Audio Aero Capitale

[PBNAUDIO]

Any one out there with experience in replacing the digital pickup in this player, its a SONY KHM310AAA readily available for just a few bucks. I ordered two of them and they install fine, the lens moves up and down but the disc does not spin. The old drive which gave up reading SACD but it does spin the disc and reads CD (sometime)

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Peter

[Mooly]

I'm not familiar with that exact pickup but have you checked to see if it has any static protection links fitted ? Many Sony pickups do.

These are usually a solder blob shorting the laser diode that is removed after fitting.

[stephensank]

Probably does have a static jumper of some sort, but I can also add that I have seen a very high bad-out-of-box defect rate on allegedly real Sony KHM220AAA and later #'s dvd transports like this. I suspect a very high rate of ripoff clone parts in the parts resale market. Only way to be sure of propriety, it seems, is to order from Sony or a legitimately Sony-authorised distributor. Or to buy a good working Sony dvd player that uses the same KHM. Not sure what model range that would be for a 310.

[PBNAUDIO]

Thank you both, there was indeed a static link on the pick up - removing it made the beam work but unfortunately not the horizontal movement of the mechanism, I suspect that they are both DOA what to expect for $14 delivered. Luckily I found two complete drives from NOS DVD players on Ebay for $ 20 each so I'm taking another chance with those seller guarantee that they work.

Thanks agin for your advise it is greatly appreciated

Peter

[Mooly]

When you say "no horizontal movement" do you mean the sled motor drive isn't working ?
If so, that sounds more like a connection problem to the sled motor.

[PBNAUDIO]

I would agree, it is just that the old transport works just fine - except of course that it have trouble reading discs - all the other functions are fine. There are just three cables to this thing 2 power and one ribbon data cable with keyed connectors so its pretty hard to screw up.

As far as the pickup being counterfeit it looks completely identical to the old ones (I have two of these in the shop right now) so I am faily confident that they are indeed Sony ones - price maybe being the only deterring factor.

Ill let you know how the two complete transports work out.

Thanks

Peter

[georgehifi]

Says on Vassili's list it usues a Philips not a Sony

AUDIO AERO Capitole Dac AD1853
Transport/Laser Philips CD-Pro 2 (VAU1254)

Cheers George

[PBNAUDIO]

Hello George

It's a Sony alright - I think they changed from the Sony yo the Phillips later on the machines I'm working on are about 10 years old.

Good Listening

Peter

[PBNAUDIO]

Got the two new drives in and installed the laser pickups and both are working now.

The Audio Aero players have a seriously "under designed" power supply PCB turns brown from excess heat and the Chinfa AC/DC module fails as well.

Heres my take on the re design of the supply

Good Listening


Peter

[Mooly]

Thanks for the update. Pleased to hear its all OK.