Help - CD problem

[farflungstar]

I meant to add this to a thread I started a while ago about my search for a great CD player but I can't find it!

So, that post was about my search for a CD player to take over duties from my sold vinyl front end. I ended up buying a Sony x777ES.

It had problems reading the last track of a CD from the get go but was otherwise OK and sounded fantastic. Today it decided not to play the final 3 tracks. Then when switching on later for another listening session it just won't read a disk - spins but nothing but a whiny noise and no track readout.

I honestly feel cursed with my musical forays of late. I'm no longer in the financial position I once was to keep throwing more and more money at my system - which once again is sitting silent.

Does anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know a good technician?

Gutted.

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[Puffin]

You could try a laser cleaning disc. If that does not work you could open it up and clean the laser with a cotton bud and some Isopropyl Alcohol. If that doesn't correct it it could be that the laser voltage has drifted?

[farflungstar]

You could try a laser cleaning disc. If that does not work you could open it up and clean the laser with a cotton bud and some Isopropyl Alcohol. If that doesn't correct it it could be that the laser voltage has drifted?Done. The laser is clean. The pickup rises to read a disk but that's all. Nothing but a whiny noise.

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[Made in 1968]

It does not use a Swinging pick up but rails.. Clean the rails & use some very thin oil like sewing machine oil. Just a tiny tiny amount & remember discs play from centre to edge.

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Hi Adrian
I would contact Sony Spain or your nearest Sony service centre , as they have the equipment to fully align the laser mechanism, as example https://www.sony.es/electronics/support
The suggestions given so far are usually beneficial. Hope you have success, as its a very highly regarded player.

[Landloper]

As made in 1968 suggests - I recently opened up a Panasonic BD that I was having problems with, and once I'd managed to get the drive housing out it was obvious that dust had collected on the rails and had mixed with the lubricant. A simple clean and re-lube had the player back in action good as new. Don't give up just yet!

[farflungstar]

Well I have music. I opened it up and tried everything including adjusting servo control, laser focus (there are 2 pots) nada. So opened up the bottom to give access to the laser on the sled. Don't know why or how but it was jammed and wouldn't move. I played around with the transit screw which was in the free position and after a couple of jiggles the laser had movement. God knows how that happened. Will test run it.

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[BDD]

It does not use a Swinging pick up but rails.. Clean the rails & use some very thin oil like sewing machine oil. Just a tiny tiny amount & remember discs play from centre to edge.

That worked for me with my Linn Karik - sticky rails cleaned then some light oil sparingly applied. Was very pleased to fix it.


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[Audio Al]

It does not use a Swinging pick up but rails.. Clean the rails & use some very thin oil like sewing machine oil. Just a tiny tiny amount & remember discs play from centre to edge.

I didnt know that ;)

[struth]

"not a lot of people know that"

[walpurgis]

No wonder I was having problems when I tried one on my record deck. :)

[nonuffin]

This is where accurate diagnosis saves time and effort.

If a player plays the majority of a disc without skips or jumps then the laser is working perfectly, so leave it alone.

If it baulks from track 10 onwards then it is the rails or sled that has contamination of some sort restricting movement. Take a cotton bud with a few drops of isopropyl alcohol and wipe the rails to remove any sticky residue, then a soft lint free cloth to clean the rails, paying particular attention where the sled body edges meet the rails as dust and fluff accumulates there. Finally just one drop of light oil on a cotton bud to lubricate the rails - no more than one drop otherwise dust will quickly stick and you are back to square one in a short time :rolleyes:

[farflungstar]

This is where accurate diagnosis saves time and effort.

If a player plays the majority of a disc without skips or jumps then the laser is working perfectly, so leave it alone.

If it baulks from track 10 onwards then it is the rails or sled that has contamination of some sort restricting movement. Take a cotton bud with a few drops of isopropyl alcohol and wipe the rails to remove any sticky residue, then a soft lint free cloth to clean the rails, paying particular attention where the sled body edges meet the rails as dust and fluff accumulates there. Finally just one drop of light oil on a cotton bud to lubricate the rails - no more than one drop otherwise dust will quickly stick and you are back to square one in a short time :rolleyes:Yes, I reckon that was the issue. Will give it a thorough going over. I really did think I was going to be left with a rather beautiful brick!

Having heard some of the newer players I am very impressed with this 30 year old Sony.

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[RobbieGong]

Yes, I reckon that was the issue. Will give it a thorough going over. I really did think I was going to be left with a rather beautiful brick!

Having heard some of the newer players I am very impressed with this 30 year old Sony.

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Hope it all works out Adrian, hifi can be gut wrenching and drive us to despair sometimes, trust me i know. Let us know how it goes.

