Is this Affecting My CD Player's Audio Sound?

[Hershon2000]

I'd appreciate anyone's opinion on this, either from experience or just personal opinion. I have the exact audio set up in my living room as I do my bedroom- same exact receiver, speakers, etc., 2 of everything in my place, including cables, etc. Anyway, the Pioneer Elite PD-59 CD player which I use in the bedroom, plays fine with excellent audio sound but the tray or something makes a horrible rumbling noise for about 10 seconds or so, when a CD ends or when I put a CD in the tray. When the CD actually plays it sounds fine. THe PD-59 in my living room does not do this & plays perfectly. Since I've been listening to my CD's 80% of the time in the bedroom, I decided to change CD players, so the one that doesn't make the rumbling noise is now in the bedroom. This may be psychological, but I think the audio sounds much better now in the bedroom. Is this my imagination because I didn't notice anything wrong with the sound of the CD player at all from the rumbling CD player, after the CD started playing? Please note, this is all pertaining to listening with speakers not headphones.

 

[mrarroyo]

If the tray is out of wack (misaligned) and thus causing the noise you hear then the laser pickup may not be hitting the correct spot thus causing the sound difference. Just a guess though.

 

[Garbz]

At the very least the sound is annoying so worth fixing.

 

[timind]

Not sure if you're a DIY guy but it's not that difficult to remove and inspect the cd transport on most players. If you think the unit is broke as it is then you have nothing to lose.

 

[infinitesymphony]

When the sled and rails on the transport mechanism lose their lubrication, they create friction which results in grinding. The sound you're hearing is the mechanism returning from the outer edge of the CD back to its initial position (or the other way). This also accounts for slow track changes and start/stop times. The laser mechanism might also be out of alignment; I've heard from several technicians that most CD players sitting in homes are at least slightly out of alignment, which happens naturally over time.

So, for now this might be psychological. I have a few portable CD players with this problem that still sound great. However, in the future, there's a chance that you'll encounter skipping or sensitivity. By sensitivity, I mean that even the slightest tap on the top of the CD player will make the CD skip, since the transport mechanism is unstable.

 

[Hershon2000]

As I have the exact same systems in my bedroom & living room including cables,
I plugged my headphones in (which I rarely use, I'm on this forum for CD player & DAC info) & listened to the same CD in each room & sure enough I noticed a difference in the tones & "feel" on the 2 plays, though perhaps not noticeable to someone else, was noticeable to me. Hopefully, I can get this thing fixed in the next few days- there's a place that repairs vintage CD players & audio equipment including Pioneer. If this was available again on Ebay I'd just buy another one but it turns up so infrequently, that I'll try to get it fixed & keep my fingers crossed provided it doesn't cost more then $150. I don't know why it didn't occur to me right off, to see if there was a difference in headphone sound as they're both identical systems including receivers, cables, everything. The bizarre thing is, its not that it sounds like there is anything wrong from an audio standpoint, but when I compare the 2 players, there is an audio difference.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony When the sled and rails on the transport mechanism lose their lubrication, they create friction which results in grinding. The sound you're hearing is the mechanism returning from the outer edge of the CD back to its initial position (or the other way). This also accounts for slow track changes and start/stop times. The laser mechanism might also be out of alignment; I've heard from several technicians that most CD players sitting in homes are at least slightly out of alignment, which happens naturally over time. So, for now this might be psychological. I have a few portable CD players with this problem that still sound great. However, in the future, there's a chance that you'll encounter skipping or sensitivity. By sensitivity, I mean that even the slightest tap on the top of the CD player will make the CD skip, since the transport mechanism is unstable.

I totally agree. I have had a similar problem with one home player and a half dozen portable players. I work in laquer finishing for 10 years and the dust destroyed at least a portable a year. I would have to lube the tracks every few months.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hershon2000 As I have the exact same systems in my bedroom & living room including cables, I plugged my headphones in (which I rarely use, I'm on this forum for CD player & DAC info) & listened to the same CD in each room & sure enough I noticed a difference in the tones & "feel" on the 2 plays, though perhaps not noticeable to someone else, was noticeable to me. Hopefully, I can get this thing fixed in the next few days- there's a place that repairs vintage CD players & audio equipment including Pioneer. If this was available again on Ebay I'd just buy another one but it turns up so infrequently, that I'll try to get it fixed & keep my fingers crossed provided it doesn't cost more then $150. I don't know why it didn't occur to me right off, to see if there was a difference in headfound sound as they're both identical systems including receivers, cables, everything. The bizarre thing is, its not that it sounds like there is anything wrong from an audio standpoint, but when I compare the 2 players, there is an audio difference.

Don't rule out the charlatain ideas either. Even if you have the set-up moved from room to room and not use two identical rigs the sound will be different. Room acoustics for one. Then there is the mental effect on the way you perceive the sound not altering the sound. Different colored walls and carpet will change the way you hear the sound, plants, etc...

 

[Hershon2000]

I'm a little confused here as I compared the 2 using headphones only because I was aware that if I listen to speakers even if they are the same, there will be some accoustical differences. Are you impltying that there will be accoustical differences even if I'm listening to headphones on the exact same equipment in different rooms?