I came here after the draw didn't open on mine. I gave it to an old friend to fix as this is his realmm so it should be back up and running in a week. I would love to know why you like the accuphase more ? I have this running through a Lampizator Golden gate mk2 and I think its a perfect match with the valves. Great Video buddy, keep the CD love alive.
Thanks David and yes, both beautiful CD players but I know how much you love the X7ESD. The TEAC sounds better than the Sony when run as an integrated player, but external DACs level that out of course. I still have my X7ESD but my Accuphase DP-90 is the ultimate, article coming soon hopefully!
Hi, is it possible to talk about belt material technology? We now have the benifit of hindsight to show exacty how these belts deteriorate over time. Is there new belt material available now which will not break down like the original belts or are you replacing like for like? Surely there is a better belt material? Also this has always been my dream CD player. Just beautiful and reasonably affordable.
the newer poly belts don't melt, but they all will still break down eventually and become too loose to do their job. it was the particular formulation of butyl rubber (synthetic rubber) that they used in the 90s that was particularly bad at melting and turning into goo plain old rubber *can* last for a very long time if they are kept in climate controlled conditions and is generally fine for a current replacement option if you can't source a fancier material
Great question, you might ask the same question about car tyres for example. Natural rubber is still used in these roles for a number of reasons including high coefficient of friction, shock absorption, resistance to wear, etc. The key is the quality of rubber belt used, making sure oils don't impinge on them and routine maintenance.
I don't but I suggest contacting the best hifi stores in the biggest city near you to see who they recommend for repairs like this. Retailers typically have people they trust for this sort of work.