Top CD player wanted

[farflungstar]

It's very unlikely cd player would make any damage to an amplifier ,
It's very long thread can you remind me what's the balance like when you plug adjustable output to the amplifier?
Another solution is to take Opus and your amp to ARC service centre , guys there certainly would be able to check outputs of the player and tell you if is faulty or not
if you've paid with PayPal you have 90 days so there is no point to make rushed decisions , someone would need to swallow 100euros postage cost

If I had a cd with fixed tones couldn't I measure outputs with a multimeter?

[mac72]

If I had a cd with fixed tones couldn't I measure outputs with a multimeter?

You can but your multimiter frequency response is probably in the range 60-500Hz maybe bit higher ,
I would check dc offset at the output with 47k load , preferably RC flter (47k-1uF) , you might see few mV which is within noise anomaly of DMM meter

[farflungstar]

You can but your multimiter frequency response is probably in the range 60-500Hz maybe bit higher ,
I would check dc offset at the output with 47k load , preferably RC flter (47k-1uF) , you might see few mV which is within noise anomaly of DMM meter

Ok - would dc damage the amp input?

[mac72]

Ok - would dc damage the amp input?

I doubt as grid of the input stage valve is normally at 0V , if DC is high it could re-bias input stage if just few mV there is nothing to worry about

[George47]

Just to be clear where we are now.

If you play your vinyl into the linestage-ARC75-speakers you have to move the 'balance' control to just past the mid point (4 past). That seems normal.

If you then play the CD player then the 'balance' control has to be advanced to 20 past? This is not normal and there clearly is an issue with the Opus.

If it was like that from the start then it arrived with a problem and I would return it and ask for a refund. You could share the postage.

Did your line-stage cause a problem to the Opus....hmm not sure about that?? It is possible (shorting out the output amps/buffer?} but why does it not damage your phono amplifier and if it works how did it short?

Did the Opus cause a problem to the line-stage'? Doubt it.

My inclination is to ask for a refund as it is causing issues and it does not work as described. Did you cause the problem: I doubt it as these items can take a lot of abuse without causing a partial failure? Although you need a techie's view....

[Lawrence001]

I have to make a confession, I found out last night I know the seller of the Opus when I looked at his eBay name, it's not the same as his pfm name, where I first saw the listing. I met him at Scalford last year and later sold him a passive pre. I'm not going to give any more opinions on this for obvious reasons but I will say he comes across as a very straightforward and honest guy and if he said the cdp was working perfectly when it left his hands I strongly believe this would have been the case.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[farflungstar]

I have to make a confession, I found out last night I know the seller of the Opus when I looked at his eBay name, it's not the same as his pfm name, where I first saw the listing. I met him at Scalford last year and later sold him a passive pre. I'm not going to give any more opinions on this for obvious reasons but I will say he comes across as a very straightforward and honest guy and if he said the cdp was working perfectly when it left his hands I strongly believe this would have been the case.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

Thanks for being up front. I'm in touch with him over this and have said I'm not questioning his honesty. I have raised a refund with eBay - but this is born from insecurity - something isn't right but I honestly don't understand what. Im going to try and take the Opus to school tomorrow and try it in the system there - it's not ideal, but it might shed a little more light on what's going on.

When i first connected it up it was via the variable into the linestage, the manual says that if used that way you can set the volume at 99 so it's effectively giving full output (2.5v). It sounded terrible at that level, as though it was over driving the linestage - though the maker of the linestage assures me it can comfortably handle it - I disagree.

It might be that both the Opus and the ref 75 have a slight drop on the left channel - or that output on the right of the Opus is higher than it should be. I don't know.

I'm quite certain I'm not hearing the Opus as it should be, for whatever reason - but my instinct is to take it out of the system and start from scratch.

Maybe tomorrow I'll know a little more.

[Lawrence001]

I hope it all works out ok, it's horrible when this sort of thing happens, the best hope is nobody falls out too badly over it in the long run when the emotions have subsided.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[Mike Reed]

I'd just like to add my thoughts to others here that it's very unlikely for the CDP to cause a problem into a line input. 2.5 V is only just above theoretical line level. I'm a bit lost as to what processes of elimination you've covered. Surely the variable output into the ARC should say something, even if it's not best sonic practice. (I assume the Ref 75 doesn't have pot's like my E.A.R.). Presumably you've tried all line inputs.

I do think you need to try the CDP into another set-up, if only to check the balance, but I note you're dong that tomorrow (and presumably you're a teacher; E.F.L., by any chance?). I have empathy for your situation, but it seems that you have the hifi nous to ascertain the fault.

[Marco]

Really sorry to hear of your woes, Adey. It's so disappointing... Essentially, you've got a superb CD player there - *if* you can get it to function optimally in your system, and I do hope that's the result you get in the end.

Marco.