Btw - We have similar taste, as in a liking for great vintage gear ie: Both SP-10 MK2 and then Pioneer PD-91 cdp - me, Sony X777ES cdp - you :thumbsup:

[farflungstar]

Hope it all works out Adrian, hifi can be gut wrenching and drive us to despair sometimes, trust me i know. Let us know how it goes.

Btw - We have similar taste, as in a liking for great vintage gear ie: Both SP-10 MK2 and then Pioneer PD-91 cdp - me, Sony X777ES cdp - you [emoji106]Yes I have a thing for classic Japanese masterpieces, the sp10 is in my opinion still unrivaled as a disk spinner for all the right reasons. Likewise the Luxman AT3000 sits right up there with the creme de la creme. The Vida will I believe one day be a classic. The Sony embodies what I look for, superb craftsmanship and soul, something I value over hyper detail any day.

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[RobbieGong]

Yes I have a thing for classic Japanese masterpieces, the sp10 is in my opinion still unrivaled as a disk spinner for all the right reasons. Likewise the Luxman AT3000 sits right up there with the creme de la creme. The Vida will I believe one day be a classic. The Sony embodies what I look for, superb craftsmanship and soul, something I value over hyper detail any day.

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Top man, and absolutely Adrian (You're a man of taste with some sweet kit, if I may say) and yes the Vida will be a classic as it was always special from birth so in my view already is one ;)

Been listening to some fave cd's courtesy of my Pioneer PD-91 this evening, powered by Sansui AU a707DR and can only say, lovin' it big time !

Had the PD-91 sat on hifi rack looking pretty for a good few years plus and only lately have I given it a proper run out and listen :scratch: Addiction to vinyl to blame for that.

Now when I'm finally in receipt of the Yannis tonearm cable I'm awaiting, is when the fun will really start, when I at last can start to evaluate my SP-10 which I'm in no doubt is gonna be a thriller !! :D

[Ninanina]

Hope you've now sorted the problem Adrian... nice one .. ;)

I've never owned anything "classic Japanese" unless the Pioneer A-400 amp qualifies... however I've always admired the well made Japanese stuff...

[farflungstar]

Top man, and absolutely Adrian (You're a man of taste with some sweet kit, if I may say) and yes the Vida will be a classic as it was always special from birth so in my view already is one ;)

Been listening to some fave cd's courtesy of my Pioneer PD-91 this evening, powered by Sansui AU a707DR and can only say, lovin' it big time !

Had the PD-91 sat on hifi rack looking pretty for a good few years plus and only lately have I given it a proper run out and listen :scratch: Addiction to vinyl to blame for that.

Now when I'm finally in receipt of the Yannis tonearm cable I'm awaiting, is when the fun will really start, when I at last can start to evaluate my SP-10 which I'm in no doubt is gonna be a thriller !! :DYou won't be disappointed in the SP10. Can't tell you how much I miss mine.

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[farflungstar]

Holy crap I need help with this sony. I don't understand. The laser housing for some reason keeps jamming towards the end of a CD, so will always stop and go crazy. If I push it back to normal position (closest clamp) it will read TOC in less than 1 second and plays until track 13 (depends on previous track lengths) then f*ucks up. It is obviously meeting or causing resistance as it moves outward to the periphery of the disk.

I've oiled the guiderail and the ribbon cable doesn't impede anything... Could the servo be failing or a cap on the servo power supply. I really feel as though I'm cursed with HiFi at the moment and just want bloody music.
Help!

Adey


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[AJSki2fly]

Holy crap I need help with this sony. I don't understand. The laser housing for some reason keeps jamming towards the end of a CD, so will always stop and go crazy. If I push it back to normal position (closest clamp) it will read TOC in less than 1 second and plays until track 13 (depends on previous track lengths) then f*ucks up. It is obviously meeting or causing resistance as it moves outward to the periphery of the disk.

I've oiled the guiderail and the ribbon cable doesn't impede anything... Could the servo be failing or a cap on the servo power supply. I really feel as though I'm cursed with HiFi at the moment and just want bloody music.
Help!

Adey


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Hi Adrian

Not sure how Sony originally set up your model of Sony from CD/Laser sled point of view, but my experience with a Meridian 508 player may help to explain your issues.

The Meridian 506 and 508 both use a particular and very good Philips CD mechanism, this when built new was greased with a grease designed for plastics, the laser drive mechanism and worm wheel both being plastic. It is crucial that this mechanism moves freely so the laser can position and track accurately, if not the CD player will do all sorts of things and eventually not play at all and complain of no CD in the unit. All Meridian CD players eventually fail due to the same issue, the grease that Philips used goes hard over the years, and it can be so bad that the mechanism can get damaged, but not always. So the solution is very carefully clean it removing all old grease and then apply plastic grease that does not go hard, if this does not work then it is a new sled and laser I am afraid.

