Marantz Woes

[Lazarus Short]

I was gifted an expensive Marantz DVD/CD player some time ago. It sounds great, but it fails to load a lot of CD's. The mechanism loads OK, but it sits there flashing "LOADING" while making whirring sounds. Then "00000000000000" appears on the readout. Maybe that's too many zeroes, but you get the idea. With some discs I can open and close the drawer, and then it works, but too many are just not read at al. It especially doesn't want to play RYKO discs. I took the cover off, and the lens looks clean, so I have no idea what else to do.

Any ideas???

 

[mlucitt]

Model number?

 

[MarkWComer]

I think that some brands of discs have differing reflectivity in the aluminum layer. It’s possible that older machines have problems with this, especially if they’re “home burned” records.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Model number?

DV9500

 

[mlucitt]

The DV9500 is a Progressive Universal Scan DVD Player. You need a Republican Universal Scan DVD Player.
Actually, this is a nice unit. The specs are impressive. The transport likely needs a complete cleaning, then it should accept any disc you load into it.

 

[Lazarus Short]

So what needs cleaning, besides the laser lens? Is it something I could do myself?

 

[mlucitt]

I would try it, you have not much to lose. You will need a can of compressed air, a camel's hair brush, and a box of Q-tips to wipe the alcohol with. I use denatured alcohol, it is cleaner than rubbing alcohol and does not leave a film. You will need to open the unit up and get access to the transport assembly to clean all the sensors, and the loading mechanism to remove all dust, crud, and congealed oil from the tracks (if they feel any resistance, they will eject the disc). Most transports do not need lube, if you want to use some; try very little amounts of sewing machine oil, it will not gum up too much. Don't fool with the lens, just a few swipes with the camel's hair brush.

Good luck!

 

[Lazarus Short]

What you say sounds much like what I did for my Denon CDP. The thing was not ejecting discs correctly, so I cleaned and lubed the transport until it worked really slick. Then it started skipping. I figured out today what was wrong - a felt ring I had put on the bottom of the puck that rides on the top of the CD had intruded into the mating surfaces,and the clamp was not clamping. I cleaned it up with an X-Acto knife, iris scissors, Q-tips and Goof-Off. I think it can go back into service while I do the Marantz.

 

[laatsch55]

Good man Laz...fix that shit!!~

 

[Gepetto]

Laser diode could be failing and weak...

 

[Lazarus Short]

Laser diode could be failing and weak...

The wear on the loading tray tells me this unit has had a LOT of use.

 

[62vauxhall]

I've only been inside a few CD players but a NAD once had problems loading as well as playing. The lens looked clean to me as well but I wiped it with IPA anyway and it worked fine afterward.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Got it: IsoPropyl Alcohol, but my first thought was India Pale Ale. I prefer Stout and Dunkels.

 

[62vauxhall]

Got it: IsoPropyl Alcohol, but my first thought was India Pale Ale. I prefer Stout and Dunkels.

Ahh....I must consider my acronyms more carefully.

 

[orange]

Got it: IsoPropyl Alcohol, but my first thought was India Pale Ale. I prefer Stout and Dunkels.

If you wipe it with that, you could be SOL PDQ?

The pale ale goes in Laz' drive.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Right:

stout for the Laz

denatured alcohol for the Lens.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Update:

I opened the Marantz up again, to clean the laser lens, but it did no good. Then I noticed that one side of the frame holding the steel cover (which in turn, holds the puck that rides on top of the disc) was cracked badly. It still won't read a disc. There is an audio meet tomorrow on the Kansas side, so I'm taking it there to sell or trade.

I thought the Denon was fixed, so I put it in the main system, and put a CD on to play. Most of the way through, it began to skip in a way I had forgotten - skipping backwards to a few seconds earlier, play, skip, repeat.

In the end, I put the old, reliable Yamaha carousel player back into the system, the one Barb had when we met. It does not sound good on its own, so I connected it to my better DAC via the Phillips optical cable. It sounds almost as good as the Denon or Marantz. Almost. The special magic is gone.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Yesterday, i hauled the Marantz to an audio meet. Our host suggested that I install a new transport. The fine electronic section might just make it worthwhile. I did find some laser mechanisms for sale on ebay...what do you think - is it a job for a so-so DIY'er, or should I take it to a reputable shop?

 

[Gepetto]

You should assess, "what do I have to lose?"

 

[Lazarus Short]

At this point, only the price of the laser assembly, and they are affordable even for me. It's easy to take a chance on a free CDP. Here's a photo of Barb, our host Kurt and I discussing the unit. I did not realize I was so bald in the back.