Denon DCD-1600NE SACD/CD Player

[WOStantonCS100]

Machine/unit #2 smells the same as the first...even after 4 straight days of burn in.

So, as we do in the IT world, I turned to the internet to look for "known issues": "Denon DCD-1600NE smells bad"

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/t...-smell.323963/

https://www.avforums.com/threads/den...247884/page-10

https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions...k_ql_ql_al_hza

Sure enough two different forums and an Amazon review all mentioned the same bad smell. One person said it took 50 hours of burn in to go away. Another person said it took months!! The best sounding CD player I have ever had in my system (and the best I've heard in many systems that did not have an Esoteric or EMM Labs/Meitner) is leaving my house because... ...it smells bad. FFS, Denon!?!?!? What a travesty. How did these ever get past Quality Control to begin with. I am dismayed, disgusted and heart-broken. But, I'll get over it. There are other fish in the sea.

Larry Beck at Accessories4Less is your man. I just hope he doesn't get his lunch eaten daily because Denon and United Radio can't fix this issue.

[Lawrence001]

If it goes away after burn in why not just keep it esp if the dealer has been so helpful?

[WOStantonCS100]

If it goes away after burn in why not just keep it esp if the dealer has been so helpful?

Fair question, deserving an answer:

The problem is...no one seems to know how long that (burn in) will take. When I say it smells, what I mean is that it will stink up several rooms in the house when left on; can't enjoy the listening session. People sensitive to smells or with allergies are probably not going to be able to tolerate that (I'm one of those people). When I sent the first unit back, they said it was the entire drive mechanism! They replaced it but the smell didn't go away; so, my trust is completely shaken with these units. I'm not keen on having a $1K "time bomb" as a main source in my system. It makes much more sense to me to put the funds towards an awesome DAC that I can use with proven reliable/long lasting CD players and/or transports...............that do not and never have smelled like burning insulation (which is every other electronic audio component I've ever had, including DIY tube stuff).

[struth]

sounds like a bad batch of players going about. maybe being resold etc at cheaper price but still smelling

[Macca]

so weird. Like you say though not something you should have to endure.

[WOStantonCS100]

sounds like a bad batch of players going about. maybe being resold etc at cheaper price but still smelling

Surely you must be correct about that... but where are the good ones? If I am to be cheeky I would ask, "On a barge out on the ocean?" Gotta laugh...

[WOStantonCS100]

First let me say again, Larry Beck at Accessories4Less is a jewel to work with. Satisfactory conclusion with great customer service.

Second, for those who have this unit (without the smell), you've done well for yourself. In my opinion, it is a unit that leaves many players in the dust sonically. I'm thinking you have to spend a poop ton more or go with transport and DAC to better it. For a standalone player it ticked all my boxes.

Maybe the moral of the story is do not buy b-stock but that seems a harsh judgement. As mentioned, surely this is just part of bad batch that is going around. Either way, Denon has chosen not to do the right thing and take this machines out of the lines completely. Furthermore, at some point these were first purchase A-stock, right? The only way I would try again with this unit would be if I could try before buying and/or in the flesh...smell it first.

In the meantime, I have moved on (or returned to form). My older spinners (some of which I've never had hooked up to my SP17 before) are doing well. Some of them actually sound far better than I remember considering the change in amplification. "Everything matters." Isn't that what they say...

Cheers!

[Hypnotist]

Having read the full post count I bet your gutted and back to square one, and as you said were not talking about a unit that costs $100 with little or no QC

[Pharos]

In my years of audio/Hi-Fi experience, as well as years in electronics, obvious smells are usually due to underrated design aspects, often power supplies which have been inadequately spec'ed.

The smell is often localised to a particular area of the circuits, or a part of a board, and this makes the problem readily identifiable.

I used to repair stuff for the Sound Organisation, and often found under spec'ed resistors in circuits which needed upgrading.

With a military spec background I am used to things being over-rated and bullet proof.

[WOStantonCS100]

Having read the full post count I bet your gutted and back to square one, and as you said were not talking about a unit that costs $100 with little or no QC

Indeed.

I see the DCD-800NE looks to be discontinued and the DCD-900NE is "coming soon". I am torn with trying again but buying a "new" 1600NE or waiting for the 900NE. Usually, once I decide I'm done...I'm done. I am having a hard time walking away from a one box solution that sounded that good.

On the other hand, remarkably, I recently set up a "test" system comprising a Linux PC running HDMI out to an A/V HT receiver playing needledropped 24/192 WAV's burned to DVD's... ...and I don't hate it. The easily replaceable optical drive is a big plus. Do I really want to chase that rabbit again?

In my years of audio/Hi-Fi experience, as well as years in electronics, obvious smells are usually due to underrated design aspects, often power supplies which have been inadequately spec'ed.

The smell is often localised to a particular area of the circuits, or a part of a board, and this makes the problem readily identifiable.

I used to repair stuff for the Sound Organisation, and often found under spec'ed resistors in circuits which needed upgrading.

With a military spec background I am used to things being over-rated and bullet proof.

Here, here. I have always been a fan of over-built and over-spec'ed monsters in the consumer audio world. Are there any such beasts these days? The only ones I know of have astronomical price tags...not even very expensive...just plain astronomical.