So it maybe that your CD mechanism is suffering from the same problem if Sony were guilty of using the same type of grease when it was made. I would carefully get to the sled determine if you can easily remove it from the unit so you can clean and re-grease, or if it has to be done in situ. I would check online to see if you can find any others who have had similar issues with this unit first, there is usually something out then, have you searched on Youtube for Sony CD player issues?

I hope that helps a bit.

Adrian

[farflungstar]

Hi Adrian

Not sure how Sony originally set up your model of Sony from CD/Laser sled point of view, but my experience with a Meridian 508 player may help to explain your issues.

The Meridian 506 and 508 both use a particular and very good Philips CD mechanism, this when built new was greased with a grease designed for plastics, the laser drive mechanism and worm wheel both being plastic. It is crucial that this mechanism moves freely so the laser can position and track accurately, if not the CD player will do all sorts of things and eventually not play at all and complain of no CD in the unit. All Meridian CD players eventually fail due to the same issue, the grease that Philips used goes hard over the years, and it can be so bad that the mechanism can get damaged, but not always. So the solution is very carefully clean it removing all old grease and then apply plastic grease that does not go hard, if this does not work then it is a new sled and laser I am afraid.

So it maybe that your CD mechanism is suffering from the same problem if Sony were guilty of using the same type of grease when it was made. I would carefully get to the sled determine if you can easily remove it from the unit so you can clean and re-grease, or if it has to be done in situ. I would check online to see if you can find any others who have had similar issues with this unit first, there is usually something out then, have you searched on Youtube for Sony CD player issues?

I hope that helps a bit.

AdrianHi, yes but info is sketchy and suggests the same solution. However, the Sony laser assembly only runs on one rail, the other travels in a magnetic channel which is impossible to access. Will check it over again.

Adey

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[farflungstar]

Also, the laser housing never moves easily. To reposition it isnt easy as it doesn't want to travel and needs a firm but gentle nudge to get it to travel back to where it should be.

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[farflungstar]

OK. So it is definately mechanical. There are 2 parts to the guide rail, a rod which is spotless and oiled and then a second plastic arm that rides in slot. This is difficult to access without disassembling the entire drive. I have taken the drive as a unit out and there is an obstruction which can only be to do with the plastic arm/slot, you can hear it scraping as you try to move the laser assembly at the sticking point. I jiggled it and slid it repeatedly for a bit then tried. It accessed track 14 but same problem at 30 seconds in. I repeated the process and it has been playing track 14 ok and is on repeat.

I think I need to open up and check that hard to reach slot, it's the only logical cause.

Heres some scary pics of the drive unit out - I hate messing with this crap.

Adeyhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200117/061872b28f77333a12a021d36d8734df.jpg

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[AJSki2fly]

OK. So it is definately mechanical. There are 2 parts to the guide rail, a rod which is spotless and oiled and then a second plastic arm that rides in slot. This is difficult to access without disassembling the entire drive. I have taken the drive as a unit out and there is an obstruction which can only be to do with the plastic arm/slot, you can hear it scraping as you try to move the laser assembly at the sticking point. I jiggled it and slid it repeatedly for a bit then tried. It accessed track 14 but same problem at 30 seconds in. I repeated the process and it has been playing track 14 ok and is on repeat.

I think I need to open up and check that hard to reach slot, it's the only logical cause.

Heres some scary pics of the drive unit out - I hate messing with this crap.

Adeyhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200117/061872b28f77333a12a021d36d8734df.jpg

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I had a look online and it looks as if parts for it are like hens teeth and I bet if you can find a replacement sled it will be pricey. So take your time and carefully take it apart, using no force, if you get stuck then best to leave it for a bit and come back after a think. I hope you sort it OK. Good luck.

[nonuffin]

So take your time and carefully take it apart, using no force, if you get stuck then best to leave it for a bit and come back after a think.

Great words of wisdom there from Adrian.

I was fighting yesterday with an AVI Lab series player and after fitting a new laser into it I couldn't get the blessed lid to fit properly and every time I turned it over the mechanism dropped off it's mounting. :scratch:

A big hot cup of coffee and smoked a fag away from it, helped with some thinking time to sort the problem.

