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Jonboy
28-11-2009, 13:53
I have got a stage v that has stopped reading discs, so i bought a new laser assembly from a guy in Germany last year, this came without wires so i had to un solder my old ones and fit to the new, tried it in the machine and nothing happed just came up with error or no disc, so i put the old one back in and it started working again:confused:, anyway the cd player got put away for about a year then i decided to sell it, so out it came and low and behold it won't read discs again i spent an hour or two fiddling and regreasing but to no avail i was given the name of a uk firm called Cricklewood Electronics by another forum member as he has had some success at getting them going again using mechs from them, so i duly ordered a new mech and tray belt, the mech arrived (the belt is on back order) but had a different plug that goes into the pcb and different coloured wires so i emailed them with pictures of both old and new mechs which incidently looked a lot older than mine an asked them if it was infact new, there responce was yes it was NOS and if i wanted to return it they would give me a full refund. so i then thought i would phone them for a chat about changing the wires and plug for my old one and if i did this would they still take it back they said that they thought it was worth a go, but would not take it back if i changed the wires, fair enough i suppose,
Right that brings me up to this morning i have changed the wires over reassembled everthing and it still won't read discs, i have just phoned them again and they can't help me anymore, i also commented that they had now reduced the price to £15 plus vat between the day i ordered it to the day it arrived were as i paid £22 plus vat, they have told me they won't refund the difference but if i buy something else from them they will give me free postage:scratch:
So my question to you lot is have you got any suggestions as what i could do next as i'm pissed off throwing money at a sinking ship
:steam:

trailer
28-11-2009, 18:44
Sell it as is.

The Micromega Stage machines were/are notoriously unreliable.

Themis
28-11-2009, 18:52
Same opinion here, if you don't have an emotional relation with it, you should get another CDP. Don't bother with it, I know tens of people having had reliability problems with MIcromegas.
Perhaps Andre knows something about it, though. PM him, you never know.

Spectral Morn
28-11-2009, 18:57
I hate to say it, but I agree with trailer, the stages were a pile of crap. It probably needs an entire new mechanism, not just the laser. Sorry.

Regards D S D L

Spectral Morn
28-11-2009, 19:05
Same opinion here, if you don't have an emotional relation with it, you should get another CDP. Don't bother with it, I know tens of people having had reliability problems with MIcromegas.
Perhaps Andre knows something about it, though. PM him, you never know.

Just to clarify the bit in bold. Imho/e it was the Stages which caused Micromega many issues. They jumped from small production runs relatively speaking to mass production runs with The Stage series, which with its upgrade aspect caused them no end of grief. They did sort it out eventually but it was to late.

The other CD players and transports Micromega made were generally quite reliable and sounded very good. However like all Cd players the lasers have a finite life and with some older Philips CDM1 using machines they are now very hard to/impossible to fix unless you have a spare mech so CDF1, Trio etc are best left alone. The later ones are okay such as the Data which uses Philips Pro 2 mechs (easily got)

I remember seeing a colleague (20 years ago) surrounded with Stage 1/2 and 3 in bits, fitting new parts. I would not sell them at the time...I thought they sounded good but represented way to much hassle for me and my customers.


Regards D S D L

Themis
28-11-2009, 19:09
You're quite right, Neil. With Stages I meant, thank you for this clarification. :)

Spectral Morn
28-11-2009, 19:16
You're quite right, Neil. With Stages I meant, thank you for this clarification. :)

No problem Dimitri.


I remember the horror of the Stage problem, every player sold came back faulty within days or a few weeks of being sold. The design and idea behind them at the time was exciting. However within a few weeks of the problems coming to light, I told my bosses at the time that I would not sell them until the problems were solved.


Regards D S D L

DSJR
28-11-2009, 20:01
We had a Stage 5 that a client wanted to get going again. This was several years ago when the distribution in the UK had folded.

The mech used isn't a standard Philips 1203 as I remember and a replacement had to be ordered from France at huge cost and much delay.

Personally, I loved the sound quality from the better Stage machines, the 5 and 6 especially, but echo the dreadful unreliability of these machines - dry joints and cracked tracks on surface mount laden boards ain't fun...

Primalsea
28-11-2009, 20:27
Hi Johnboy,

It initially looks like its not the mech as you have replaced a laser and mech. However you can never rule out that the new ones are also faulty.

I suspect you have another problem and think you should check the PSU with a scope if you can. It can be a real pig without a service manual but try to fine the digital +ve rail (probably 5V) and the analog + & - rails (probably 12 to 15 volts).

Then reseat all plugged connections and with a light and a magnifying glass check all the PCB tracks and solder joints.

IMHO you can't really say you fixed something unless you cover the basics starting with the PSU and then the PCB for physical damage.

Rare Bird
28-11-2009, 21:06
Sell it as is.

The Micromega Stage machines were/are notoriously unreliable.

Total rubbish Mechs cost 20 quid, the drawer belt 40pence..

Spectral Morn
28-11-2009, 21:23
Total rubbish Mechs cost 20 quid, the drawer belt 40pence..


Sorry Andre, but you are wrong in the suggestion your statement has in it that Micromega Stage players are okay. Parts costs could be right but I can't say.

Myself, Dave (DSJR) and others who where there at the time selling these (or in my case trying to avoid doing so) had nothing but grief from masses of faulty Stage 1/2 and 3s. Its a well know fact that this disaster knocked Micromega for 6, ruined their reputation in the UK and caused their distributor at the time Ian Bolt (Musical Design Company) a real pain in the ass.

Now later stage players after 1995 when the problems had been sorted out are okay (mostly), but among most audiophiles at the time the name Micromega was synonymous with one word faulty. I my self would not have had the gift of one back then.

