loading
loading
New CD players keep launching, but a drive shortage could make them unfixable — almost nobody makes some drive components anymore CD player manufacturers are relying on a shrinking base of optical drive manufacturers. Even as optical media sees a resurgence and new CD players hit the market, some optical drive and component manufacturers have ended production. As a result, PS Audio and Naim have halted production of their high-end CD players, raising questions about the maintenance and repairability of these new devices. Headphonesty says that of the eight new models, four are from Musical Fidelity, two from Marantz, and one each from Arcam and NAD. Musical Fidelity reportedly sources its key components from SUOS-HiFi, with three of its new models using SUOS disc mechanisms. In contrast, the fourth uses a SUOS-sourced servo but a tray-loading mechanism from an unnamed manufacturer. On the other hand, Marantz reportedly develops its drives in-house, though it’s unclear whether it also outsources production to a third party. As for the two remaining manufacturers, they did not reveal who made their optical drives. PS Audio had to end production of the PMG Super Audio CD Transport because D&M, Marantz’s parent company, has ceased external orders for its optical drives. Although the company bought D&M’s entire remaining stock, it wasn’t enough to keep production going. Naim faced the same issue with its Uniti Star—though it didn't name its optical drive supplier, it had to find an alternative when the manufacturer stopped production. Naim was evaluating a replacement manufacturer when it, too, stopped making the components the Uniti Star needed. While both companies retained some optical drives in inventory, they are only for repairs and replacements. What hardware deals are you hoping to pick up during Black Friday? These issues highlight the problem of relying on a single manufacturer for such a critical component. But even though these manufacturers would love to find alternative sources for the drives that they need, it’s likely that only a few companies are capable of making such a niche product, even if demand has grown substantially recently. The best option for them would be to design these parts in-house, which is what Marantz is doing. That way, even if the current maker they rely on goes out of business, they could plausibly find another one to take over production (or even build it themselves). This is difficult to accomplish, though, with PS Audio CEO Paul McGowan saying that building its own optical disc reader is beyond the company’s capabilities. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics. - TerryLaze It's all about the lenses... gears can be 3d printed, metal parts can be machined relatively easily, it's the lenses that if there is no supply you are cooked.Reply - hwertz Really, there's plenty of mechanisms etc. still being made in China. The isue Marantz etc. would run into (other than possibly quality) is having any guarantees of getting the SAME mecanism long tern.Reply - bit_user usertests said:Put a DVD or Blu-ray reader in them.For hi-fi players, I'm sure it's important the drive is inaudible, except when seeking and spinning up/down. Also, some of the hi-fi players advertise special pickup mechanisms for minimizing the effect of scratches or dirt. I have an old CEC transport from the late 1990's that has a "3-beam pickup", for this reason. Unfortunately, it's belt-driven and the belt dried out. This issue didn't even occur to me, when I bought it. I never bothered to fix it, because now I just play CDs I ripped on my PC. That said, many ripping programs don't properly handle stuff like the pre-emphasis flag and track lead-in. Some CDs have entire songs hidden in the lead-in of the first track! Reply - alexanderdavis The long-term sourcing point is the real problem, not whether mechanisms exist today. A manufacturer can buy a tray loader now and still be stuck in five years when that exact model is discontinued, which is what makes these players hard to keep serviceable. On the belt-driven transport, that's a good caution: consumables like belts and gears age whether or not the pickup is fine. Ripping does sidestep most of this, though the pre-emphasis and lead-in issues you mention are a reminder that a working drive still matters for accurate archiving.Reply
document fetched 2026-10-26 02:56 · canonical https://tomshardware.com/peripherals/new-cd-players-keep-launching-but-a-drive-shortage-could-make-them-unfixable-almost-nobody-makes-the-drives-anymore