substance and driven on precision, lubricated tracks ... and a device for locking the disk firmly on the bed.
I guess I am repeating myself — but this time supporting Kingshead's assertion that old machines can last out much more than a season. And if it should fail later in the day, as he says, get another one. Some of them still have laser units available for them. As a guess, $100 should get you back in business. Buy a TOTL unit for cheap money and ... if you feel so inclined buy a modern DAC unit. The latter should last for as long as you want to use it. Mine is connected by a DIY, quality BNC cable/connector. IMHO — hi-end for cheap money!
Do the maths and see what you come up with. I think: older TOTL transports + modern DAC chips = cheap, hi-end audio.
To be sure the BluRay as well as the 'media wars' will offer something in addition to the RedBook CD — that's progress of a kind.
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