I have just received my Audio Aero Capitole mk2 after a Signature Edition upgrade and a transport change by Audio Aero factory in france. The player is 7 yrs old, but never had any major problems.
It now has a big problem which I am unable to solve. It remains muted. On very rare occasion, the sound comes back after re-powering up and once it starts play, it continues to play flawlessly for weeks until I stop it. The moment it is stopped, it mutes itself and is extremely difficult to get it to play again.
I disassembled the transport, reseated all the internal cables, changed /tried different software chips, but everything works fine except the muting problem. Currently it has a 5.6 chip.
The disc spins, the player recognises the cd tracks, displays the track and time (of the playing disc), volume control works, etc.. but no sound.
When fed with an external transport through a digital input, the muting problem very much remains.
I just can't get it to play!! Checked the Integrated circuits, they all seem fine: no cracks at all etc. The two output miniature tubes glow and power is passing through nicely.
I am presently in a dispute with Audio Aero over this very problem and the player is not going back to the factory. Where I live, there is no Audio Aero dealers, but I do have a qualified electronics engineer/technician who services pioneer and technics CD players.
My amp works fine with a different source. My interconnects are not faulty.
Would really appreciate any idea on what could be wrong and how to go about getting it to play. It's crazy.
Many thanks.
lall
It now has a big problem which I am unable to solve. It remains muted. On very rare occasion, the sound comes back after re-powering up and once it starts play, it continues to play flawlessly for weeks until I stop it. The moment it is stopped, it mutes itself and is extremely difficult to get it to play again.
I disassembled the transport, reseated all the internal cables, changed /tried different software chips, but everything works fine except the muting problem. Currently it has a 5.6 chip.
The disc spins, the player recognises the cd tracks, displays the track and time (of the playing disc), volume control works, etc.. but no sound.
When fed with an external transport through a digital input, the muting problem very much remains.
I just can't get it to play!! Checked the Integrated circuits, they all seem fine: no cracks at all etc. The two output miniature tubes glow and power is passing through nicely.
I am presently in a dispute with Audio Aero over this very problem and the player is not going back to the factory. Where I live, there is no Audio Aero dealers, but I do have a qualified electronics engineer/technician who services pioneer and technics CD players.
My amp works fine with a different source. My interconnects are not faulty.
Would really appreciate any idea on what could be wrong and how to go about getting it to play. It's crazy.
Many thanks.
lall
It needs a few quick checks with a 'scope and DVM to at least narrow things down.
If the muting is not behaving it should still be possible to pick up audio from the DAC onwards.
While it could be anything, it's probably something simple, but you still have to do basic tests and measurements.
If it uses opamps somewhere in the chain can you "buzz" the inputs to them etc and get a response then.
If the muting is not behaving it should still be possible to pick up audio from the DAC onwards.
While it could be anything, it's probably something simple, but you still have to do basic tests and measurements.
If it uses opamps somewhere in the chain can you "buzz" the inputs to them etc and get a response then.
Transport change you say?
New spindle motor? Is it definately spinning up to speed, a player can read the TOC and appear to play, but, if not quite up to the 200-500rpm the decoding electronics will struggle and the muting circuit will stay on.
Some new Sonys i have noticed have had intermittent spindle motors.
Whose mech is in your player?
Percy.
New spindle motor? Is it definately spinning up to speed, a player can read the TOC and appear to play, but, if not quite up to the 200-500rpm the decoding electronics will struggle and the muting circuit will stay on.
Some new Sonys i have noticed have had intermittent spindle motors.
Whose mech is in your player?
Percy.
Help Needed - Same Problem Audio Aero
Hi there,
I am having the same problem on my AA Capitole MKII. Every other day, the player is completely muted while the disk is spinning and playing. If I powered it down a couple of times then the player works again.
Would you mind sharing with me how you fix the problem you had with your AA Capitole last year? I really appreciate your time and help!
Tom
Hi there,
I am having the same problem on my AA Capitole MKII. Every other day, the player is completely muted while the disk is spinning and playing. If I powered it down a couple of times then the player works again.
Would you mind sharing with me how you fix the problem you had with your AA Capitole last year? I really appreciate your time and help!
Tom
Hi all and happy 2012.
I too have similar issues but with my older AA Capitole 32bit/192 mk1. I get it back up and running by turning it off for a while or sometimes by switching back and forth from cd to digital source. I must admit to upgrading some caps in the output stages (2 x V caps from the valve/dac board to output board) and one BlackGate power stage. It worked flawlessly for ages then started playing up. When it decides to work it's truly amazing but lately it's getting more and more touchy - also a hum has sneaked in the past months, haven't been able to pin point where from, as sometimes it's affected by the volume control (gets louder with higher volumes) and sometimes not (remains at a fixed audible level).... did you manage to rectify the problem? pls any thoughts on this would be great.
kind regards
Stuart
I too have similar issues but with my older AA Capitole 32bit/192 mk1. I get it back up and running by turning it off for a while or sometimes by switching back and forth from cd to digital source. I must admit to upgrading some caps in the output stages (2 x V caps from the valve/dac board to output board) and one BlackGate power stage. It worked flawlessly for ages then started playing up. When it decides to work it's truly amazing but lately it's getting more and more touchy - also a hum has sneaked in the past months, haven't been able to pin point where from, as sometimes it's affected by the volume control (gets louder with higher volumes) and sometimes not (remains at a fixed audible level).... did you manage to rectify the problem? pls any thoughts on this would be great.
kind regards
Stuart
I don't know the player specifically, but my first guess would be a bad digital signal processor chip, if the two of you are having the same fault as the OP, i.e., no sound even using the digital output.
However, from your comments, it sounds like it could simply be a power supply issue, either bad soldering somewhere(good chance) or a regulator chip or transistor going flakey, or one or more slowly dying electrolytic caps(especially regards to the hum issue).
