Question on defective D-25S

[Oliver :)]

I have just received my defective D-25S. What a beauty!

Even the lid covering the battery is made of metal!

Now for the trouble: I bought this unit knowing it would not play, and in fact, it does not play.

AC-powered, there first is some forced whirring noise (the laser moving I guess), then the disc is spun up for about 5 seconds to a seemingly high speed, the whirring noise again, and the player turns off.

The noise really sounds a bit forced, as if the laser would try to move but is stuck - might this be just a case of some dry gear? From what I have read here, one would possibly just have unscrew the bottom side and lubricate the guide rod, might that be a good idea? I mean, I could not possibly play it "deader"... If anyone has any hints I would be glad though!

 

[Oliver :)]

So, just took sleeping beauty apart. Although I am by no means an expert, I guess if the first thing you see when taking something apart is half a gear wheel falling out, that is a bad thing.
The gear wheel in question is the big one (ca. 1/4"?) that is directly attached to the worm-drive which is supposed to move the laser (so the one under the ribbon-cable). I gently turned its remains a bit so the other wheels could catch it, and indeed, the laser moved for about 1mm before he...well he ran out of gear!

I think that this is sort of it then, or is this gear wheel easily replacable? I looks as if one would have to take the whole player apart to reach it. If somebody can tell me what exact gear wheel to get as a replacement, I might try this for kicks...

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Hi Oliver!

I'm not sure what the problem with the wheel is, is it broken or did it just fall out? Could you place it back where it came from?

I guess the only replacement could be gotten from another defective unit, though it's indeed probably hard to reach.

 

[Oliver :)]

The gear wheel is simply broken into pieces, with one piece (the slightly bigger one) still attached to the worm gear, total replacement is the only chance.
Well, I might receive a D-25 today (*should* be in working order

), maybe I get all nuts and replace the whole pickup

Maybe I should greet the postman with something in the range of "Ah, there comes the organ donation, quick, the receiver is on my kitchen table with his belly up!"

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oliver The gear wheel is simply broken into pieces, with one piece (the slightly bigger one) still attached to the worm gear, total replacement is the only chance.

Urgh

Doesn't sound good. We really should find something like partsolver somewhere in Europe.

I wonder how the gear could possibly have broken.

Quote:

Well, I might receive a D-25 today (*should* be in working order ), maybe I get all nuts and replace the whole pickup

Or swap the casing and buttons. Though I must say, I have a black D-250 as well and it does look really cool. I have the feeling the D-25s does sound better, I'm not sure why.

Quote:

Maybe I should greet the postman with something in the range of "Ah, there comes the organ donation, quick, the receiver is on my kitchen table with his belly up!"

LOL

Reminds me of that Monty Python sketch:

"Hello, we've come to collect your liver"

"But I'm not dead yet!"

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally posted by LamerDeluxe (tm) Or swap the casing and buttons. Though I must say, I have a black D-250 as well and it does look really cool.

I have no idea about the D-250 as mine is STILL NOT HERE, and the seller DID NOT REPLY on my last mail asking for it

I have no idea how that wheel could ever brake, maybe material fatigue or something...

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oliver I have no idea about the D-250 as mine is STILL NOT HERE, and the seller DID NOT REPLY on my last mail asking for it

Well, if he has positive feedback, there shouldn't be much to worry about. Or didn't you get it on e-Bay?

Quote:

I have no idea how that wheel could ever brake, maybe material fatigue or something...

That was a metal wheel? wow

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally posted by LamerDeluxe (tm) Well, if he has positive feedback, there shouldn't be much to worry about. Or didn't you get it on e-Bay? That was a metal wheel? wow

I guess it's rather plastic fatigue

He had some neg. feedback six month ago where he claims he could not reply due to being in hospital, otherwise 60 positive.

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oliver I guess it's rather plastic fatigue

Ah, okay

Quote:

He had some neg. feedback six month ago where he claims he could not reply due to being in hospital, otherwise 60 positive.

Doesn't seem like anything to really worry about yet. I had some packages arriving late, but eventually all of them arrived.

