View Full Version : Arcam Alpha 7 CD Player – Sound distortion during play back of copied CDs
Tripmaster
18-01-2009, 15:36
Hello
I wonder if anyone has a solution for this rather irritating problem.
Over the past few months one of my CD Players fail to track copied CDs. It plays the track but the sound is very distorted, originals are fine.
I have ruled out media and also the CD writer used to copy the disk(s) because these disks work fine on other equipment.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Richard:)
Ali Tait
18-01-2009, 16:16
Maybe a dirty lens? As I understand it,blank discs reflect less light from the laser than the bought album,so perhaps if the lens is dirty,it's having a harder time reading the disc.Otherwise,it may just be coming to the end of it's life.Lasers don't last forever.
Tripmaster
18-01-2009, 21:13
Maybe a dirty lens? As I understand it,blank discs reflect less light from the laser than the bought album,so perhaps if the lens is dirty,it's having a harder time reading the disc.Otherwise,it may just be coming to the end of it's life.Lasers don't last forever.
Thanks Ali
I will have a go at cleaning it tomorrow
Richard
Filterlab
18-01-2009, 23:43
Definitely sounds like the laser is having difficulty, however the internal DACs can be troublesome on some Arcam players. I had a 5+ that occasionally distorted on recorded CDs. In the end the whole DAC gave up and got replaced under warranty.
Tripmaster
19-01-2009, 07:07
Definitely sounds like the laser is having difficulty, however the internal DACs can be troublesome on some Arcam players. I had a 5+ that occasionally distorted on recorded CDs. In the end the whole DAC gave up and got replaced under warranty.
Hi
Im using the Ebay TDA1543 dac so we can rule out the on-board offering.
I also think its the laser. When its playing a copied CD it sounds like the CD is spinning off centre (oscillating) this stops for a second between tracks. I think the laser is constantly trying to re-read the information on the disk.
I will have a closer look tonight.
Richard:)
Tripmaster
19-01-2009, 22:04
Good evening gentlemen
Well...I cleaned the laser and re-lubed the laser sled, popped in a copied CD and it started to play OK, but by track two the distortion returned:(
Its the mechanical worbberling tone that's key to this problem. I have been running the unit with the lid off this evening and I cant see any excessive laser movement. As soon as I change the CD for an original the worbberling sound stops and it sounds it fine...Hmm
Filterlab
19-01-2009, 22:50
That is an odd thing, what are you using to duplicate your CDs? Maybe the settings are creating something that the Arcam doesn't like yet the issue fails to manifest itself in other players. What other players are you testing duplicates on? If they are newer players the chances are that they're more compatible with duplicate CDs than the Arcam is, the Arcam transport is by no means new, although don't read that as 'bad', they are very well made bits of kit.
Tripmaster
19-01-2009, 23:30
That is an odd thing, what are you using to duplicate your CDs? Maybe the settings are creating something that the Arcam doesn't like yet the issue fails to manifest itself in other players. What other players are you testing duplicates on? If they are newer players the chances are that they're more compatible with duplicate CDs than the Arcam is, the Arcam transport is by no means new, although don't read that as 'bad', they are very well made bits of kit.
Hi
They are all much newer drives but the Arcam has read these disks in the past. I am going to post a link to a Youtube movie when the file finally uploads. Get ready for a block buster!;)
Richard
Filterlab
19-01-2009, 23:34
Get ready for a block buster!;)
Ready and waiting. :popcorn:
Filterlab
19-01-2009, 23:36
Oh, remember that software updates and firmware revisions can bring about codec changes without the user being aware of such, you may have to check your settings thoroughly. Also, it may be worth blasting an email over to Arcam themselves for help.
Is it possible that some cdr discs are thinner than others. I believe some laser mechanisms are quite sensitive to this. Maybe if the track the laser moves along is worn it would exacerbate this.
Tripmaster
20-01-2009, 12:12
Sitting comfortably? :)
Please click on the YouTube link below for further information.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wN5EjwcE8HM
I haven’t edited the clip and the sound cuts out when the camera moves next to the speaker.
The CDP hasn’t failed to read the TOC for quite sometime.
If I were to purchase a replacement laser would it be worth modifying this player or would I be better off sourcing a unmodified Marantz CD63?
Any suggestions?
Richard
Filterlab
20-01-2009, 22:57
Why not source another Arcam Alpha 7?
Tripmaster
20-01-2009, 23:39
Why not source another Arcam Alpha 7?
I think I would probably get something a bit better.
Did you save any popcorn for me?;)
Filterlab
21-01-2009, 12:34
Hehehehe, your production and camera work was so good that I ate it all on the second play through. ;)
Your 7 is definitely not in a good way and it sounds like the end of the road unless you want to invest time and/or money sorting it out. It may be the time to look elsewhere as you've suggested. The CD-63 is a good player but not really much better than your 7 in unmodified guise.
What's you budget?
