Broken CD Player

[Brown Bottle]

My Creek Evo CD Player is knackered, not reading discs. Yesterday with the help of a mate (alright he did 90% of the work, I held things for the other 10%) we changed the laser mech, which is not the easiest job in the world. Anyway turned it back on and Hey Presto 'No Disc'.

Other than sending it back to Creek, any ideas?

Cheers BB

 

[The Strat]

I don't know the Evo but I'd have thought probably not worth the cost of repair? Loads of good CDPs out there Rega Apollo is the best of the current crop at real world prices perhaps?

 

[Brown Bottle]

I don't know the Evo but I'd have thought probably not worth the cost of repair? Loads of good CDPs out there Rega Apollo is the best of the current crop at real world prices perhaps?

Hi Lindsay, I just wondered if there was something I might be missing. I certainly wont be sending it to Creek, I have had a problem with both my Amp and CD Player and I haven't been impressed with their customer service. Unfortunately even real world prices are currently out of reach so it's DVD player for now.

Cheers BB

 

[istari knight]

What did you change ? The whole transport or just the laser block ? 99% have an "anti-static point" that requires desoldering before use... I assume that was done ? If not it wont work at all.

 

[Brown Bottle]

Hi James just the laser block, like for like.

Cheers BB

 

[James Evans]

I'm getting enormous deja vu with this thread and the responses. Has this been posted before?

 

[Voice_Coil]

Its not as simple as just swapping the laser, LOL

But people WILL take short cuts.

 

[Brown Bottle]

Its not as simple as just swapping the laser, LOLBut people WILL take short cuts.

That's the point of the thread, I assumed there might be something else!

Cheers BB

 

[Voice_Coil]

That's the point of the thread, I assumed there might be something else! Cheers BB

Some lasers require mechanical adjustment too....then theres the servo...yadda yadda...

 

[The Strat]

Hi Lindsay, I just wondered if there was something I might be missing. I certainly wont be sending it to Creek, I have had a problem with both my Amp and CD Player and I haven't been impressed with their customer service. Unfortunately even real world prices are currently out of reach so it's DVD player for now.Cheers BB

In which case I would raid the Flea pit for a cheap DAC.

 

[istari knight]

Some lasers require mechanical adjustment too....then theres the servo...yadda yadda...

Indeed. Yet not a single one I've replaced has required it & to my knowledge all are still working now. Can you recall if the antistatic point was removed Steve ? They vary between manufacturers but all are very similar in execution to this:

If your friend did remove it then you need to observe what happens when a disc is inserted... To quote from Lukasz Fikus website which I've always found helpful in such situations:

1. Open the player's hood

2. Put an original factory made CD with clean surface and press drawer CLOSE button.

3. Does the drawer close fully?

4. If 3 is yes, then does the CD spin at all?

5. If 4 is yes, does it spin for 2-3 seconds or for over 10 seconds? Does it spin VERY FAST like crazy or with somewhat controlled speed ?

6. If the 5 answer is - controlled speed and 2-3 seconds - the laser is alive and it can detect the beam reflection from the disc surface.

Tips: if the laser is dead, the CD will not spin at all. The CD motor has a signal to start spinning only after the laser heads reports: "reflective surface detected at the height where CD is expected to be ".

 

[Brown Bottle]

Indeed. Yet not a single one I've replaced has required it & to my knowledge all are still working now. Can you recall if the antistatic point was removed Steve ? They vary between manufacturers but all are very similar in execution to this:

If your friend did remove it then you need to observe what happens when a disc is inserted... To quote from Lukasz Fikus website which I've always found helpful in such situations:

Hi James, no we din't do anything with the anti static protection, we didn't know about it. The problem is that the disc doesn't start spinning, as in Tips above.

Cheers BB

 

[istari knight]

In that case you need to find the anti-static point & remove it... Whilst in place it shorts the laser so it wont work at all.

If you can post what model the laser is I'll look for the datasheet which will show where to find it

 

[Brown Bottle]

James, it's a Philips VAM1201 laser assembly

Cheers BB

 

[seasidersrock]

You could also consider the replacement laser is U/S.

Philips stopped production, whats available from the Far East in my own experience dont meet Philips spec and are cheap copys.

I had the same problem replacing a VAM 1250 in my Maestro, only sorted by sourcing an original Philips produced unit....

Just a thought............

 

[Brown Bottle]

Thanks Ian, I'll assume it's not a copy and hope for the best. Beyond this it's not really worth it.

Cheers BB

 

[seasidersrock]

You could give Colin at Chevron Audio a ring..... He sorted out my Maestro, one of the good guys and prices are reasonable.

 

[Voice_Coil]

According to this bloke, they are cheap to buy ?

Half way down the page....

http://lampizator.eu/lampizator/REFERENCES/NorthStar192/Northstar192.html

 

[istari knight]

James, it's a Philips VAM1201 laser assemblyCheers BB

Ah, okay... I do recall fitting one into a Marantz CD67 - Theres no antistatic point on it, just a shorting clip that sits along the ribbon cable connectors... That needs be left on until the very last moment otherwise its goodbye new laser.

Its one of those situations where there's so many variables involved its very hard to advise... Of all the laser's I've changed [dozens] these are the biggest PITA. I'd send it back to Creek for repair & then flog it.