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

Yes clean the laser with a q tip no solution as it can damage it. Has worked for me in past.have 20 spinners it's a job keeping them going.enjoy the music

I bought a Smsl PL200T, list $500, to replace my Esoteric dv50. Tech has moved along in the last 23 years and I am blissfully reunited with my 4000 cd's. It sounds outstanding being fed to my Benchmark DAC3B, is pretty to look at, and fun to use. Recommended.

If you like the DAC in the Rose, and budget is an issue, then for sure get a transport only...my low cost preference is the Cambridge CXC (v1 and v2 are sonically identical)...I have one now, and have had a few and no problems...I also have the Integra 3.4 mentioned earlier and the Onkyo 390 it is based on for 20+ years with no problems...I also like some old Sony DVD players as transport...lots of good low cost CD choices out there...have fun !!!

avoid a multi CD player/changer at all costs!

I have had a Marantz and Onkyo for 10+ years, reliable and transparent, very happy with them. If paying premium for audio  not making sense has ever been true, it's very true for CD players, $500 will get you all you need.

I believe 2 yrs ago my marantz sa10 stop reading completely. I look at the warranty it’s a month over. So no warranty. Maranta will not service it even if I pay them my own money. I thought my 7k Marantz will become a boat anchor. Iam so worried because my Sony Modwright 9000es did the same thing after 10 yrs my Sony became a boat anchor. On my Marantz good Agon members did help me find parts at Endorm in Giorgia $45 laser . I bought 3 as back up just in case. TVAD members did help here friend of mine directed me to stereo lab in Chicago. Problem solved.