CD Player Does Not Read CD and Won't Play

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by AudiophilePhil, Jun 15, 2009.

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  1. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    :help:

    My old Marantz CD player has started showing difficulty in reading most of my CD's in my collection. It started to do that only this year. Do you think it's time to replace it or its laser needs some cleaning?

    Thanks.
     
  2. oldschool

    oldschool I love tape hiss

    Location:
    Sofia, Bulgaria
    By some good cleaning CD. Run a few cycles.
     
  3. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Thanks, but the problem is, it won't even play a good cleaning CD in order for it to be cleaned.
     
  4. audiofiles

    audiofiles New Member

    I have a similar problem with my Maranztz, sometimes if I tilt the player it will play :mad:
     
  5. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA

    My Marantz CD 63SE player is already 12 years old anyway.
     
  6. monewe

    monewe Forum Resident

    Location:
    SCOTLAND
    Maybe time to buy a new one as replacing the laser may cost as much.
     
  7. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    You may be right. It's time to look for a more modern and superior-sounding CD player.
     
  8. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Anyone who have an idea what to do to troubleshoot this kind of problem if you want to save your old CD player?
     
  9. Blencathra

    Blencathra New Member

    Location:
    UK
    You've pretty much done that. If you can't use a CD cleaning disc and it misreads/doesn't play most discs it can only be one of two things - a mis-aligned/failing laser assembly or a dirty laser. My CD player has the laser assembly on the tray and I can clean it with an alcohol based cleaner. If yours is an old machine, therefore, not needing to worry about invalidating a warranty, you could always take the lid of and see if you can get to the laser and clean it. Otherwise it's a fix or replace.

    You could get a quote for the replacement but, as already stated, it probably won't be cheap.

    I recently had my laser assembly replaced by Meridian. It cost £200 but they also performed a full service, testing for dry joints etc. For a class player it was well worth it.
     
  10. marantzbe

    marantzbe Hyperactive!

    Location:
    BELGIUM
    Hello,
    The laser on this model is very weak, 12 years without any problem, you're a lucky guy:agree:

    The solution is to replace the laser, you can find it on Eb**, you can find the whole assembly or only the laser unit.
    With the laser unit only, you'll need to desolder en resolder 4 or 5 wires.

    I have had 2 63-SE and the Professional version, laser dead after years, I kept one and finally I manage to find a cheap laser unit to replace the old one recently
    Reference are VAM 1202 or CDM12.1
    Good luck

    Tony
     
  11. audiofiles

    audiofiles New Member

    Maybe, you could help me. Where would I acquire a laser assembly for a DV9500?
     
  12. marantzbe

    marantzbe Hyperactive!

    Location:
    BELGIUM
    I can try, but I'm not a specialist
    DVD laser could be very expensive compared to a cd laser unit

    I guess the DV9500 is a Marantz, do you know the production year?
    A lot of laser assembly for DVD are available from China, Taiwan...

    I was looking for a spare laser for a DV7000, no find during the last 3 months, yesterday I found one (57 Euro + shipping), I still need to contact the shop in Taiwan

    Regards

    Tony
     
  13. therockman

    therockman Senior Member In Memoriam

    Before you do anything drastic, just blow some moisture-free dust removing high velocity canned air in to the drawer. I do this several times while opening and closing the drawer just to make sure that I blow the dust off of all of the moving parts as well as the lens itself.
     
  14. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I have one of these Marantz cd players, and after many years it still works. When the day comes that it won't read cds, I will ****** it.

    Just get an Oppo. It's cheaper than repairing the old unit and will sound and perform better.
     
    Geno Pal likes this.
  15. jsternbe

    jsternbe Senior Member

    Location:
    Knoxville, TN USA
    My old 63SE died only a few years after I got it. It was a nice sounding CD player while it lasted, though.
     
  16. audiofiles

    audiofiles New Member

    I think it's a 2005/06 model. It reads DVD and SACD perfectly but struggles reading CD. It also can skip in the first 10 minutes of play on a cold day with all formats. I am guessing it would be the laser, but I am no expert.
     
  17. I have a 12 or 13 year old Marantz cd63 Ki Signature - a few years ago I had a similar problem with my player.

    I opened it up and using a damp cotton wool bud gently cleaned the laser lens. The machine hasn't missed a beat since I did this - even reads pretty badly scratched up discs.

    I guess if your machine is kaput you have nothing to lose by trying this - only takes 5 minutes. I think you may have to move the tray with your hand to get at the lens.
     
  18. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Thank you to everyone who have responded and gave their suggestions on trying to make this old CD player work again.
    I will try each one of your suggestions and see if it will work perfectly again.
     
  19. terra1

    terra1 New Member

    Location:
    usa
    when a cd cleaning disc won't work ...

    Open the cover and check the lens and travel mechanism and surrounding area. If you haven't cleaned before, there may be quite an accumulation of hair and gunk. Some players you need to open the drawer to access the lens area. Then turn off and unplug the player before actual cleaning. You don't want to accidentally bump on any buttons.

    Clean the rails, lens, spindle areas. I use 99.9% anhydrous alcohol and q-tips. Check there are no clumps debris on the clamps that can affect the orbit of the CD.

    Apply a light oil like Tri-Flow on the rails and gears, and a drop on the spindle motor.

    Balance the player with a bubble level side to side and front to back to make sure it is level.

    These are the usual simple things you can do. Otherwise, it may as others say require a lens replacement or cleaning other sensors.
     
  20. marantzbe

    marantzbe Hyperactive!

    Location:
    BELGIUM
    If it reads the other format, the laser should be ok
    Try to clean the lens as mentioned in one other post, other possibility, the mechanism is in need of some grease. Silicon oil should be ok
    I have the same problem with a Pioneer DV-717, it reads the DVD but on cold start it's impossible to read a CD.

    If you have a service manual, you can check if it's possible to correct the azimuth.
    Before trying to find a new laser unit, I'll try in order, cleaning, lubrification, azimuth
     
  21. marantzbe

    marantzbe Hyperactive!

    Location:
    BELGIUM
    I agree with you, before replacing the laser unit, you should clean the lens, and applying some new oil (silicon oil works well).
     
  22. Dugan

    Dugan Senior Member

    Location:
    Midway,Pa
    Years ago I had a Technics 5 disc carousel player that I to do that with. Eventually it go to the point that I have to practically stand it up vertically for it to play.
     
  23. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    All lasers eventually fail.

    Best to get a new multi-format DVD player.
     
  24. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    Mmm, don't many players use separate lasers for DVD & CD due to focal length?

    Anyway, the laser is sitting there face up, accumulating years of burned-on dust. Do try to clean the laser, and the other gunk.

    Also try unplugging for a few days-maybe it will "reboot"-sounds nuts but I've had that work...

    Unless you LOOOOOVE this player, don't spend much fixing it.
     
  25. leshafunk

    leshafunk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Moscow, Russia
    Few years ago I had a laser replacement on my Maranz CD-17 made my authorised Maranz service. It costed me approx. $40 (including parts and labor).

    It uses same Philips CDM-12.1 pickup like yours CD-63SE which used to be pretty cheap. Maybe today it's OOP and thus more expensive to buy.
     
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