Hardi,
In the past time I have found out that my problem is caused by the Main Board, which is under the transport at the bottom of the case.
I also found out that the DVD laser emits unvisible light.
A new main board at Sony costs around 700 euro, which I find far to much.
In your case however, I would try to lubricate the transport as described in the other replies.
Dick
In the past time I have found out that my problem is caused by the Main Board, which is under the transport at the bottom of the case.
I also found out that the DVD laser emits unvisible light.
A new main board at Sony costs around 700 euro, which I find far to much.
In your case however, I would try to lubricate the transport as described in the other replies.
Dick
If unsuccessful after cleaning/lubing transport gears, spraying deoxit inside (dismantled) sled motor, moly greasing of spindle motor jewel bearing, and reseating of all cables, then resolder rails of main board connectors all around. If this doesn't do it then you probably have a bad main board or RF board.
Hello,
the transport gears and sled motor are fine. Spindle motor is also fine without noisy bearings. I changed the laser pickup and make all the alignments with test SACD´s SL/DL and scope as written in the service manual. it passes all the Tests (also the over all tests that take about 5 minutes to pass)
I upgraded the Firmware to the newest? Version 2.53.
Now i lubed all mecanical parts with teflon lubricant....No need to clean anything because it was all the time 100% clean
I checked the Laser power with a laser power meter and verified it with a Sony DVD player that uses same pickup. (DVPS-7700)
Emission is OK. Eye pattern (CD-mode) is jitter free and sharp.
CD mode is still fine....and (what i do not understand) it still plays one! of my hybrid SACD´s without problems...100% tracking, fast skip etc....
all other Hybrid or "pure" SACD will bring *Toc-Error*
seems to be a problem that is over my abilities.
OK...SACD is nearly dead , but having a working unit would be fine. A new motherboard is too expensive.
the transport gears and sled motor are fine. Spindle motor is also fine without noisy bearings. I changed the laser pickup and make all the alignments with test SACD´s SL/DL and scope as written in the service manual. it passes all the Tests (also the over all tests that take about 5 minutes to pass)
I upgraded the Firmware to the newest? Version 2.53.
Now i lubed all mecanical parts with teflon lubricant....No need to clean anything because it was all the time 100% clean
I checked the Laser power with a laser power meter and verified it with a Sony DVD player that uses same pickup. (DVPS-7700)
Emission is OK. Eye pattern (CD-mode) is jitter free and sharp.
CD mode is still fine....and (what i do not understand) it still plays one! of my hybrid SACD´s without problems...100% tracking, fast skip etc....
all other Hybrid or "pure" SACD will bring *Toc-Error*
seems to be a problem that is over my abilities.
OK...SACD is nearly dead , but having a working unit would be fine. A new motherboard is too expensive.
Thanks David for your hints.
I had access to another 777 for a limited time, swapping out the transport with RF board didn't made a difference but swapping out the Main board did. Also my transport with RF board worked fine in the other machine.
Than I checked the Main board under a stereo microscope and couldn't find any bad solder joints.
Dick
I had access to another 777 for a limited time, swapping out the transport with RF board didn't made a difference but swapping out the Main board did. Also my transport with RF board worked fine in the other machine.
Than I checked the Main board under a stereo microscope and couldn't find any bad solder joints.
Dick
Dick,
A visual inspection even with a microscope, might not reveal small fractures caused by flexing of the connectors/headers during removal. It's worth reheating them & adding a bit of solder to the top edge of each connector rail. In my unit this step finally resolved the SACD TOC read problem after all other steps were taken.
Regards,
Dave
A visual inspection even with a microscope, might not reveal small fractures caused by flexing of the connectors/headers during removal. It's worth reheating them & adding a bit of solder to the top edge of each connector rail. In my unit this step finally resolved the SACD TOC read problem after all other steps were taken.
Regards,
Dave
djmiddelkoop said:
Hi,
I'm a fellow 777 owner. I've had mine along time, bought it new. Paid $1500. Love it.
recently it had a huge offset in the left channel. One of the LM6172's in the FRND filters when bad
Anyways. Do you have a service manual. there is a calibration method for it. I'll admit I haven't read the whole thread.
might be able to help you out.
Anyone ever run accross a clock upgrade for this player?
Other problem areas for electrical contacts are the two wide ribbons between RF and Main Boards. Clean the contact surfaces & check that none of the metal traces have peeled back. For a fresh start you can trim off the edge of the ribbon & move contact to above the dimpled surfaces.