Pioneer DVD575 sounds preferable to many budget CD players, and makes a good transport. To my ears anyway.
Playstation One model 1002 with simple modification is worth exploring. If not the most convenient solution.
Filterlab
21-01-2009, 22:33
Good choice Alb, if it's good enough for Max Townshend, it's good enough for most. :)
Why are you writing posts on how to use copied music buy originals.
Copys are poor anyway especially if you have a decent system that is capable of showing difference
*** Post edited by Filterlab ***
Tripmaster
22-01-2009, 00:09
Why are you writing posts on how to use copied music buy originals.
Copys are crap anyway especially if you have a decent system that is capable of showing difference
1. I do
2. I agree with you
Filterlab
22-01-2009, 12:29
Gary, just because a CD may be duplicated does NOT mean it is necessarily illegal.
Beechwoods
22-01-2009, 20:13
I'd just like to say that I have a lot of CDR releases from local bands and self-released artists which have been bought legally in proper local shops and at gigs, and which probably put more money into the artists' pockets than most labels do who release 'proper' factory pressed silver discs.
I'd be really disappointed if I couldn't play them back when I wanted to because my equipment threw a wobbly!
Tripmaster
22-01-2009, 22:33
Pioneer DVD575 sounds preferable to many budget CD players, and makes a good transport. To my ears anyway.
Playstation One model 1002 with simple modification is worth exploring. If not the most convenient solution.
Hi Alb
I missed you post...how rude!
I have built Peter Daniels Shigaclone transport over on DIYAUDIO and that sounds very good for the money, so I am not without transport.
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1462&page=10
I guess I just fancy having a good commercial transport as well
Richard
Looks like a nice job, Richard.
I considered having a go too, but the length of the thread on DIYaudio put me off a bit.
I went for the PS1 instead because someone had condensed the main points of the upgrades into a readable webpage.
The PS1 is good, but i found that unless i used it with a valve output stage, it had a rather flat and uninteresting soundstage.
I have to admit that in some respects it betters my transport/dac combination, which came as a bit of a shock.:scratch:
Tripmaster
23-01-2009, 07:13
I shouldn't let that put you off, I started my build when the thread was on page 40. There hasn't been a great deal of development since then.
I bought my JVC RC-EZ31B boom boxes from ASDA for £25 and people have recently reported seeing them on Ebay for £20.
Why not give it a go, its really quite easy? I am happy to start a thread if you need any help
Richard
You will find most things are covered in this PDF.
http://tim.cheapo.cc/images/CD%20player%20mods.pdf
Ali Tait
23-01-2009, 16:25
Worth checking out cash converters.I picked up a Pioneer PD-S505 for 19.99.Bargain! A good transport.
Filterlab
23-01-2009, 18:07
Worth checking out cash converters.I picked up a Pioneer PD-S505 for 19.99.Bargain! A good transport.
That is a bargain and three quarters! Those stable platter mech players make great transports.
Ali Tait
23-01-2009, 18:31
Sure was! Not cosmetically perfect,and no remote,but hey,whaddaya want for 20 quid? Works perfectly.Actually sounds quite good on it's own.I do use it into my lightly tweaked Audio-Note dac though.A very nice combination.
Filterlab
23-01-2009, 18:34
Well, cosmetics shmosmetics - if it works well and sounds good then great, and you've got to move to the machine to put a disc in it anyway so who needs a remote? They were good machines in their own right, but as you say with a decent DAC on the end the possibilities are multiplied.
Looks like a nice job, Richard.
I considered having a go too, but the length of the thread on DIYaudio put me off a bit.
I went for the PS1 instead because someone had condensed the main points of the upgrades into a readable webpage.
The PS1 is good, but i found that unless i used it with a valve output stage, it had a rather flat and uninteresting soundstage.
I have to admit that in some respects it betters my transport/dac combination, which came as a bit of a shock.:scratch:
I haven't done it, but fitting a linear powersupply and feeding the DAC / output stage with seperate supplies would be the way to dramatically improve the PS1. I have one with a bypassed power supply and it's excellent, but bettered by the Beresford by a margin. The potential is there it terms of what I suspect is extreme low jitter. The timing of the PS1 is unbelievable, but it's not designed for high-end audio quality and needs a lot of work.
Yomanze.
Agreed.
In its standard form i wasn't really impressed. It was doing some things well but sounded rather closed in. Took several days to hit best form. Output a bit low for my amp.
Doing away with the stock output stage and fitting Black Gates was a step up.
Adding a tube output stage was a major improvement.
I built a twin linear supply and things got slightly better again.
Currently mulling over a new housing for it. Cold weather and untidy shed stopped any further progress.
It's certainly a "foot tappin" sort of sound and digs out plenty of detail. Still think it can be a bit undynamic with certain types of music. Maybe that will come in time.
Haven't used it for a few weeks, as its all screwed to bits of wood and not very convenient to use.
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