Can anyone in the UK repair my CD player - seriously

[Accudazed]

Hi

Well, here goes with my simple question (one which has huge implications for every fan of CDs):

Is there anyone in the UK who can repair my 5 year old Accuphase DP-500 CD player which has intermittent problems reading discs?

I am very concerned that the answer may be - incredibly - a resounding no.

If it really is 'no', how the hell did it all come to this?

Cheers

Steve

PS - already tried Accuphase UK and High End Workshop but they cannot do it.

[Mr.Ian]

replacement lasers look to be available, so I struggle to understand why it cant be repaired.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...740237394.html

Pretty poor show if the retailer/manufacturer is unable to support a 5 year old product. Might have case for a legal claim against the retailer as I think a court would expect a high end CD player to work for longer than 5 years.

[kenworthy100]

I remember your earlier posts about this and the disappointing problems you have had with this player, may I ask have Accuphase uk or High End actually examined the player or made a decision based upon the info from phone or email contact.

The player appears to use a Sony Kss213 laser (http://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/the...onverter_list/) which is used by many manufacturers, it could be the laser/mechanism at fault, or, components further up the chain or possibly a combination of the two.

FWIW on a similar issue with a Marantz SA15 I was told that my player would need a new control board (expensive!!). laser and complete mechanism which I politely declined, I replaced the laser and for good measure the mechanism at nominal cost, the player has worked perfectly ever since.

I genuinely hope you are able to find a satisfactory solution to this issue.

[Accudazed]

replacement lasers look to be available, so I struggle to understand why it cant be repaired.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...740237394.html

Pretty poor show if the retailer/manufacturer is unable to support a 5 year old product. Might have case for a legal claim against the retailer as I think a court would expect a high end CD player to work for longer than 5 years.

Hi Ian

Thanks for the heads up on the aliexpress site!! Not sure what to make of those Chinese made copies of the original SONY laser. Most engineers wont fit them. Have you used anything similar?

"Pretty poor show if the retailer/manufacturer is unable to support a 5 year old product". The grim reality is that most manufacturers of CD/SACD players have appalling spares backup. Check out my thoughts here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...d-player/page6

CD/SACD is my favourite medium (there, I've said it...) but, really, this spares backup problem is a shocker. After about 3 years, yes, 3 years, you are living on borrowed time and heading towards becomming the proud owner of a flashy paperweight/door stop should anything go wrong.

No wonder CD sales are continually falling and SACD has not really taken off. It's not just the resurgence in vinyl or the all conquering march of the computers into home audio that's responsible. No, the main culprits are the manufacturer's of CD/SACD players themselves. They have been allowed to repeatedly get away with not supporting their customers. Thing is though, there are only so many times people will put up with having to chuck their expensive CD player in the bin due to the failure of a £20 part that the manufacturer - cynically - refused to make in sufficient quantities. That's what's killing CD sales.

Thank god this never happened with vinyl replay.

Cheers

Steve

[Ninanina]

Hi Steven
There is a little known fact that the 'The UK Sale of Goods Act' states the following:

"The UK Sale of Goods Act offers us protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer’s guarantee has run out and says that goods must last a “reasonable time” – which can be claimed anything up to 6 years from the date of purchase"

Not many people know that fact.. I know somebody who was the manager of both a large Comet store and a large Dixons store and on the very few occasions that somebody knew about this little known fact the retailer was 'forced' to sort out the problem

Your warranty is with the retailer you purchased it from... just quote the above to them and I think you will be surprised what they will do for you

Trust that helps some...

[Accudazed]

I remember your earlier posts about this and the disappointing problems you have had with this player, may I ask have Accuphase uk or High End actually examined the player or made a decision based upon the info from phone or email contact.

The player appears to use a Sony Kss213 laser (http://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/the...onverter_list/) which is used by many manufacturers, it could be the laser/mechanism at fault, or, components further up the chain or possibly a combination of the two.

FWIW on a similar issue with a Marantz SA15 I was told that my player would need a new control board (expensive!!). laser and complete mechanism which I politely declined, I replaced the laser and for good measure the mechanism at nominal cost, the player has worked perfectly ever since.

I genuinely hope you are able to find a satisfactory solution to this issue.

Hi John

Thanks for your post.

Yes, Accuphase have stripped my machine and given it a good test. Your experience with the Marantz SA15 is similar to mine though. The approach seems to be one of replacing all parts around the problem area. Some of the parts needed for my machine are no longer available hence its return in an unfixed state.

As someone who is staring into the abyss, so to speak, with a 5 year old CD player worth £2200 that may have to be scrapped I can't help but ponder over why manufacturers of these machines don't make enough spares? Still at least when my wife finds me with a pair of underpants on my head and a pencil in each nostril she will know where it all started!

What a mess...

Who replaced your laser?

My previous posts concerning my Accuphase DP-500 problems barely touched the surface so to speak. When it is all over I will do more posts. There is much to learn from my expensive nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Steve

[synsei]

Hi Steven
There is a little known fact that the 'The UK Sale of Goods Act' states the following:

"The UK Sale of Goods Act offers us protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer’s guarantee has run out and says that goods must last a “reasonable time” – which can be claimed anything up to 6 years from the date of purchase"

Not many people know that fact.. I know somebody who was the manager of both a large Comet store and a large Dixons store and on the very few occasions that somebody knew about this little known fact the retailer was 'forced' to sort out the problem

Your warranty is with the retailer you purchased it from... just quote the above to them and I think you will be surprised what they will do for you

Trust that helps some...

The problem there Bev is that the retailer concerned happens to be a brokerage firm based in Holland and as such the issue is moot as it is only enforceable under UK law AFAIK...

I reckon Accuphase could and should do more to help here...

[The Black Adder]

Hmm.. they sound just like Sony... Sony have made some stonking decks but if the laser fooks a few years after, your generally snotted. A real shame indeed.

The reality of the matter could NOT be the laser anyway, there are lot's of reasons why a cd player stops reading discs so get it checked out by someone who know their onions.

Try Audiocom international... maybe they might be able to help.

[Macca]

The reality of the matter could NOT be the laser anyway, there are lot's of reasons why a cd player stops reading discs so get it checked out by someone who know their onions.

Try Audiocom international... maybe they might be able to help.

Yes that has happened to me where I forked out for a new laser when it was just a ribbon connector. As well as Audiocom you could try Tony C of this parish if you haven't already.

[julesd68]

Whilst my preference is for vinyl I do have a cdp and am very interested in the obsolescence issue here.

I wonder if this is an industry problem or whether it is an Accuphase one? The reason I mention this is that if lots of people with high end cd players were finding themselves with 'door stops' after 5 years or so, I'm sure the forums would be awash with it. Or maybe I've missed something. Personally, I'd be annoyed if I bought a budget cdp and it couldn't be repaired after a few years, let alone one that cost 2.5K.

Ignoring what you think of their products, Naim have a good reputation for reliability. I found an interesting quote from their website - naturally they are bigging themselves up here but quite reassuring if you are the owner of a Naim cdp …

< The department, based at Naim’s factory and office complex in Salisbury, will attempt to repair every product the company has produced over the past four decades. Naim holds stocks of key components for as long as they are available. Some parts, such as CD drive mechanisms, cease to be manufactured and eventually become impossible to source but Naim was, nonetheless and thanks to its prudent stockholding, still able to service and repair one of its first CD players even though the machine had reached its sixteenth birthday! >

I'm not suggesting we all rush out to buy one, just wanted to illustrate that the companies who do well in this competitive field aren't necessarily those with the very best sound, but those who are forward thinking and take their customer service and reliability very seriously …