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Is it a good idea to buy CD players over 10 years old even it is a reliable brand?

On cost consideration, I am planning to buy a 2nd hand CD Player like Accuphase DP 500 Player or Estoric X-05
which are around 10 years old or so.  The price is about US$2000~3000.  Of course, unlike amplifier, the CD player has a pick up head and mechanical gears, but even for the above brands which are famous for it's reliability, is it good idea to buy the quite aged CD players from them?

Tks. for the comment and opinion.
faust168
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,835 posts
 
I picked up a used Esoteric SACD player a few months ago...best buy I have ever made in audio!! The player is absolutely amazing sounding and easily beat out many other far newer designs. I was looking at a used Marantz at the time, also a very nice sounding piece, BUT the Marantz was not being supported anymore. So IF the transport or laser failed, I would have been out of luck with the Marantz. That is the main thing to consider IMO, when looking at an older digital piece.
kacomess
199 posts
 
I'm glad the topic of older CD players appeared here because a sentence from the current "Stereophile" review of the (very) costly Gryphon Ethos player caught my attention. Jason Victor Serinus quoted the company's sales director (Rune Skov) thusly: "That's why the lifespan for a Gryphon product can be 10-15 years." Disconcerting for a product at that price point, though the Gryphon rep didn't specify how many run hours that time period represents.


kcroyals
51 posts
 
I would not want to buy a 10 year old player. Especially if I don't know it's history. Even if parts are available, just seems like a PITA keeping it functioning. I, like many others, like looking around in used record shops. I spend alot of time in the CD area of the store. Currently, used CDs are cheap. Certainly cheaper than used vinyl(which I also still buy) I recently bought an Audiolab 6000cdt. It's attached to two different DACs, A cheap but lovely sounding Schiit Modi 3 with an AKM chip and my onboard ESS Sabre DAC that's in my preamp. I can toggle between the two depending on what material I'm playing. I've been very happy with the results.
bigkidz
3,312 posts
 

All good advice above.  Just like buying a used car, parts to repair are needed to fix them when something needs to be repaired.  Personally I have in the past year purchased a few high end CDPs. Got them so cheap that I don't care if they crap out in a year (won't be happy about it) but cheap to me is good.  They had issues and I am able to repair them if I need to and can find the parts, otherwise off to the recycle bin.  I only use them for transports and so far, the newer models just do not sound as good for what ever reason.  Granted the ones I purchased were big bucks when they were new.

So you have to be realistic with yourself when you are buying an older used piece of equipment.


Happy Listening.

jafant
18,802 posts
 
As above, those NAD cd players from the 1990's are still very good for RBCD.  Grab one while they are available.  Merry Christmas!
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