When I recently had it apart, on reassembly with bad ribbon contacts plus misc. connector & header rail discontinuities I had variously three problems with SACD: TOC Error*, TOC Reading/No Disk, and drop out of one SACD channel. After trimming the ribbons back at both ends the SACD tracked OK. Then all OK after resoldering the SACD connector rails for the third time, this time pressing down with a probe while soldering. These connections can be quite flaky even though apparently OK with solder all over them and a visual inspection.
When I recently had it apart, on reassembly with bad ribbon contacts plus misc. connector & header rail discontinuities I had variously three problems with SACD: TOC Error*, TOC Reading/No Disk, and drop out of one SACD channel. After trimming the ribbons back at both ends the SACD tracked OK. Then all OK after resoldering the SACD connector rails for the third time, this time pressing down with a probe while soldering. These connections can be quite flaky even though apparently OK with solder all over them and a visual inspection.
Clock Upgrade
Portlandmike,
I've had three generations of Audiocom Superclock in the SCD-1, most recently the SC4. This is a very big improvement. It sounds best powered by a 12V battery, second best by Audiocom's dedicated power supply, and very good off the stock CDP's 12V regulator that powers the motor/servo. You can also power it with the +7V downregulator on Audio Board.
Dave
Portlandmike,
I've had three generations of Audiocom Superclock in the SCD-1, most recently the SC4. This is a very big improvement. It sounds best powered by a 12V battery, second best by Audiocom's dedicated power supply, and very good off the stock CDP's 12V regulator that powers the motor/servo. You can also power it with the +7V downregulator on Audio Board.
Dave
Re: Clock Upgrade
Dave, thanks for the info.
Dumb question now. Is this to replace the "45Mhz" clock on the audio board? So far, its the only one I could find.
Also, Op amps:
I'm pondering changing the I/V op amp from the LM6172 to a LM4562.
It also uses a rather mild mannered AD712 in the buffer output.
(in the 777 this drives a cute discrete buffer). I was thinking of totally removing the AD712 and buffer and replacing it with a LM4562. Any thoughts?
I hear good things about the OPA2132 which is used for the diff to single ended conversion. Is that worth replacing with a LM4562 also?
Thanks
Portlandmike
David Garretson said:
Dave, thanks for the info.
Dumb question now. Is this to replace the "45Mhz" clock on the audio board? So far, its the only one I could find.
Also, Op amps:
I'm pondering changing the I/V op amp from the LM6172 to a LM4562.
It also uses a rather mild mannered AD712 in the buffer output.
(in the 777 this drives a cute discrete buffer). I was thinking of totally removing the AD712 and buffer and replacing it with a LM4562. Any thoughts?
I hear good things about the OPA2132 which is used for the diff to single ended conversion. Is that worth replacing with a LM4562 also?
Thanks
Portlandmike
Mods
Portlandmike,
I suggest you order the $18 Service Manual from Sony at 800-488-7669 to get the schematics. I've been all over the unit, first upgrading the stock analog stage and then converting to silver transformers directly attached to the STACT voltage DAC. Yes just one 45mHz clock replaces the stock oscillator chip. There are various posts to Audio Asylum regarding changing op amps, star grounding, etc.
I suggest you replace all the SOIC AD712s with OPA2132 or whatever, and perhaps a Brown Dog adapter with OPA627s in the I/V. Email me for some other ideas and I'll forward previous writings.
Dave
Portlandmike,
I suggest you order the $18 Service Manual from Sony at 800-488-7669 to get the schematics. I've been all over the unit, first upgrading the stock analog stage and then converting to silver transformers directly attached to the STACT voltage DAC. Yes just one 45mHz clock replaces the stock oscillator chip. There are various posts to Audio Asylum regarding changing op amps, star grounding, etc.
I suggest you replace all the SOIC AD712s with OPA2132 or whatever, and perhaps a Brown Dog adapter with OPA627s in the I/V. Email me for some other ideas and I'll forward previous writings.
Dave
Re: Mods
Dave,
Cool idea with the transformer. Who needs the filters anyways!
I always thought the SACD-1 was wierd in that it took a perfectly good balanced signal and converted it to single ended then back to differential. (and that with rather low end amplifiers.)
Did you ever try driving the xformer from the I/V outputs?
Got the manual. I'll email you. Have you heard or heard the rave about the LM4562. Its less than 6 mo's old, but pretty much getting the nod as the absolute go to op amp with rare exceptions.
