I have a Quad99 system, with AE speakers, which yields a sound akin to analogue and I love it. Unfortunately, the CDs have started to skip after a minute: everything is fine, then it stops and the display goes ape with numbers randomly flashing on the screen. I suspect the laser lens is playing up. I use a CD lens cleaner but it obviously is not man enough to do the necessary. So, do I buy a new CD lens cleaner, or open the CD player up and try to give it a good clean (compressed air? vacuum?). Or, as it seems to work fine for a minute, could the laser lens transport be at fault? If so, how can I confirm?
Has anyone had a similar experience? How easy is it to get inside a Quad99 CD player? Any suggestions???
Cheers
Has anyone had a similar experience? How easy is it to get inside a Quad99 CD player? Any suggestions???
Cheers
If the display is flashing, it might be the indication of power supply failure. Do you have a DMM and/or an oscilloscope? Dried out electrolytic capacitors in the PSU could cause such symptoms.
(Do not use compressed air or vacuum on the lens. A cotton bud should be sufficient.)
(Do not use compressed air or vacuum on the lens. A cotton bud should be sufficient.)
if I'm correct the Quad99 has a VAM1250 transport which is the Philips CDM12.5. This transport is usually quite stabile. You can try to clean the lense with a q-tip with some alcohol (carefully stroking over the lense.) This might help. Do NOT use compressed air of a vacuum cleaner, since this might damage the lense.
But from what you describe it might also be the fact that the slide bars, on which the lense-assembly goes back and forth, are dirty (grease hardening). This is more difficult to clean; you need to remove the transport out of its rubber holders and keep it up side down (best to losen the flatcable from the board to which it is attached -very gently- by moving the 2 side pins with a small flat screwdriver) and then use a q-tip to clean the bars and apply some new grease/oil to the bars. Also clean the motor/pully (remove it by removing the clip on top of the motor, when you want to slide the lense back and forth). You can also remove the slide bars, but be very careful to put it back the same way (do not forget to put the little wedges in place)
Then of cource attached the flatcable again and re-assemble the transport.
I did this in a Meridian CD 506 player, which is working again (although now and then it skips a little bit - not sure if it is caused by the played CD or not)
This is not something you should do yourself when you're not used to do these kind repairs. Better to find a repairshop. Not sure Quad can still service (i.e. replace the transport if it still can be provided) this kind of CD-players, but you might ask them, or find a vintage-repair shop locally.
But from what you describe it might also be the fact that the slide bars, on which the lense-assembly goes back and forth, are dirty (grease hardening). This is more difficult to clean; you need to remove the transport out of its rubber holders and keep it up side down (best to losen the flatcable from the board to which it is attached -very gently- by moving the 2 side pins with a small flat screwdriver) and then use a q-tip to clean the bars and apply some new grease/oil to the bars. Also clean the motor/pully (remove it by removing the clip on top of the motor, when you want to slide the lense back and forth). You can also remove the slide bars, but be very careful to put it back the same way (do not forget to put the little wedges in place)
Then of cource attached the flatcable again and re-assemble the transport.
I did this in a Meridian CD 506 player, which is working again (although now and then it skips a little bit - not sure if it is caused by the played CD or not)
This is not something you should do yourself when you're not used to do these kind repairs. Better to find a repairshop. Not sure Quad can still service (i.e. replace the transport if it still can be provided) this kind of CD-players, but you might ask them, or find a vintage-repair shop locally.
The flashing is just the laser trying to find a focus, nothing to do with power supply failures. Thanks for the tip about not using compressed air or vacuum.