Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

Hi,

Switched my Arcam 8se CD player on today, and, upon pressing play button, I
get 90% hiss/crackling, and 10% music. Checked all the cables, switched
input from CD to Aux on amp, still the same. Tuner plays fine through amp,
so has to be the CD player. Left it for 30 minutes, turned it on again (to
demonstrate to wife!), and the ratio had reversed to 90% music, 10%
crackling. A few minutes later it was back to 90% crackling, 10% music. Any
ideas? Is it worth trying to get this repaired, or would it be more
economical to look to eBay for a replacement.

Thanks in advance,

Kieran

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Kieran" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Switched my Arcam 8se CD player on today, and, upon pressing play button,
I get 90% hiss/crackling, and 10% music. Checked all the cables, switched
input from CD to Aux on amp, still the same. Tuner plays fine through amp,
so has to be the CD player. Left it for 30 minutes, turned it on again (to
demonstrate to wife!), and the ratio had reversed to 90% music, 10%
crackling. A few minutes later it was back to 90% crackling, 10% music.
Any ideas? Is it worth trying to get this repaired, or would it be more
economical to look to eBay for a replacement.

Thanks in advance,

Kieran


Got to be worth cleaning the laser lens as a first move, as poor recovery of
data from the disc can lead to a sound like crackling, as the output DAC
struggles to make something of the rough data it's receiving. This is
particularly true, if the problem is present on both audio channels. Do it
manually though. Cleaning discs don't work, and I've known them to do
damage. If this doesn't cure the symptoms, refer it to a professional
service centre for evaluation of the problem.

Arfa

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...

"Kieran" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Switched my Arcam 8se CD player on today, and, upon pressing play button,
I get 90% hiss/crackling, and 10% music. Checked all the cables, switched
input from CD to Aux on amp, still the same. Tuner plays fine through
amp, so has to be the CD player. Left it for 30 minutes, turned it on
again (to demonstrate to wife!), and the ratio had reversed to 90% music,
10% crackling. A few minutes later it was back to 90% crackling, 10%
music. Any ideas? Is it worth trying to get this repaired, or would it be
more economical to look to eBay for a replacement.

Thanks in advance,

Kieran


Got to be worth cleaning the laser lens as a first move, as poor recovery
of data from the disc can lead to a sound like crackling, as the output
DAC struggles to make something of the rough data it's receiving. This is
particularly true, if the problem is present on both audio channels. Do it
manually though. Cleaning discs don't work, and I've known them to do
damage. If this doesn't cure the symptoms, refer it to a professional
service centre for evaluation of the problem.

Arfa


Interesting question about lenses. Someone asked me if manufacturers
produce their own, or do they all use a lens from a company like
Philips? Any ideas?

Iain

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Iain M Churches" wrote in message
...

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...

"Kieran" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Switched my Arcam 8se CD player on today, and, upon pressing play
button, I get 90% hiss/crackling, and 10% music. Checked all the cables,
switched input from CD to Aux on amp, still the same. Tuner plays fine
through amp, so has to be the CD player. Left it for 30 minutes, turned
it on again (to demonstrate to wife!), and the ratio had reversed to 90%
music, 10% crackling. A few minutes later it was back to 90% crackling,
10% music. Any ideas? Is it worth trying to get this repaired, or would
it be more economical to look to eBay for a replacement.

Thanks in advance,

Kieran


Got to be worth cleaning the laser lens as a first move, as poor recovery
of data from the disc can lead to a sound like crackling, as the output
DAC struggles to make something of the rough data it's receiving. This is
particularly true, if the problem is present on both audio channels. Do
it manually though. Cleaning discs don't work, and I've known them to do
damage. If this doesn't cure the symptoms, refer it to a professional
service centre for evaluation of the problem.

Arfa


Interesting question about lenses. Someone asked me if manufacturers
produce their own, or do they all use a lens from a company like
Philips? Any ideas?

Iain


Hi Iain

I assume that by " lenses " you are referring to the whole optical block as
opposed to that little piece of clear plastic on the top of it ?? I'm
guessing that you are, so the simple answer is no.

