New to the board - my first post. Hi all !
Hoping you can help with some intermittent problems with my Meridian 508 CD player
I've had it around 18 months and bought it as a 508.20 upgraded to 24 bit which Meridian have confirmed. The transport, according to them, is a CDM12.5 due to it's solid black bezel. Apparently the CDM12.4 has a silver coloured circle in the bezel
Problems - the player has skipped intermittently and on a couple of occasions has failed to read discs, mainly after it has been out of use for a while (I like to switch my equipment round from time to time). Also, when selecting a specific track (as opposed to playing the disc through from the start), playback begins a fraction of a second into that track
My local Meridian dealer has been less than helpful, preferring to offer an upgrade instead. Meridian themselves have been marginally more helpful, explaining that the CDM12.5 is no longer available and that were they to service it (at a cost of around £260) they would swap out the laser head only
I'm reluctant to send it to Meridian. The cost is exhorbitant (I swapped out a complete CDM12.4 on a Marantz CD63 MKII KIS last year at a cost of around $20.00). More worryingly, I'm not sure I'd get it back in working order if they can't fix it
It's behaving at the moment but doubtless the time will come when it fails completely so I'm keen to try a fix myself. Difficult because Meridian won't release the service manual to me
Does anybody have knowledge of working on this machine ? Any thoughts as to what may be wrong and how to fix ?
I'd have to spend *serious* money to better this player - it really is as good as it's reputation - so I won't entertain the idea of letting it die slowly for the cost of a $20 mech !
All help and comments gratefully received. Thanks
Hoping you can help with some intermittent problems with my Meridian 508 CD player
I've had it around 18 months and bought it as a 508.20 upgraded to 24 bit which Meridian have confirmed. The transport, according to them, is a CDM12.5 due to it's solid black bezel. Apparently the CDM12.4 has a silver coloured circle in the bezel
Problems - the player has skipped intermittently and on a couple of occasions has failed to read discs, mainly after it has been out of use for a while (I like to switch my equipment round from time to time). Also, when selecting a specific track (as opposed to playing the disc through from the start), playback begins a fraction of a second into that track
My local Meridian dealer has been less than helpful, preferring to offer an upgrade instead. Meridian themselves have been marginally more helpful, explaining that the CDM12.5 is no longer available and that were they to service it (at a cost of around £260) they would swap out the laser head only
I'm reluctant to send it to Meridian. The cost is exhorbitant (I swapped out a complete CDM12.4 on a Marantz CD63 MKII KIS last year at a cost of around $20.00). More worryingly, I'm not sure I'd get it back in working order if they can't fix it
It's behaving at the moment but doubtless the time will come when it fails completely so I'm keen to try a fix myself. Difficult because Meridian won't release the service manual to me
Does anybody have knowledge of working on this machine ? Any thoughts as to what may be wrong and how to fix ?
I'd have to spend *serious* money to better this player - it really is as good as it's reputation - so I won't entertain the idea of letting it die slowly for the cost of a $20 mech !
All help and comments gratefully received. Thanks
In order to fix this you are going to have to remove the pickup assembly. The main problem with all these is hardening of the grease on the sled drive gears and slide.
Photos... post #10 here on how to attach them,
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/165754-sony-cd-player-cdp-102-a.html#post2171957
It would help to see the insides, and to see what the mech and loader is. Usually it's a Philips LT1210/65
http://www.daisy-laser.com/products/CD/modules/L121065/val1210_65_68v1.0daisy2.pdf
Sourcing a "new" CDM12.4 or 5 could be next to impossible... if you have read the many threads on this mech you will see that most that are offered for sale seem to be reclaimed old units or inferior chinese stuff... so fixing the old one is probably the best option.
The "silver" and "black" bezel bit is a puzzle... can't think what they mean by that as the CDM12.4 etc usually refers to just the pickup and it's subchassis. The turntable on the CDM12.1 etc although it looks the same is black from memory... and the difference is the magnetic clamp is of "opposite" polarity so it won't work with a 12.4 clamp. Can't think of anything else.
Do you mean CDM12.4/05 ? as that's the number given to the chassis and pickup complete.