 

[Oliver :)]

So, the D-25 finally arrived. Strange, there is some sort of tiny blister in between the stop and play button... air under the paint?! Well, it does play, and now and then it fails to play, especially when one wants to start at the first song. I am currently playing a disc from Lou Reed's "The Raven" on repeat, as it is quite a long album, and maybe this will spread out the lube and make things run more smoothly. It managed to go back from the end to track 1 already, possibly not a bad sign, but maybe just fear - it knows I will rip its gears out if it does not behave

I also won the auction on that other defective D-25 which will play the disc but not produce sound for just EUR4

+shipping, makes almost EUR8, but

anyway. As that one plays it will def. be a qualifying donor for my D-25S.

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oliver So, the D-25 finally arrived. Strange, there is some sort of tiny blister in between the stop and play button... air under the paint?!

Strange, could be.

Quote:

Well, it does play, and now and then it fails to play, especially when one wants to start at the first song. I am currently playing a disc from Lou Reed's "The Raven" on repeat, as it is quite a long album, and maybe this will spread out the lube and make things run more smoothly. It managed to go back from the end to track 1 already, possibly not a bad sign, but maybe just fear - it knows I will rip its gears out if it does not behave

I have a D-99 that behaves like that, skipping on the first track(s). Unfortunately, if it does play right when turned on it's side (which it does), it means the ball-bearing of the spindle isn't good anymore. What I've read is that it's a common problem with these old Sony's, caused by the magnetic clamping system sometimes not working properly.

Quote:

I also won the auction on that other defective D-25 which will play the disc but not produce sound for just EUR4 +shipping, makes almost EUR8, but anyway. As that one plays it will def. be a qualifying donor for my D-25S.

I saw that, congrats! I usually have to pay EUR15 for shipping :^/
I'm going to do the same thing with my defective white D-100 and a working black one I've won on e-Bay.

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally posted by LamerDeluxe (tm) I have a D-99 that behaves like that, skipping on the first track(s). Unfortunately, if it does play right when turned on it's side (which it does), it means the ball-bearing of the spindle isn't good anymore. What I've read is that it's a common problem with these old Sony's, caused by the magnetic clamping system sometimes not working properly.

Do you have any ideas on whether this is fixable? The player did not improve after the play-74mins-all-night treatment. It will only sporadically accept discs and play the first track, otherwise it will just turn off after a lot of rusteling about. I am about to check back with the seller, this is far worse than the "takes 10sec. to load disc, otherwise fine" he stated.

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oliver Do you have any ideas on whether this is fixable? The player did not improve after the play-74mins-all-night treatment. It will only sporadically accept discs and play the first track, otherwise it will just turn off after a lot of rusteling about. I am about to check back with the seller, this is far worse than the "takes 10sec. to load disc, otherwise fine" he stated.

My D-99 was said to be okay. I already gave the guy a positive feedback on e-Bay when I discovered the cause of the skipping.

I'm afraid it's probably not fixable, unless you exchange the whole laser/motor assemble. It might be fixable by only replacing the motor, but I think that would be really tricky to do.

I read in Google groups about this problem and one person replaced the whole laser assembly (don't remember of which unit) with one of a D-515. Apparently these have the 'press down' mechanism for holding the CD in place, instead of the unreliable magneting clamping system. I have the manual of the D-J50 and it also has the 'press-down' system.

I wonder if you could exchange only the top part of the spindle which holds the CD with a 'press-down' one, that would prevent ball-bearing problems.

 

[Oliver :)]

Quote:

Originally posted by LamerDeluxe (tm) I wonder if you could exchange only the top part of the spindle which holds the CD with a 'press-down' one, that would prevent ball-bearing problems.

Actually, pressing the lid down while reading a disc just worked three times in a row, then again - failure. Of course I could see what other wonders that *other* incoming D25 hides within its shell, maybe I can swap more out of that unit if the seller does not feel like taking this one back.

Will I ever have a working D-25x unit?! *tear*
Will I have to do sinfully high bidding on ugly, but working D-555s? Only time will tell...

 

[LamerDeluxe (tm)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Oliver Actually, pressing the lid down while reading a disc just worked three times in a row, then again - failure. Of course I could see what other wonders that *other* incoming D25 hides within its shell, maybe I can swap more out of that unit if the seller does not feel like taking this one back.

I'd just swap everything inside, should be simpler, as you wound't have to disconnect anything. That's what I'm planning on doing with my D-100.

Quote:

Will I ever have a working D-25x unit?! *tear* Will I have to do sinfully high bidding on ugly, but working D-555s? Only time will tell...

Sure you will