Many laser blocks are made by Sony, and are branded as such. There are about
8 or 10 common types of laser that fall into this category, including the
KSS 213 series, KSS 212, KSS 210 series and KSS 240 series. You will find
them in all manner of players from obscure brands sold in your local Tesco,
to such rather more worthies as Teacs and Denons. The rest of the deck may
well be made by those manufacturers, or some other third party, but the
point is that the laser block is not made by them.

However, there are probably just as many which are made by the manufacturers
themselves. Philips is one that springs to mind, also Pioneer, Matsu****a
( Pan & Technics ) Sharp, Sanyo etc. I'm not sure, however, whether there
are a lot of manufacturers making laser diodes and pickup chips, or just a
couple, from whose components, the " self makers " assemble their blocks.
For instance, there are only a couple of major manufacturers in the world,
making plasma panels, but many manufacturers using them in their products.

Some " high end " CD players, are in fact just badged up low end ones. I'm
often surprised, and not a little amused, when I open up an item for repair,
that has cost it's owner 500 quid, only to find that inside it's identical
to an £80 one that I have repaired earlier in the week ... It's always hard
to know what you're buying unless you are ' in the game ' as it were. Most
Marantz items are just differently badged standard Philips products.

Finally, just to muddy the waters a bit more, some players, curiously
located at either the very top, or the very bottom of the market, use pre
manufactured third party decks, complete with all the basic front end
digital processing and decoding electronics. Often, these will have a
standard 50 way bus cable connected to them, and look like they could be
dropped directly into a computer. This is also true for DVD players, but
this time, almost ( but not quite ) exclusively at the bottom end of the
market.

Just as an aside, I wonder why domestic DVD recorders are so unreliable, and
yet the ones that you stick in your computer, seem to go on for ever ?

BTW, loved the pictures of your valve amps. I've always been a lover of
anything with valves in, since I cut my teeth on them, too many years ago to
want to remember. It's heartening to know that there are still people out
there prepared to build with them as well.

Arfa

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...

Cleaning discs don't work, and I've known them to do damage.

Ah, OK. Well, cleaning the lens by hand would have required me to
disassemble the thing, and I had found my old CD lens cleaner thing. Gave it
a go, and I can't hear any improvement.

If this doesn't cure the symptoms, refer it to a professional service
centre for evaluation of the problem.

I was afraid it would come to that! The Arcam factory is just down the road
from me, but they seem to want to only accept things via their dealer
network, which seems dumb to me, but there you go.

Thanks for the help.

Kieran
Ely, UK

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

Is it the cd?
I played a cdr this weekend and it sounded just like a record with a
scratch. Turned out there was a fault in the recording. Try a different
disc.
I had an Alpha 7 from an auction with a smashed up front panel. I wrote
to Alpha and they were happy enough to send a replacement. Made it good
as new. Great cd player, flimsy build but a weighty sound.
If its the laser its usually mistracking that is the symptom.
May be your pcb somewhere.

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...

"Iain M Churches" wrote in message
...

Interesting question about lenses. Someone asked me if manufacturers
produce their own, or do they all use a lens from a company like
Philips? Any ideas?

Iain


Hi Iain

I assume that by " lenses " you are referring to the whole optical block
as opposed to that little piece of clear plastic on the top of it ?? I'm
guessing that you are, so the simple answer is no.

Many laser blocks are made by Sony, and are branded as such. There are
about 8 or 10 common types of laser that fall into this category,
including the KSS 213 series, KSS 212, KSS 210 series and KSS 240 series.
You will find them in all manner of players from obscure brands sold in
your local Tesco, to such rather more worthies as Teacs and Denons. The
rest of the deck may well be made by those manufacturers, or some other
third party, but the point is that the laser block is not made by them.

Hi Arfa,

I would be interested to know about those used in Studer (A730 and D730)
and Denon studio players. I have a feeling they are from Philips and Sony
respectively.


I have snipped the rest of your post, but saved it for future ref.
Many thanks.

BTW, loved the pictures of your valve amps. I've always been a lover of
anything with valves in, since I cut my teeth on them, too many years ago
to want to remember. It's heartening to know that there are still people
out there prepared to build with them as well.

Thanks. There has been a lot of positive feedback.
They are interesting to build, and can sound very good indeed.
Come and take a listen if you are ever passing:-)

Cheers

Iain

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Iain M Churches" wrote in message
...

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...

"Iain M Churches" wrote in message
...