~10x lower THD, lower noise, better PSSR, better CMR, great specs into loads, lower cost, better... there are single and quads too. SO8 and DIPs.
Thanks
Mike
David Garretson said:
Dave,
Cool idea with the transformer. Who needs the filters anyways!
I always thought the SACD-1 was wierd in that it took a perfectly good balanced signal and converted it to single ended then back to differential. (and that with rather low end amplifiers.)
Did you ever try driving the xformer from the I/V outputs?
Got the manual. I'll email you. Have you heard or heard the rave about the LM4562. Its less than 6 mo's old, but pretty much getting the nod as the absolute go to op amp with rare exceptions.
~10x lower THD, lower noise, better PSSR, better CMR, great specs into loads, lower cost, better... there are single and quads too. SO8 and DIPs.
Thanks
Mike
Mike,
I tried the traffos in both locations and found they sound more natural and analog-like attached directly to the 330R resistors that follow the S-TACT. However without the added filtering of the second I/V stage, there is audible HF noise that needs to be dealt with by adding a passive LPF after the traffos. Attaching the traffos after the second I/V stage does not require this added step. But without making improvements to +/-7V power to the Current Pulse Converters the result is somewhat synthetic sounding. So each approach has its advantages & disadvantages.
Also the sound is a lot more transparent after replacing all the signal-path 330R & 10R SMD resistors with better pieces. This makes a bigger improvement than replacing the radial-lead Rikens used further down the Audio Board.
Regards,
Dave
I tried the traffos in both locations and found they sound more natural and analog-like attached directly to the 330R resistors that follow the S-TACT. However without the added filtering of the second I/V stage, there is audible HF noise that needs to be dealt with by adding a passive LPF after the traffos. Attaching the traffos after the second I/V stage does not require this added step. But without making improvements to +/-7V power to the Current Pulse Converters the result is somewhat synthetic sounding. So each approach has its advantages & disadvantages.
Also the sound is a lot more transparent after replacing all the signal-path 330R & 10R SMD resistors with better pieces. This makes a bigger improvement than replacing the radial-lead Rikens used further down the Audio Board.
Regards,
Dave
The service manual can be downloaded here :
Sony SCD 1 / 777 service manual
Thanks again for the tips Dave, I checked the ribbon cables and they looked fine but I will double check.
What do you mean by SACD connector rails ?
Dick
Sony SCD 1 / 777 service manual
Thanks again for the tips Dave, I checked the ribbon cables and they looked fine but I will double check.
What do you mean by SACD connector rails ?
Dick
CN705 and to a lesser degree CN706 on the Main Board is where most of my troubles occurred. By rails I mean the pins inside the header are bent 90 degrees & come out over the PCB pads where the solder joints are made. I was surprised how SACD skipping and intermittent read problems were resolved after cleaning up these joints with solder removal braid, then resoldering them while downward pressure was applied to the pin with a small screwdriver.
I made my first "upgrade" today. I run output wires directly from I/V op amps (I replaced them with LM6172) and installed a set of XLR connectors in the rear panel. The output is connected (through BG N 10/50 coupling caps) to S&B TX102 transformers in balanced to single ended mode. Works fine.
BTW, I'm pretty much impressed with the effort Sony put into building that player. While I also have ML37, ML31.5 and CEC TL0, the Sony unit doesn't come short in build quality to any of those other transports.
BTW, I'm pretty much impressed with the effort Sony put into building that player. While I also have ML37, ML31.5 and CEC TL0, the Sony unit doesn't come short in build quality to any of those other transports.
Attachments
Laser Light
Peter,
When I posted about the laser light I had not yet figured out how to defeat and remove the top cover while spinning disks. You shouldn't need the coupling caps with the traffos & it must sound better without them.
Bratislav,
Too bad-- with periodic lubrication of the transport assy this unit is reliable & the problem with connectors on the Main Board usually only manifests after repeated removal and overly rough treatment of the cabling. With the right mods the sound of the SCD-1/777ES approaches SOTA.
Dave
Peter,
When I posted about the laser light I had not yet figured out how to defeat and remove the top cover while spinning disks. You shouldn't need the coupling caps with the traffos & it must sound better without them.
Bratislav,
Too bad-- with periodic lubrication of the transport assy this unit is reliable & the problem with connectors on the Main Board usually only manifests after repeated removal and overly rough treatment of the cabling. With the right mods the sound of the SCD-1/777ES approaches SOTA.
Dave
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