I do have a Micromega Data and Dialogue Transport and Dac which I bought as faulty and had fixed (both items) and they work well now and are very good, but its only because the transport uses a Philips Pro2 mech (that it was fixable), and that Rodney Hanna my service engineer can do and is prepared to do surface mount repairs that the Dac works.


Regards D S D L

Rare Bird
28-11-2009, 21:25
Sorry Andre, but you are wrong in the suggestion your statement has in it that Micromega Stage players are okay. Parts costs could be right but I can't say.

Myself, Dave (DSJR) and others who where there at the time selling these (or in my case trying to avoid doing so) had nothing but grief from masses of faulty Stage 1/2 and 3s. Its a well know fact that this disaster knocked Micromega for 6, ruined their reputation in the UK and caused their distributor at the time Ian Bolt (Musical Design Company) a real pain in the ass.

Now later stage players after 1995 when the problems had been sorted out are okay (mostly), but among most audiophiles at the time the name Micromega was synonymous with one word faulty. I my self would not have had the gift of one back then.

I do have a Micromega Data and Dialogue Transport and Dac which I bought as faulty and had fixed (both items) and they work well now and are very good, but its only because the transport uses a Philips Pro2 mech (that it was fixable), and that Rodney Hanna my service engineer can do and is prepared to do surface mount repairs that the Dac works.


Regards D S D L

Sorry neil but my player is a Stage 6, i have a 1& 2 in the back room, not an ounce of trouble at all.I have even have a very early stage 1 in the wardrobe as spares but even that is fine

Spectral Morn
28-11-2009, 21:40
Sorry neil but my player is a Stage 6, i have a 1& 2 in the back room, not an ounce of trouble at all.I have even have a very early stage 1 in the wardrobe as spares but even that is fine

You have been very blessed in that case as many at the time were not....:)

I remember only to well the anger and disappointment :steam: of those who had faulty machines. At the time back in 93/94 (I can't recall the exact year)the failure rate was about 90% of the units we sold. Which considering the quantity we sold was a lot. It was the first time I had ever had to deal with mass failures (it even outstripped the issues with early Philips..though that is a wee bit before my time). These failures were not spread out but with in a few weeks/days of purchase. The modular nature of the players did mean that they were simple to fix compared to other makes, but even those repaired by swapping parts did sometimes also fail...though I can't remember what % of those did...its to long ago.


Regards D S D L

Rare Bird
28-11-2009, 21:48
Not doubting you Neil but i have more than one player & no shit what so ever..although i do see a hell of a lot of these on e-bay, maybe my extensive rebuilds have rendered them free of the old probs but i have heard of the philips CDM 12 series mech being the biggest prob! My Stage 6 mech is original, but the others are brand new

trailer
29-11-2009, 10:12
I hate to say it, but I agree with trailer

There's no shame in that :dance:

Jonboy
29-11-2009, 10:52
So the general concensus is that i should bin it or wait for Andre to fix it for me:eyebrows:

trailer
29-11-2009, 10:55
So the general concensus is that i should bin it or wait for Andre to fix it for me:eyebrows:

I'd stick it on eBay stating its history. You never know there may be some Micromega whizz who is after one?

Jonboy
29-11-2009, 10:59
I'd stick it on eBay stating its history. You never know there may be some Micromega whizz who is after one?

Thats what i was hoping to do but with it working, it's a shame because it's got its original box, remote, manual, and transport lock

DSJR
29-11-2009, 17:40
Andre, the main issue is that the mech as used by Micromega isn't a standard one as used by Marantz, Naim, B&O et al. It's a special and not widely available we found. So it won't cost £20 sadly, assuming it's still available.

Rare Bird
29-11-2009, 18:11
Andre, the main issue is that the mech as used by Micromega isn't a standard one as used by Marantz, Naim, B&O et al. It's a special and not widely available we found. So it won't cost £20 sadly, assuming it's still available.

Dave it's a standard Philips CDM 12.4 in the Stage 1 i've fitted two this year & work perfect they cost 22 quid still available, only difference is the mech to board connector which is easily changed from the original Micromega mech.

;)

alistair
16-08-2010, 16:20
Sorry for raising the dead on this post but I wonder if you can assist a newboy to the forum.

I used to work with some guys who sold these and can confirm that they also sold them complete with a warning to the new owner "breaks when used" but damn the early ones sounded good. I bought a MiniDAC and MiniDrive on first audition many years ago, instantly, without hesitation. I still use it today. Its a bit like TVR, "warning may enter hedge without notification" yet all the drivers smile a lot.

Mine have been back for repairs several times, first in the UK and recently to Audis in France who now look after them. Not the most communicative bunch and I would recommend using Google Translates if you want them to respond.

My Stage 3 is my backup for my backup (gives you an idea of how difficult it was/is to get them sorted) and has lunched its drive belt. Can anyone tell me where I can go to get it done ? If there was a chance I can get it done in the South of England and not have to send it off I would be most grateful.

Thanks, excellent forum by the way, entertaining and not totally barking like some high end places tend to become.

DSJR
16-08-2010, 19:11
I think Andr'e is one of the very best people t buy used gear from, as he's so fastideous... You did say Andr'e that you'd re-built most of your MicroMega machines. What would have happened had you not?

Rare Bird
17-08-2010, 16:11
My Stage 3 is my backup for my backup (gives you an idea of how difficult it was/is to get them sorted) and has lunched its drive belt. Can anyone tell me where I can go to get it done ? If there was a chance I can get it done in the South of England and not have to send it off I would be most grateful.



What exactly is up with the 'Stage 3'? is it just the belt?

alistair
18-08-2010, 07:57
Yes, it has fallen to bits literally. A ton of black rubber dust and a snapped belt in the base. I guess it has just perished.