I'd advise that you open up the player, wait for it to show the problem, then start gently wiggling individual components, working you way up to wiggling/flexing/tapping circuit boards, until the fault goes away. If it does not go away this way, then feel for capacitors that are getting hot on their own, without a nearby component heating them, as well, of course, as any with bulging tops or signs of chemcal leakage underneath.
However, from your comments, it sounds like it could simply be a power supply issue, either bad soldering somewhere(good chance) or a regulator chip or transistor going flakey, or one or more slowly dying electrolytic caps(especially regards to the hum issue).
I'd advise that you open up the player, wait for it to show the problem, then start gently wiggling individual components, working you way up to wiggling/flexing/tapping circuit boards, until the fault goes away. If it does not go away this way, then feel for capacitors that are getting hot on their own, without a nearby component heating them, as well, of course, as any with bulging tops or signs of chemcal leakage underneath.
Thanks for getting back so quick - have just finished going around checking for loose caps_ wiring, have still the output stage to go BUT I did find a loose cd/digital input selector wire, and I re-soldered a few dodgy looking joints on a few caps. Good thing is I have CD sound back albeit with a slight hum still. I have also picked up a novel noise when I use the remote volume - sounds like a ground bug somewhere - SO all looking promising - thanks again. I'll keep you posted.
best
Stuart
best
Stuart
......well after some more poking around I gave up - I managed to get a terrible humm that just got worse the more I "fixed" it - thrown the towel in. Its off at the menders now.
I know this is off subject but, it's kind of connected as I had to re-instate my Wadia 12 DAC as the AA is away. I have a feeling the AA also damaged a pair of Nuforce monos I had (also away at the moment). SO I got a pair of these to fill the time - Temple Audio Monoblock. Ultimate quality Digital Monoblock. - feeding them with the Wadia - if you feed them well they really really sing (While I'm desperately missing the AA Capitole - I'm not missing the Nuforces - they really are that good and for very little money)
I know this is off subject but, it's kind of connected as I had to re-instate my Wadia 12 DAC as the AA is away. I have a feeling the AA also damaged a pair of Nuforce monos I had (also away at the moment). SO I got a pair of these to fill the time - Temple Audio Monoblock. Ultimate quality Digital Monoblock. - feeding them with the Wadia - if you feed them well they really really sing (While I'm desperately missing the AA Capitole - I'm not missing the Nuforces - they really are that good and for very little money)
Sollution which worked for me,
Interesting I had exactly the some problem with my AA cap mkII since the very beginning I had it (since 2005). It would mute from time to time.
I would have to turn it off for 2-3 hours, later for day or two and then it work again.
Then I have moved, after connecting it to mains though conditioner in new apartment it would mute for weeks just after day or two.
Since it was out of warranty I have contacted AA dealer and was told that it will have to be send to France for repair and it would be very costly shipping alone would cost $700.
So I decided to try my lack with local technicians, in first shop AA worked like a charmed, I went home, no such luck, muted. I have tried another technician, it did not work, he could not figure out what was the problem, he checked board for cold solder joints, check many parts, nothing, he was about to give up, but decided to connect it to, another mains socket in his shop. And to his surprise it worked.
Reconnected to previous one and was muted. Voodoo. For me it was like enlightenment. I thanked guy for his time, left him flabbergasted, he have not seen anything like that in his career. I have just remember that AA worked before I have started using it with my conditioner. I have connected it directly to mains and it worked ever since. It was more liquid more relaxed with conditioner but it was muting very ofter. So now I have empirically checked out which mains could be used with AA.
I have not found reason why it does that, but I have found a way to fight out the results like most doctors do :0
I hope this will help.
Interesting I had exactly the some problem with my AA cap mkII since the very beginning I had it (since 2005). It would mute from time to time.
I would have to turn it off for 2-3 hours, later for day or two and then it work again.
Then I have moved, after connecting it to mains though conditioner in new apartment it would mute for weeks just after day or two.
Since it was out of warranty I have contacted AA dealer and was told that it will have to be send to France for repair and it would be very costly shipping alone would cost $700.
So I decided to try my lack with local technicians, in first shop AA worked like a charmed, I went home, no such luck, muted. I have tried another technician, it did not work, he could not figure out what was the problem, he checked board for cold solder joints, check many parts, nothing, he was about to give up, but decided to connect it to, another mains socket in his shop. And to his surprise it worked.
Reconnected to previous one and was muted. Voodoo. For me it was like enlightenment. I thanked guy for his time, left him flabbergasted, he have not seen anything like that in his career. I have just remember that AA worked before I have started using it with my conditioner. I have connected it directly to mains and it worked ever since. It was more liquid more relaxed with conditioner but it was muting very ofter. So now I have empirically checked out which mains could be used with AA.
I have not found reason why it does that, but I have found a way to fight out the results like most doctors do :0
I hope this will help.
To me it sounds as if these players are very sensitive to the mains voltage. And this can be due to bad design of the power circuits. One had problems after some kind of modification, one other after connecting it to a power conditioner, and one have hum.
Probably there is a circuit, type power OK, that mutes the output if there is a power loss, or here a to low or to high a voltage...
Probably there is a circuit, type power OK, that mutes the output if there is a power loss, or here a to low or to high a voltage...
Hello! I hope this forum group is still operational. I have Audio Aero Capitole MkII for many years. I haven't listened to it for a while now and when I turned it on again, "MUTE" appeared on my display. The CD reads normally, all other functions work as well, but there is no sound on the output (and “MUTE” appears on the display). I also turned it off and on several times, checked (disconnected and plugged in) the internal connecting cables, but it’s still the same. Has anyone ever had the same problem? I guess it's some small mistake. What are you suggesting?
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