VAM 1202 how to tell genuine Phillips from Chinese copy

georgehifi · 22nd October 2011, 10:37 PM

Hi guys, how can I tell the the genuine from the copy of the VAM 1202.
There are heaps of new ones on ebay, some that are the cheapest are saying they are genuine Phillips?

Thanks George

stephensank · 22nd October 2011, 10:57 PM

I'm sure 3000 people will jump in and correct me if I'm wrong, but, as far as I know, ALL Philips CDM-12 generation lasers/mechs have always been made by Daisy Laser in China. So, no such animal as a Chinese copy. Although I hate these mechs, which I think are inexcusably crappy junk, I've used, for service clients, a number of VAM1202's in the last year, most recently from the cheapest ebay seller, and it was positively genuine & worked fine. It replaced a CDM-12.1 in a Shanling T100, with no difficulties.

Artemkv · 29th December 2011, 04:54 AM

I was going to buy Cary 303-200 ,googled and found out that this award winning player is equipped with this piece of carbage. No wonder there are complains, and Cary charges 150 $ for repairs when this thing costs 25 bucks. Rofl 3k player. No go then..

stephensank · 29th December 2011, 04:05 PM

It's shocking how many allegedly high end makers use the cdm12 crap, even on hugely expensive pieces(can you say, "Levinson"?). Bob Stuart of Meridian, a man for whom I have completely lost respect, was actually quoted in the audio press years ago as saying words exactly to the effect of "yes, it's a piece of junk, but it's cheap and easy to replace". Was working at a Meridian dealer at the time, and thereafter recommended not one Meridian unit to any customer ever again. The CDM-9 series was already problematic, as far as failures, as it was the first to use the horrid "hologram laser" used in the cdm12's, but it at least still had reliable radial arm tracking drive. When the cdm12 came out, I remember reading numerous magazine reviewers saying it was basically a cd-rom transport, "so it must be good & precise". Couldn't believe they could not know that cd-rom drives are traditionally the highest failure rate, cheapest built drives out there, with utterly no regard for low wow/flutter, i.e., jitter. At least Krell and Denon never sunk so low as to use the cdm12.

22nd October 2011, 10:37 PM	#1
georgehifi diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Manly Australia (Jewel of the Pacific)	VAM 1202 how to tell genuine Phillips from Chinese copy Hi guys, how can I tell the the genuine from the copy of the VAM 1202. There are heaps of new ones on ebay, some that are the cheapest are saying they are genuine Phillips? Thanks George __________________ Avatar : Production Lightspeed Attenuator www.lightspeedattenuator.com

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22nd October 2011, 10:57 PM	#2
stephensank diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	I'm sure 3000 people will jump in and correct me if I'm wrong, but, as far as I know, ALL Philips CDM-12 generation lasers/mechs have always been made by Daisy Laser in China. So, no such animal as a Chinese copy. Although I hate these mechs, which I think are inexcusably crappy junk, I've used, for service clients, a number of VAM1202's in the last year, most recently from the cheapest ebay seller, and it was positively genuine & worked fine. It replaced a CDM-12.1 in a Shanling T100, with no difficulties.

29th December 2011, 04:54 AM	#3
Artemkv diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2010	I was going to buy Cary 303-200 ,googled and found out that this award winning player is equipped with this piece of carbage. No wonder there are complains, and Cary charges 150 $ for repairs when this thing costs 25 bucks. Rofl 3k player. No go then..

29th December 2011, 04:05 PM	#4
stephensank diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	It's shocking how many allegedly high end makers use the cdm12 crap, even on hugely expensive pieces(can you say, "Levinson"?). Bob Stuart of Meridian, a man for whom I have completely lost respect, was actually quoted in the audio press years ago as saying words exactly to the effect of "yes, it's a piece of junk, but it's cheap and easy to replace". Was working at a Meridian dealer at the time, and thereafter recommended not one Meridian unit to any customer ever again. The CDM-9 series was already problematic, as far as failures, as it was the first to use the horrid "hologram laser" used in the cdm12's, but it at least still had reliable radial arm tracking drive. When the cdm12 came out, I remember reading numerous magazine reviewers saying it was basically a cd-rom transport, "so it must be good & precise". Couldn't believe they could not know that cd-rom drives are traditionally the highest failure rate, cheapest built drives out there, with utterly no regard for low wow/flutter, i.e., jitter. At least Krell and Denon never sunk so low as to use the cdm12.

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