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Post by André on Apr 28, 2024 10:13:14 GMT
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Post by dsjr on Apr 28, 2024 11:10:57 GMT
They got stung by Philips big-time, as did others in that period of the late 'Stage' models. Philips introduced a mech (an early triple beam type after the excellent CD-M9) that failed hugely and ceased production so machines that failed needed a different later mech (with driving circuit upgrades or similar). we had a mid level Stage machine which took six months to get a replacement mech (complete with driver circuit board) and it cost a huge amount which the owner was okay with. 'Sounded' great after, but I suspect Sony had masses of orders off the back of these failures as makers re-designed their model ranges. AVI nearly went under due to this (and the AVI players were very good if not as 'showy' as many were) as they never kept backup parts. their last 'Lab Series' Cd players were sold off with a spare mech supplied alongside 'just in case.'
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Post by André on Apr 28, 2024 11:45:10 GMT
QUAD CD players go for peanuts, the Philips mechs ive not looked into which they use tho. i think CD66 uses CDM9
btw: you can fix a STAGE with new mech i bought one its just the connector thats different
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Post by Westie on Apr 28, 2024 11:59:26 GMT
The 66 is a nice player and not a bad buy at the used price. I’d probably still have a Naim CD3 over one. Or a Meridian 208. Mind yiu,,it’s not a lot more to get a Sonneteer Byron and it’s a better player to my ears.
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Post by André on Apr 28, 2024 12:06:56 GMT
Theres a reason why they are cheap used. Lasers life span are the biggest down fall with players & im guessing the main reason people move away from them. Its the reason i do at least & why i play the safe card with SONY. Sounds crazy but i have a better chance of reliability with a 1st generation machine even though it's 40 years old than i have with a newish machine. One of my pet hates is un reliability & the reason i stay away from modern gear, people say its more reliable these days, like Fck it is. Exactly the same with cars, Every problem with modern cars is based around the central CPU even changing a battery in the key for central locking has to be re aligned with a start up. Sorry but i would sacrifice everything that modern equipment is suppose to be an improvement over for an old simple way of doing things. When you get CD players & amplifiers still working 40 years down the line without a single service its clearly evident that my argument stands up. I still have three amplifiers to service, theres is nothing wrong with them on listening but id rather service them all the same but they are 54 & 52 years old, never been serviced yet. Get a modern amp to last that long ill eat my shit & die
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Post by Westie on Apr 28, 2024 13:34:32 GMT
You just need to look inside kit to see that it’s been a downhill slide over the years. Those Denons that Dave mentions are very reliable too. The only issue with any of their models seems to be belts, but they weren’t hard to source the last time I replaced some in a 1520. Still probably not sufficiently heavily built for you, but a pretty safe bet given that they are cheap and plentiful.
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Post by André on Apr 28, 2024 14:11:45 GMT
You just need to look inside kit to see that it’s been a downhill slide over the years. Those Denons that Dave mentions are very reliable too. The only issue with any of their models seems to be belts, but they weren’t hard to source the last time I replaced some in a 1520. Still probably not sufficiently heavily built for you, but a pretty safe bet given that they are cheap and plentiful. Rubbers will fail in anything. The worse thing you can do is not use things for long periods. That Cassette deck i just bought is 49 years old, working technically helped by no shitty plastic cogs they started using later on in the 70's but the failed rubbers are stopping it fully functioning nothing else. It will however want a cap change when i service it but i do that to all stuff this old anyway, Electrolytics were never intended living that long.
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Post by dsjr on Apr 29, 2024 13:09:01 GMT
The 66 is a nice player and not a bad buy at the used price. I’d probably still have a Naim CD3 over one. Or a Meridian 208. Mind yiu,,it’s not a lot more to get a Sonneteer Byron and it’s a better player to my ears. CD3 - No power supply 'upgrade' for the ancient output circuit they used, the pucks often go flying inside the machine, all those tantalum caps coming to their natural end by now as well (they don't use so many these days) and the Meridian 208 changed a few times under the skin as well (every other batch seemed to have alterations)
That JVC player you have may well be a 'properly designed' and 'proper sounding' machine, rather than a cobbled/bodged up-for-audiophool type. Sorry, but when I was more of a subjective bod, I feel now I was lied to by all the 'in' makers.
The Linn Ikemi became a good machine towards the end of its life but our first dem one 'did' reverb, but in a flat plane between the speakers which the Karik III/Numerik III didn't. We sold one later on and directly compared it to our demonstrator and the difference in 3-D was definitely there, the later one having properly decaying reverb into the distance rather than just getting quieter.
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Post by Westie on Apr 29, 2024 17:08:53 GMT
I don’t know how the it is, but I’ve read more than once that the CD3.5 was deliberately “hobbled” to need a Flatcap in order to soun good. I have compared them as standalone unit a the 3 is definitely the better one to me. I’ve never had that puck problem but I guess a CD5 puck would sort it.
I now remember you mentioning the many changes in the 208. Was it the same with the 200 and/or 203? I know there were 3 main versions of the 203, but not sure if there were differences within that.
I have a feeling many of the differing experiences we all have may be down to sample variations. I know all too well how different Kans can be and you’ve told me about the B110 variability. Buying. Pair of Kans really is a lottery.
I need to do more listening to the JVC in it’s own right, without going back to other players. I know it’s not as good as the Sonneteeers, but that doesn’t tell me much about how good it is and what it’s own strengths are.
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Post by dsjr on May 2, 2024 7:57:57 GMT
I don’t know how the it is, but I’ve read more than once that the CD3.5 was deliberately “hobbled” to need a Flatcap in order to soun good. I have compared them as standalone unit a the 3 is definitely the better one to me. I’ve never had that puck problem but I guess a CD5 puck would sort it. I now remember you mentioning the many changes in the 208. Was it the same with the 200 and/or 203? I know there were 3 main versions of the 203, but not sure if there were differences within that. I have a feeling many of the differing experiences we all have may be down to sample variations. I know all too well how different Kans can be and you’ve told me about the B110 variability. Buying. Pair of Kans really is a lottery. I need to do more listening to the JVC in it’s own right, without going back to other players. I know it’s not as good as the Sonneteeers, but that doesn’t tell me much about how good it is and what it’s own strengths are. Meridian were notorious at one time for inbternally tweaking continuously and my dealer pal (we weren't selling the brand) was always moaning that whenever the rep called round, he was asked to change his dem stock as something-or-other had been changed (this in the latter 200 series era). After this, I heard two samples of the 506 on the same system and both sounded opposite, one warm toned and the other sharp and bright. We did sell Meridian after this before the G series arrived and they seemed to have settled down a bit - the 500 power amps especially were good by anyone's standards I felt.
I couldn't listen to any Kans for long as they have absoloutely no deep bass whatsoever and the upper mids were always a bit too 'projected' in the rooms I listened to them in. The screech did get much worse as KEF had to change the surround I believe and any speakers using this version of the driver had a nasty peak develop at 1.5kHz 'glare' frequencies - it totally ruined the already squeaky LS3/5A. Linn changed to the higher power version and 'flattened' the Kan (and did the same for the Sara 9 using the later version of the B200) and both speakers became incredibly coloured with a 'cupped hands' kind of 'awwww' sound.
You really ought to try some KBL 305 or even 308's but you'd need a preamp output and long interconnects. The lively and incredibly clear presentation these are supposed to have may well appeal and they're very cheap really.
The JVC may surprise you, thereagain it may not (I don't know it).
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