Arcam Alpha 5 Plus CD Player.

Umberto · 16th May 2005, 05:23 PM

Please Help.

I have distorted audio output when playing my CD's, i've checked the lazer to see if it was dirty and it seems to be ok. After some further investigation I've also manged to check the +/- 25ve rail and they both seem to be ok. I susupect it's a problem with the D-A circuit.
Has anyone experienced the same fault?

tubenut · 16th May 2005, 06:54 PM

Check all PSUs... But, it can be a dodgy DAC chip, on the Arcam 5 it is permanently powered up btw and I have seen 2 players with a faulty DAC. Gets worse the longer you play. After an hour or 2 of rest it seems ok again..

Umberto · 17th May 2005, 08:48 AM

Thanks for your reply mate, which IC is it? I don't have a manual i'm affraid.

pinkmouse · 17th May 2005, 09:09 AM

Umberto, email Arcam customer support for a service manual, they are very helpful, and usually mail a pdf back within a day or so.

Franz G · 17th May 2005, 12:10 PM

Umberto

I have here the complete boards out of an Arcam 5 player. The only fault: main tranny burned and no transport.

I got it to scavenge and to build my own external DAC...

So, what seems most suspect on this board, what I would check in your case: the two nonpolar 100uF caps near the output jacks on the smaller board. They sit fully in the signal path and they could be aged.

Should you receive a service manual, could you send it to me per mail? (franz.gysi@tiscalinet.ch, please subject "Arcam" or something like this (Spamfilter).

Should you not succed with the reparation, I could offer you my boards, but take it as your second chance

Kind regards
Franz

/Edit: I realized to late: my boards are not from the plus version and I don't know about the differences. I am very sorry! But I am quite sure, you will find the two grey caps, I mentioned. Check them!

Franz G · 17th May 2005, 05:40 PM

Boahh, I already got a service manual!

Many thanks, Martijn!

Franz

Franz G · 17th May 2005, 06:43 PM

Umberto

Here a picture of the DAC/Audio Board showing the mentioned caps (red arrows).

After looking at the schematics, this is the most possible reason for your problem!

After isolating the problem (you can try a lower value than 100uF, possibly loosing some bass, but the distortion should disappear), you could check, if the attached device (pre- or integrated amp) has some input caps.

If yes, you dont need the output caps in the player and you can replace them by a wire.

In this case, I may suggest you also to remove the output mute transistors (Q2/Q102) and the output resistors (R14/R114). See blue arrows.

tubenut · 17th May 2005, 08:37 PM

The DAC chip is the TDA1541A...

jean-paul · 17th May 2005, 08:46 PM

Big chance it is the one causing the distortion......

Umberto · 18th May 2005, 11:09 AM

Thanks guys for all your help so far I will keep you posted.

16th May 2005, 05:23 PM	#1
Umberto diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: uk	Arcam Alpha 5 Plus CD Player. Please Help. I have distorted audio output when playing my CD's, i've checked the lazer to see if it was dirty and it seems to be ok. After some further investigation I've also manged to check the +/- 25ve rail and they both seem to be ok. I susupect it's a problem with the D-A circuit. Has anyone experienced the same fault?

17th May 2005, 08:48 AM	#3
Umberto diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: uk	DAC Chip. (Arcam 5 CD Player) Thanks for your reply mate, which IC is it? I don't have a manual i'm affraid.

17th May 2005, 09:09 AM	#4
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	Umberto, email Arcam customer support for a service manual, they are very helpful, and usually mail a pdf back within a day or so. __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort

17th May 2005, 08:46 PM	#9
jean-paul diyAudio Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: The Netherlands	Big chance it is the one causing the distortion...... __________________ It's only audio

18th May 2005, 11:09 AM	#10
Umberto diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: uk	Arcam CD Player Thanks guys for all your help so far I will keep you posted.


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16th May 2005, 06:54 PM	#2
tubenut diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: South Africa, Jhb	Check all PSUs... But, it can be a dodgy DAC chip, on the Arcam 5 it is permanently powered up btw and I have seen 2 players with a faulty DAC. Gets worse the longer you play. After an hour or 2 of rest it seems ok again..

17th May 2005, 12:10 PM	#5
Franz G diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bern / Switzerland	Umberto I have here the complete boards out of an Arcam 5 player. The only fault: main tranny burned and no transport. I got it to scavenge and to build my own external DAC... So, what seems most suspect on this board, what I would check in your case: the two nonpolar 100uF caps near the output jacks on the smaller board. They sit fully in the signal path and they could be aged. Should you receive a service manual, could you send it to me per mail? (franz.gysi@tiscalinet.ch, please subject "Arcam" or something like this (Spamfilter). Should you not succed with the reparation, I could offer you my boards, but take it as your second chance Kind regards Franz /Edit: I realized to late: my boards are not from the plus version and I don't know about the differences. I am very sorry! But I am quite sure, you will find the two grey caps, I mentioned. Check them!

17th May 2005, 05:40 PM	#6
Franz G diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bern / Switzerland	Boahh, I already got a service manual! Many thanks, Martijn! Franz

17th May 2005, 08:37 PM	#8
tubenut diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: South Africa, Jhb	The DAC chip is the TDA1541A...

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