A drop of superglue on the spacers to fix to the chassis, another drop on the bolts to the transport and it moved no more when turned upside down :yay:

[farflungstar]

Well, after moving the laser assembly repeatedly backwards and forwards over the sticky point it has been on shuffle play for the last 4 hours without a problem. Let's just hope that after screwing it back together (the drive unit and lid) it still behaves.

I guess the good news is its not electronics or the laser itself.

Adey

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[AJSki2fly]

Well, after moving the laser assembly repeatedly backwards and forwards over the sticky point it has been on shuffle play for the last 4 hours without a problem. Let's just hope that after screwing it back together (the drive unit and lid) it still behaves.

I guess the good news is its not electronics or the laser itself.

Adey

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Sounds like a bit of dirt may have got in there and hopefully it is now shifted out the way, fingers crossed.:)

[RobbieGong]

Hows it going Adrian,

How you finding the Sony's presentation ?

[Made in 1968]

It will be dirt, ive been there before with my loverly old Sony '552ESD' which was easily the best sounding CD player ive ever owned, never mind the great looks

The symptoms cleared after a service & new Belt but they started coming back after a year, i blamed the large open air vents in the top, but decided i did not need this shit & moved to Files just keeping my 930UK spec CDP for the spare room..

Might be an idea to move it on while its still working ok loike..

[RobbieGong]

From an era when kit looked like something.

Love wood sides......

[Made in 1968]

Thats just a pic i borrowed but was exactly the same, sold it on EBAY mint for £100. They been selling for anything upto £500. But i dont play the greedy game and just sell for what i believe things are worth..

btw: they had a copper chassis, weighed a ton..

[farflungstar]

Hows it going Adrian,

How you finding the Sony's presentation ?That's a more complex question than you may think.

The Sony has 3 types of output, balanced direct from DACs, direct single ended, and variable single ended.

Its thought that all 3 impact on the sound with some people preferring the direct single ended as being the sweet spot and most dismissive of the variable as audibly inferior.

I lived with it (when playing up so not as much listening as I'd have liked) via direct single ended and would describe the sound as analogue, airy, liquid, focused with reasonable depth and very good sound stage. Vocals were beautifully rendered. This was with my Luxman AT3000 TVC.

I am now using the variable single ended (the luxman has departed to a new home) and it is a different story. The sound stage is congested, multitracks fight for attention. Not in the same league. But it has power, energy, prodigious bass. Away from the speakers it sounds huge and extremely good - but sit down between the speakers and its horrible. This is the exact opposite of my old vinyl rig. From afar nothing special, but sit down and you were transported to a different space. Yes I was using exceptionally good gear - but the Sony on direct single ended with the luxman got pretty close. The cheap alps blue pot, the complexity of the circuit and amplification are screwing the sound, which after living with AVC/TVCs transparency and zero congestion is unacceptable.

This has got me thinking of 2 things and put me in a dilemma. First how would it sound using the balanced, and should I continue that to the audio research 75 which is wired for balanced. Of course I'd like to try but that will necessitate new interconnects.

I need to get a preamp and am torn between wanting the abilities of a TVC or going active to maintain that energy and balls.

An active pre is better with the ref 75, I knew it when I bought it, but I am not sure I could get the level of a TVC plus an active in my price range at the moment. I could get hold of an Audio Research ls9 which has good reviews, would suit the amp but is 30 years old. I'm aware of very expensive TVC/active solutions but that's out of my league.

I'm not looking to replace the luxmans performance, that in my experience isn't possible, and will be happy to step down the ladder a rung, maybe Slagles or Tribute which I lived very happily with before the Truth and the the Luxman.

The CD is playing fine at the moment all tracks. It still hates a slight scratch and CDs need to be pristine which is a bit of a pain.

I need extended listening with a pre I trust to be transparent before I can pass serious judgement.. Trying balanced also. If I'm still not happy and it's running fine then an external DAC will lead me down a new rabbit hole I'd prefer not to go down. I'm hoping that sorting the pre will take me back to what I was hearing before the luxman left.

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[RobbieGong]

Wow Adrian thanks for the comprehensive response.

At least you'll try different ways to connect where I've always been a bit lazy /unadventurous in that regard, choosing to always keep it really simple, connecting with good quality rca interconnects, insert cd, press play and listen.

Fortunately that's always worked for me, certainly does with the PD-91.

Excellent 'analogue' sound, depth, sound stage, vocals and instruments sound natural and right, bass, clarity, air, non fatiguing - boogies !

Display (lights) in off position and analogue digital position set to both - not exactly sure what that means but sounds great :)

[Made in 1968]

Ive played wiith the three filters on the sony machine. Its like i cant hear any difference then on a certain passage i think i hear a difference, but then again i dont, I think i like setting 2 so just leave it there..