Photos... post #10 here on how to attach them,
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/165754-sony-cd-player-cdp-102-a.html#post2171957
It would help to see the insides, and to see what the mech and loader is. Usually it's a Philips LT1210/65
http://www.daisy-laser.com/products/CD/modules/L121065/val1210_65_68v1.0daisy2.pdf
Sourcing a "new" CDM12.4 or 5 could be next to impossible... if you have read the many threads on this mech you will see that most that are offered for sale seem to be reclaimed old units or inferior chinese stuff... so fixing the old one is probably the best option.
The "silver" and "black" bezel bit is a puzzle... can't think what they mean by that as the CDM12.4 etc usually refers to just the pickup and it's subchassis. The turntable on the CDM12.1 etc although it looks the same is black from memory... and the difference is the magnetic clamp is of "opposite" polarity so it won't work with a 12.4 clamp. Can't think of anything else.
Do you mean CDM12.4/05 ? as that's the number given to the chassis and pickup complete.
Mooly
Pics attached. Firstly, just to clarify my earlier post. Meridian referred to the "bezel" as being the circular plastic mount on to which the centre spindle of the CD sits. It was explained that mine being solely black in colour indicates the transport being a CDM12.5 as opposed to the CDM12.4 which has a silver and black circular plastic mount
From reading, I understand that the CDM12.4 and CDM12.5 are not mutually compatible due to different motors and control electronics on board. I believe though that the laser blocks are compatible and that these can be sourced new as a separate unit, VAM1250
Anyway, back to the pics. The top shot of the drawer speaks for itself.
The second pic is the underside of the drawer, this being the only way in to the transport that I can see. There's no way that's immediately evident of removing the drawer
The third pic shows lid off with the loader/clamp exposed. The loader isn't like anything I've ever seen before and appears to be a Meridian OEM part
This was as far as I was willing to go with disassembly until I have a whole day to devote to it
** So to summarise, I need to know how to access the transport assembly for removal. Can you or anyone else assist **
Merdian have been the proverbial chocolate fireguard this week. I've been in touch with them and they say they have no service manual for this machine and no notes as how to remove the transport. Great "life" support for what was a 2K machine new.
I'll never buy another !
Pics attached. Firstly, just to clarify my earlier post. Meridian referred to the "bezel" as being the circular plastic mount on to which the centre spindle of the CD sits. It was explained that mine being solely black in colour indicates the transport being a CDM12.5 as opposed to the CDM12.4 which has a silver and black circular plastic mount
From reading, I understand that the CDM12.4 and CDM12.5 are not mutually compatible due to different motors and control electronics on board. I believe though that the laser blocks are compatible and that these can be sourced new as a separate unit, VAM1250
Anyway, back to the pics. The top shot of the drawer speaks for itself.
The second pic is the underside of the drawer, this being the only way in to the transport that I can see. There's no way that's immediately evident of removing the drawer
The third pic shows lid off with the loader/clamp exposed. The loader isn't like anything I've ever seen before and appears to be a Meridian OEM part
This was as far as I was willing to go with disassembly until I have a whole day to devote to it
** So to summarise, I need to know how to access the transport assembly for removal. Can you or anyone else assist **
Merdian have been the proverbial chocolate fireguard this week. I've been in touch with them and they say they have no service manual for this machine and no notes as how to remove the transport. Great "life" support for what was a 2K machine new.
I'll never buy another !
Attachments
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Unusual for sure... in that the whole mech is incorporated in the drawer.
I'm sure it's easy to work on though. You will have to carefully remove the plate under the drawer and see what it looks like then. It could actually be easier to work on than the normal loader which usually has to be removed from the player.
Just take it slowly and take pictures so you know how it goes/run of any cables/ribbons etc.
I'm sure it's easy to work on though. You will have to carefully remove the plate under the drawer and see what it looks like then. It could actually be easier to work on than the normal loader which usually has to be removed from the player.
Just take it slowly and take pictures so you know how it goes/run of any cables/ribbons etc.
The drawer-housed mech is the trick with some Meridian units. Apart from the 508 which I currently own, the 206 and 602 which I have since passed on both have similarly housed transports.
