I have recently had a problem with my Stage 5 CD player - the drawer would not open. I took it to a local electronics repair shop and they have advised that the i/c which controls the drawer is faulty, hence the player not working. Has anyone else come across this problem and know if replacement parts are available. My local repairer does not want to pursue the matter so I may have to try and get the part myself - luckily we have another electronics shop in the city so I might use them next time - these people were quite abrupt and not really that helpful. Any guidance appreciated.
Can you remove the lid and describe exactly what happens when you try to eject the tray? Does it make any sound, does it move at all or is it totally dead? Is the player working normally otherwise?
What you can do to fix the problem depends on how handy you are with electronics repair. Do you have a multimeter?
What you can do to fix the problem depends on how handy you are with electronics repair. Do you have a multimeter?
Thanks for responding. The CD player is still with the repair firm at present but I intend collecting it tomorrow afternoon so will have a look when I get it home and report back. I am not electronically minded I'm afraid but my step son is an electrical engineer so I could always enlist his help.
The Stage players (I have a Stage 2) use a standard Philips loader. The only stock fault is the small loading belt. Its easy to change but requires removal of the tray by gently pulling the tray out (do it slowly because the motor acts as a generator when turned). When the tray reaches its limit you will see its held by plastic "wings" that just need bending gently to allow the tray to flirt out. The belt is under a clip on cover at the front. The gear teeth should be left unlubricated but the gear spindles can have a tiny dab of suitable plastics compatible lubricant applied.
If the belt fails you should still hear the loading motor trying to operate.
The electronics are supremely reliable and it would be very unusual for there to be a genuine failure. Anything electronic would be at the very bottom of the list of suspects.
There are micro switches on the mech and these can give occasional trouble.
If the belt fails you should still hear the loading motor trying to operate.
The electronics are supremely reliable and it would be very unusual for there to be a genuine failure. Anything electronic would be at the very bottom of the list of suspects.
There are micro switches on the mech and these can give occasional trouble.
Update:
I picked up my CD player from the repair shop this afternoon. The report states:
"Fault - just clicks
Dismantle unit
Servo motor hitting end
Check limit switch - okay
Swap servo IC's over - fault still the same
Resoldered area of PC board - same
Suspect DSP IC
Email service departments
Rang new NZ agent - not supporting this older model
Rang old agent - no parts
Reassemble"
When I got it home I tried it out to reacquaint myself with the problem. Usually you switch the unit on and the Stage light blinks for about a minute (presumably while the unit warms up) and then the blinking stops and the control panel lights up. When I turn the machine on now, the stage light blinks and as it does so you can hear plastic clicking sounds coming from behind the CD drawer. These continue as does the blinking light - the stage light never stops blinking and the control panel lights do not come on.
I don't really have the time to disassemble it until the weekend, so will do so then and see if I can see what is happening inside when the power is turned on.
Thanks for the continuing support.
I picked up my CD player from the repair shop this afternoon. The report states:
"Fault - just clicks
Dismantle unit
Servo motor hitting end
Check limit switch - okay
Swap servo IC's over - fault still the same
Resoldered area of PC board - same
Suspect DSP IC
Email service departments
Rang new NZ agent - not supporting this older model
Rang old agent - no parts
Reassemble"
When I got it home I tried it out to reacquaint myself with the problem. Usually you switch the unit on and the Stage light blinks for about a minute (presumably while the unit warms up) and then the blinking stops and the control panel lights up. When I turn the machine on now, the stage light blinks and as it does so you can hear plastic clicking sounds coming from behind the CD drawer. These continue as does the blinking light - the stage light never stops blinking and the control panel lights do not come on.
I don't really have the time to disassemble it until the weekend, so will do so then and see if I can see what is happening inside when the power is turned on.
Thanks for the continuing support.
It doesn't sound hopeful tbh because reading between the lines, well the fault seems to "have changed" with the work that has been done.
Did it make that clicking noise before you took it in ?
Fault finding now would start with basics such as checking all supply voltages are correct. Motors running on there own point to missing rails, possibly problems with master clock oscillators (unlikely) and incorrect inputs presented to the system control processor.
The biggest problem with MicroMega is a total lack of service info.
Did it make that clicking noise before you took it in ?
Fault finding now would start with basics such as checking all supply voltages are correct. Motors running on there own point to missing rails, possibly problems with master clock oscillators (unlikely) and incorrect inputs presented to the system control processor.
The biggest problem with MicroMega is a total lack of service info.
Yes, it was making the clicking sound when I took it in as well as the drawer not responding to either the remote control or the open drawer button.
I'm afraid I am not mechanically or electronically minded so may have to take it to the other electronics repair shop in town for a second opinion. I do have two other Stage 3 players - one in my lounge system and one in my den system - I was using the Stage 5 through a Little Dot headphone amplifier to listen to music through headphones so not a total disaster if this player cannot be got working again - sad though, if that was the case as they have a great sound. I guess as they get older, more issues are likely to appear and it will get ever harder to get replacement parts, if you can at all. Of course, the other issue as you point out is identifying the problem in the first place with a lack of service information available.
I'm afraid I am not mechanically or electronically minded so may have to take it to the other electronics repair shop in town for a second opinion. I do have two other Stage 3 players - one in my lounge system and one in my den system - I was using the Stage 5 through a Little Dot headphone amplifier to listen to music through headphones so not a total disaster if this player cannot be got working again - sad though, if that was the case as they have a great sound. I guess as they get older, more issues are likely to appear and it will get ever harder to get replacement parts, if you can at all. Of course, the other issue as you point out is identifying the problem in the first place with a lack of service information available.
The only thing that can obviously "click" would be the laser sled drive (toothed rack and gear). I would still be looking for something "mechanical" such as a faulty microswitch etc rather than a "real" component fault but any work and fault finding involves at least basic disassembly of the player... which is actually only a few minutes work.
I suspect (although I hope I'm wrong) that you won't get much joy from typical repair shops tbh on something like this.
I suspect (although I hope I'm wrong) that you won't get much joy from typical repair shops tbh on something like this.
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