the cheapest CD player from the 80s

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

I did not mean to imply that CD players never break, simply that it is possible for them to last for decades without any work needed.

I bought an Aiwa CX-NA888 bookshelf stereo system in 1999. The cassette decks worked a few years, then quit. However, the 3CD changer still works to this day. That doesn't surprise me, as I did not use the CD changer for quite a while after I bought the system; in fact, I did not use the CD changer much at all until the cassette decks gave up. Therefore, I am expecting the CD changer to work indefinitely.

Other than the cassette decks, this stereo system has worked very well since new, with no problems at all. I believe, however, the reason the cassette decks went bad as soon as they did was simply they wore out, probably due to my playing and reversing cassettes quite a bit, probably too much.

I had the system serviced the first time the cassette decks went bad, but the next time it quit I just left it alone, replacing the decks with a Radio Shack external single cassette player. That deck seems to be working well for now, but for how much longer may be anyone's guess. I say this because, even though the deck itself seems to be built very solidly and still seems to work, there are several rubber drive belts in the drive mechanism which may be on their last legs; given the age of this deck (it was new some time in the late 1980s; I purchased it on eBay some time in the '90s, IIRC), this is entirely possible. I don't know if I could find replacements for these belts today, and I do not trust my ability to replace them even if I could find new ones for a 30-year-old deck--even if I could find the proper replacements.

Another reason I don't use this deck any longer has to do with the AC power cord. It isn't worn or cracked anywhere I can see (yet, anyway), but as old as the tape deck is I wouldn't trust the cord any length of time. I am considering putting the deck back into service, however, since I have a sizable collection of cassettes I haven't listened to, literally in years. If it should eventually break down due to the drive belts wearing out or for any other reason, I will just "bite the bullet" and look on eBay for another used deck. I would think since most people are listening to CDs these days (cassettes date back to the '70s, when I was growing up), there could be quite a few used cassette decks on the used market today.