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2-Part Help Needed

I’m hoping this august audiophile community can help me. 

For many years now, I’ve really enjoyed listening to music portrayed from my PrimaLuna Prologue Classic CD player (not the earlier Prologue Eight) through a PrimaLuna Dialogue HP Premium integrated amp and Joseph Audio (pre-graphene) speakers. It offers a subtly unique sound that I enjoy as much as I do music from streaming (Rose 150b) or analogue (Linn Sondek LP12). 

 

Unfortunately, the CD player failed last week. It loads a CD, reads it, and displays number of tracks & total play time; but will not play any tracks. 

 

I contacted Upscale Audio (The PrimaLuna US distributor) for advice on how to repair my beloved CD player. Unfortunately, they were unable to help me saying they no longer repaired this vintage ~2012 CD player and specifically “We are unaware of a shop to recommend. The reason we stopped was because the Laser Mechanism was hard to get, and sometimes the repair didn't last.”

 

1st Help Needed: Can anyone recommend a repair path forward, repair shop point of contact, etc…? I really don’t want to have an expensive 25 lb boat anchor.  

 

Feel free to stop reading here if you don’t want to go down the rabbit hole with me if Help Needed #1 doesn’t bear fruit. 

 

2nd Help Needed:  This is a path I really don’t want to go down and one I hesitate to even ask because it opens 3 cans of worms!  If there is no practical way on gods green earth the repair my current CD player; what would be a good current production affordable replacement CD player?

   - Can of worms #1:  should I just buy a CD transport and use the Rose 150b DAC or an all in one player/DAC?

   - Can of worms #2: I’m going to the upcoming Axpona after which I plan to replace my PrimaLuna integrated amp. Right now the leading candidate is to replace with a Pass Labs INT-60 integrated to take advantage of its 30 w/ch Class A bias and high (compared to the Primaluna amp) damping factor to achieve a more natural sound, note attack/decay, and tighter bass. 

   - Can of Worms #3:  Budget!!  I will already be stretching a retirees budget (and wife’s loving support of my audio obsession) to purchase a new/used integrated amp. Buying a CD player was not in the plan so if I do need to go down this path, I need to make a very cost effective purchase. Used is perfectly ok. 
 

Thank you in advance for any advise you are willing to share (especially in regards to Help Needed #1. 

ezstreams
ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,425 posts
 

CD transport replacements are a problem. I recommend leaving that old technology behind and just going forward with streaming. You can achieve the same or better sound quality than your streamer (or vinyl for that matter) with streaming. I would not spend any more money on that old tech. Think sunk cost of your CDs. For $12 / month you can access millions of albums and hundreds of thousands at higher resolution than red book CD.

I can highly recommend the Pass Integrateds. In the last few years their Rhythm and Pace has gotten much better... they are really starting to sound good. I am an Audio Research fan, so I would get a I/70 but, the Pass is a great integrated. 

Rose makes pretty good Streamer / DACs. I would look at and Aurrender Streamer and a stand alone DAC... or a Aurrender Streamer/DAC

elliottbnewcombjr
7,729 posts
 

Buy yourself this great sounding CD Changer for $300. (you verify the seller). Crutchfield sells it new for more. You won't believe how lucky you got.

https://www.electronicsexpo.com/products/integra-premium-6-disc-cd-carousel-changer-cdc-3-4?variant=45034315186351&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21949389503&gbraid=0AAAAACoSTmE8FDT_3TWhZdfddNUY3VAgI&gclid=CjwKCAiAkvDMBhBMEiwAnUA9BaaH3c0IJfSJ0tmMV4WOTpd38GlDDh9-lbVlfPKxbwnXIxJehfnfmBoCKJYQAvD_BwE

 

I went thru 9 different players until I found it. t's only limitation is it does not play SACD, so I moved it to another system and got a Sony xa5400ES CD/SACD for my main system.

ezstreams OP
80 posts
 

Thank you for your thoughts @ghdprentice. I do have a modest $ investment in my CD collection, but more importantly, I’ve collected a complete set of personally autographed CDs from one of my favorite jazz guitarists. I also enjoy the nuanced music production from CDs vs. streaming the same songs. The Pass INT-60 in my budget range will be used (likely from TMR and offset by trading in some of my equipment like the Primaluna integrated). I would love to get into AR, but with the I/70 being a new product, it will be a while before they hit the used market in my price range; and the I/50 is somewhat under powered for my 84 dB sensitive speakers. 
I hear you @elliottbnewcombjr.  I’m curious what other CD players you auditioned before selecting the Integra and why it won out?  
If I do have to replace the tubed Primaluna CD players, Can I get a similar organically rich natural sound from a solid state amp like the Pass Labs INT-60 in combination with a solid state CD player?  A quick internet search indicates buying another tube based CD player will be very pricey. I guess I could consider getting a tube buffer in combo with a solid state CD player. 
That’s one thing I both love and hate about this hobby/obsession, so many trade-offs and choices in pursuit of music that pleases the senses. 

devinplombier
1,656 posts
 

@ezstreams 

Your player correctly reads the TOC. Question: when you press Play, does the time counter start counting but there's no sound? Or does nothing happen at all? 

Generally I would only recommend a CD changer if you have a specific use for it. Otherwise the extra complexity isn't worth it.

 

rocray's avatar
rocray
1,542 posts
 

If you currently have some spare cash, buy yourself a used player to get yourself more time to explore options.  By doing this,you get to listen to your collection,and not feel pressured into a situation where you sink big money into something that you may regret.( Not that a Pass int. Would be a bad idea) Also,sell the band aid player when you are done. 

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