Caspian CD Display Dim

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(My initial post does not appear to be showing up. Apologies in advance if it does and I end up repeating myself.)

I have a Roksan Caspian CD player which according to sources on the internet has an inherent problem of dimming display. The unit's display had been replaced prior to my purchase, however over the past year it has indeed gone south again.

I have not found any diy solutions on the internet. Contacting both Roksan and service centers have resulted in requiring sending the unit in for estimate.

I use the player as a transport feeding a Perpetual Tech P3A dac. I am happy with the set-up, but it is getting long in the tooth and due for an upgrade. So I prefer not to invest much into the Caspian to fix the display. Unless of course I can dabble with it myself.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Ed
 
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If it's a VFD (Vacuum fluorescent Display) a common general (speaking of much consumer gear... no experience of Roksan) issue is problems with the supplies. There is a negative rail of around -27 volts, and the filaments are tied to this usually via a 4.7 volt zener so they maintain a constant level with respect to this voltage.

Dried up electroylitic caps are a usual common problem... sometimes the arrangements use caps as voltage doublers, or as "isolation" to AC couple power to the supplies for the display.
Worth looking at... it's an age old fault.
 
The same problem like yours

I have exactly the same problem with my Caspian (MK1) CD player and since do not have the service manual, nor want to invest too much into this unit, any more - could you please, let me know how to solve this issue with the dimmed display.

Thanks in advance !
 
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I have exactly the same problem with my Caspian (MK1) CD player and since do not have the service manual, nor want to invest too much into this unit, any more - could you please, let me know how to solve this issue with the dimmed display.

Thanks in advance !

Can't give you exact details because I have never seen one but it's just a case of normal fault finding... find the section of the PSU that generates the voltages for the display and if necessary change the electroylitics.

All VFD displays follow the same basic pattern as outlined in the thread linked to above :)
 
Just fixed a Caspian Display.
Used the Noritake CPF2377 display.
I actually had a chance to look at the Service Manual and here are the notes I took:
1. Remove R162 & R163 (both 470Ω) and replace them with a single 3.3kΩ Metal Film 0.25W in either position. For ease of installation Roksan recommends to do it from top of the board. They suggest to first solder the new resistor on top of R162 and then to cut off R162 & R163.
2. D116 is a 1W 30V Zener that tends to overheat and destroy board and tracks putting full supply voltage on the display element. To remedy this, Roksan suggests to add 1.5kΩ Metal Film 0.25W resistor in series with R170 which is a fusible resistor of 220Ω to 470Ω value.
Here also they recommend doing it from the top of the board by cutting R170 leg and soldering the extra resistor to both ends of the cut leg.

Other non related to the display problem mods are:
1. bit of gear grease to be put at shaft entry to the TT motor to remedy ticking noise if present
2. to remedy inability to play CD-Rs they strongly suggest to refrain from adjusting laser power but instead to carry out the following:
Replace R107 15kΩ with 22kΩ
Replace R108 10kΩ with 2.2kΩ
Replace C102 5pF with 2 to 2.2pF (ceramic).
 
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