Interesting question about lenses. Someone asked me if manufacturers
produce their own, or do they all use a lens from a company like
Philips? Any ideas?

Iain


Hi Iain

I assume that by " lenses " you are referring to the whole optical block
as opposed to that little piece of clear plastic on the top of it ?? I'm
guessing that you are, so the simple answer is no.

Many laser blocks are made by Sony, and are branded as such. There are
about 8 or 10 common types of laser that fall into this category,
including the KSS 213 series, KSS 212, KSS 210 series and KSS 240 series.
You will find them in all manner of players from obscure brands sold in
your local Tesco, to such rather more worthies as Teacs and Denons. The
rest of the deck may well be made by those manufacturers, or some other
third party, but the point is that the laser block is not made by them.

Hi Arfa,

I would be interested to know about those used in Studer (A730 and D730)
and Denon studio players. I have a feeling they are from Philips and Sony
respectively.


I have snipped the rest of your post, but saved it for future ref.
Many thanks.

BTW, loved the pictures of your valve amps. I've always been a lover of
anything with valves in, since I cut my teeth on them, too many years ago
to want to remember. It's heartening to know that there are still people
out there prepared to build with them as well.

Thanks. There has been a lot of positive feedback.
They are interesting to build, and can sound very good indeed.
Come and take a listen if you are ever passing:-)

Cheers

Iain




Hi Iain

I'd love to see and hear those amps ...

As far as the laser types fitted to those decks go, I am not able to give
you a definitive answer I'm afraid, as I'm not au fait with either of them.
These days, I'm only doing work for one place that deals in very high end
and semi professional kit, so don't see much of it. Most repairs that I get,
are run of the mill ' domestics ' - anything from dreadful little Bush's,
little better than a transistor radio, to Technics, Yamaha, Bose, Teac etc.
However, most of the Denons do use a Sony manufactured laser, so I see no
reason why this should be any different on their top end stuff. Sorry I
couldn't give you a better answer.

Arfa

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

In article , Arfa Daily
wrote:
[snip]

Some " high end " CD players, are in fact just badged up low end ones.
I'm often surprised, and not a little amused, when I open up an item
for repair, that has cost it's owner 500 quid, only to find that inside
it's identical to an £80 one that I have repaired earlier in the week
... It's always hard to know what you're buying unless you are ' in the
game ' as it were. Most Marantz items are just differently badged
standard Philips products.

Although I'd tend to agree with the above, it may be worth pointing out
that some apparently identical/similar players may have un-obvious
differences. e.g being differences in programmable ROMs that control things
like the servos, or how channel errors are handled. Some makers also make
play of things like fancy components, although in my experience this is a
dubious 'feature'... :-)

[snip]

Just as an aside, I wonder why domestic DVD recorders are so unreliable,
and yet the ones that you stick in your computer, seem to go on for
ever ?

Can't comment on hardware faults in DVD video recorders. However the
Philips recorder I have does show annoying problems due to bugs in the
firmware/software. I assume this is the responsibility of the programmers
at Philips. However once you get 'above' the raw servo and data control
this may be akin to having an OS or application on a computer go wrong, as
distinct from the actual drive...

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

Arcam CD Player Dying...
 

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...


Hi Iain

I'd love to see and hear those amps ...
They give me a great deal of pleasure - much more than
something bought from a shop:-) I spend my days recording,
mixing and editing music, but still I am always pleased to
come home to my own system.

Studer and Denon CD players
As far as the laser types fitted to those decks go, I am not able to give
you a definitive answer I'm afraid, as I'm not au fait with either of
them.

You can see the Studer D730 on my home page at:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/iain.churches/

It is everything one could ask for in a CD player, (except for being
a bit long in the tooth now:-) I would exchange it if I could find
something as good with the same facilities. Like all Studer products
it is an excellent combination of superb audio engineering and
good looks. The same goes for the Denons, but in a more kind
of "chunky broadcast" way - varispeed, lock to video sync and
TC, cue, locate or park to within a subframe, with instant start.

However, most of the Denons do use a Sony manufactured laser, so I see no
reason why this should be any different on their top end stuff.

I have been thinking to get a spare or two just in case
(I have two Denon DN 970FA CD cart machines)


Sorry I
couldn't give you a better answer.
Arfa

Not at all. Most helpful.
Iain