I agree - that bottom plate seems to be the key to getting to the transport. It's not going to be that easy to drop off though - what you can't see from the pic is one of the screws can't be accessed while the drawer is in place. So, the drawer definitely needs to come out.
Anybody else worked on a 5XX player with a CDM12 mech ? Anyone know how to get that drawer out ?
I agree - that bottom plate seems to be the key to getting to the transport. It's not going to be that easy to drop off though - what you can't see from the pic is one of the screws can't be accessed while the drawer is in place. So, the drawer definitely needs to come out.
Anybody else worked on a 5XX player with a CDM12 mech ? Anyone know how to get that drawer out ?
Are these not the genuine article ? (I have no connection with the seller by the way)
New original Philips VAM1204 laser mechanism CDM12.4/05 on eBay (end time 02-Nov-10 09:43:52 GMT)
Philips VAM1204 CDM12.4 CD Laser Head New
New original Philips VAM1204 laser mechanism CDM12.4/05 on eBay (end time 02-Nov-10 09:43:52 GMT)
Philips VAM1204 CDM12.4 CD Laser Head New
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Sorry, didn't see your post... still under moderation.
No specific details for you but as a ex service tech I know although it probably looks complex it won't be. Usually the more you dismantle the easier stuff is to work on.
Quite often front panels have to be removed... look if the mech as a whole is fixed to the chassis. One Philips audio unit with the mech at the bottom had around 50 screws to remove in total... easy 🙂
No specific details for you but as a ex service tech I know although it probably looks complex it won't be. Usually the more you dismantle the easier stuff is to work on.
Quite often front panels have to be removed... look if the mech as a whole is fixed to the chassis. One Philips audio unit with the mech at the bottom had around 50 screws to remove in total... easy 🙂
It could be either the CDM12.4 or the 12.5. The 12.5 were very common. My 500 Transport has the 12.5. The draw is tricky to get apart, first undo the single screw at the front of the draw, this releases the end of the draw. after this there are some more screws under there that release the plastic on the draw, remove this and the mech is bolted on to a steel plate. Can take a while to disassemble but it's pretty simple, there is no need to remove the casing of the player it's all in the draw.
Let me know how this goes as I'm interested in sorting something for mine when the time comes. It's such a shame on the lack of 12.4 and 12.5's. Meridian are very good at keeping stock of spares for many of there products.
Let me know how this goes as I'm interested in sorting something for mine when the time comes. It's such a shame on the lack of 12.4 and 12.5's. Meridian are very good at keeping stock of spares for many of there products.
Hi! I`ve been searching for some info about Meridian 508 CDP problems and found this topic. The trouble to my player consists in: 1) player "sees" the disc, reads T.O.C. 2) In "PAUSE" mode I can change tracks, I hear the pick-up doing the job, everything seems to be OK. 3) But! When I put the "PLAY" mode, the disk stops, then starts rotating in reverse direction, accelerates the rotation, then CDP displays "NO DISK" message and hangs up untill I open/close the disk drawer. The pick-up is new.
Suggest any idea about my case, or maybe someone could send me a service manual, please?
Suggest any idea about my case, or maybe someone could send me a service manual, please?
First instinct is to say that the "new" pickup is defective. This is VERY common with CDM12/VAM12xx lasers. Wouldn't waste time looking for another cause until a new laser from a different source is tried.
Well, this is the 4-th laser, including the "native" one, a semi-alive one (100% original) from the other CDP... TDA1301, wich controlls lense position, focus etc was replaced, and as I have said: T.O.C. is always read OK (for CD-R`s also), in "PAUSE" mode the pick-up holds the track on, shifts to next/previous track rapidly, all with short sounds of lense/sledge positioning, specific to a healthy pick-up.. and when I try to "PLAY" - s..it happens.
These make me think, that the pick-up is not the cause, but who knows for shure...
More ideas please?
These make me think, that the pick-up is not the cause, but who knows for shure...
More ideas please?
If not laser, it seems most likely a software issue. I believe the 508 has a reset function, described in the user manual. Have you tried this?
I do also recall that there is a service/calibration menu system, which is described in the service manual, but I'm sure you could also find the button sequence to access it via web search.
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