Sorry for not answering sooner.............
The SA8400 is completely different. If you have read errors you need to replace the laser unit. The 8400 uses the HOP1200 laser, which is readily available and not costly. They are also not very reliable so best to buy 2 or 3 when you buy, and hope one will work.
Steve
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your advice. I have replaced the optic, purchased from Alibaba, I do not know whether it is HOP1200 or not, but it is suiable for Marantz SA 8400. After replacing, the read error still happen. And sometimes it can play. Do you know the place to purchase that sugvested Optic type? Thanks
Try here:
Audio Spare HOP1200S/1 (HOP 1200S/1) - CD LASER UNIT (PICK UP) (MECHANISM) HITACHI...
These are not costly so I think it's a good idea to buy at least 2.
Steve
Here is a link to the Taiwan vendor Supermanmeliu. This place is reliable and if the laser does not work they will send another one. I have bought here in the past and can recommend them.
While the cost is a little more, you have a better chance of getting one that works.
Laser Head for Marantz SA-11 SA-15 SA-8400 DV-4300 DV-7600 DV-9500 DV-9600 | eBay
Hi,
I have had my SA 8260 sitting unused for a few years. I sent it to Marantz a few years ago to have the "TOC Error" and constant skipping repaired, which they did. It worked for only a few months, and then stopped reading CDs altogether. When I loaded a CD, it would say "TOC Reading" and then "Error". I put the machine away at that time. Recently I saw this thread, so I got the machine out, opened it up, and it indeed did have the 1K resistor installed on the board. I tried a CD, same result, "Error". So, I bought a "used" KHM-233aaa complete transport mechanism from eBay. I installed it today, and - "Error". I'm wondering if I should try buying a "new" laser or transport mechanism or just give up, as it might another problem altogether. I am open to suggestion!
Thank you.
I have had my SA 8260 sitting unused for a few years. I sent it to Marantz a few years ago to have the "TOC Error" and constant skipping repaired, which they did. It worked for only a few months, and then stopped reading CDs altogether. When I loaded a CD, it would say "TOC Reading" and then "Error". I put the machine away at that time. Recently I saw this thread, so I got the machine out, opened it up, and it indeed did have the 1K resistor installed on the board. I tried a CD, same result, "Error". So, I bought a "used" KHM-233aaa complete transport mechanism from eBay. I installed it today, and - "Error". I'm wondering if I should try buying a "new" laser or transport mechanism or just give up, as it might another problem altogether. I am open to suggestion!
Thank you.
There is no problem other than the laser needs to be replaced.
Unfortunately the good lasers for the 8260 are really expensive. Even Supermanmeliu charges nearly $300 now, and he is about the only reliable supplier left. I think Sony parts may now be depleted as when I checked at Encompass Parts recently they showed no stock. But some times I've seen that only to find that later on they have them in supply.
As I explained earlier, you really have to want this player to spend the money for the laser. However if you do get a good replacement laser, it will likely last a very long time as the circuit problem has been corrected with the resistor.
I missed something in my earlier response.
You mentioned that you tried a CD, and got Error.
If the disc was a RBCD then getting the "Error" message means the laser is completely shot.
If you get the "Error" message with a SACD, you should still be able to play a RBCD, as they are much easier to read and play without much issue.
Also, I'm assuming that KHM233aaa is a typo, as the required unit is KHM230AAA.
I have two responses, following my thanks!
1) Yes, RBCD. Dead laser, then.
2) Yes, typo - KMH230aaa
I'll keep my eyes open. Seriously, a decent Sony DVP S-7700 is a fine machine, sounds great, and is MUCH cheaper than a laser will probably cost for my 8250. That's probably the route I'll go.
Thank you again!
Laser supply
A short post now, a longer one soon.
Laser replacements for the SA-8260 have been dubious or expensive for some time now.
In the past month I finally ordered a replacement laser from a German supplier for the first time. These have always been the most expensive, and beyond common sense. Nonetheless I lost common sense.
I first ordered from Donberg.co.uk, which is the same as donberg.de. They do not have stock and when they tried to get supply they immediately responded that the part was not available.
A respondant to me seeking TOC help had ordered from another German site and received a dud, and is awaiting a second unit.
I ordered from martin-elektronic.de, which turned out to be a computer parts supplier and not an audio electronic parts supplier. I paid the commensurate price of a SONY NOS part.
I received the replacement laser and it was a dud. The vendor was not helpful in response to this news.
All I can say is, do NOT order from martin-elektronic.de.
The Sony Germany official parts supplier is EET Europarts and they show 0 stock of the Sony laser replacement mechanism. A simple google search will show you the results, if you need confirmation.
I will take one for the team on this.
A short post now, a longer one soon.
Laser replacements for the SA-8260 have been dubious or expensive for some time now.
In the past month I finally ordered a replacement laser from a German supplier for the first time. These have always been the most expensive, and beyond common sense. Nonetheless I lost common sense.
I first ordered from Donberg.co.uk, which is the same as donberg.de. They do not have stock and when they tried to get supply they immediately responded that the part was not available.
A respondant to me seeking TOC help had ordered from another German site and received a dud, and is awaiting a second unit.
I ordered from martin-elektronic.de, which turned out to be a computer parts supplier and not an audio electronic parts supplier. I paid the commensurate price of a SONY NOS part.
I received the replacement laser and it was a dud. The vendor was not helpful in response to this news.
All I can say is, do NOT order from martin-elektronic.de.
The Sony Germany official parts supplier is EET Europarts and they show 0 stock of the Sony laser replacement mechanism. A simple google search will show you the results, if you need confirmation.
I will take one for the team on this.
Okay, here is the longer post....................
I started this thread back in October 2013 as a Modification page to list all I had done to make my SA-8260 player sound so good. And I added a few updates as they happened. However I was really a few years too late with this as nobody modified sacd players very much by 2013, and certainly not this one.
The issue with the SA-8260 player was, and always was, the laser.
I made a post on the old sa-cd.net forum in 2010 about how one could make a simple repair and hopefully correct the reading issues of the laser. Over the years I have gotten a large number of enquiries from people with the problem and searching for an answer. Even in late 2018 I received enquiries about this.
However, by 2013 the player issue was not really the simple repair but laser replacement. Of the enquiries I received most all players were found to have already had the repair. In such cases, the laser needed replacing.
By 2013 the replacement lasers were starting to get in short supply and high in price. Sony was charging $212 plus shipping at that time. There were other suppliers available then, though the laser received often did not work. I made posts here and in emails about sources of reliable laser replacements.
My own experiences have always been that the only reliable laser replacements were the ones from Sony. I have several players and bought laser replacements in 2010 and 2012 from Sony. These lasers still function today and the one purchased in 2012 is currently in the only SA-8260 player that I use. It works good.
Now, in early 2019 it is near the end for purchasing genuine Sony NOS replacement lasers. A few years back, 3 or 4, Sony offloaded their spare parts departments to private parts outlets, so no more ordering from Sony Parts. And it took a bit of an effort to find an authorized Sony parts distributor, no matter where one lived.
Sony US, offloaded to Encompass Audio in Georgia. Sony Uk/Europe offloaded to EETGroup Parts. Sony Canada to Reliable Parts.
And through time one could always locate the laser replacement with a simple google search. Sometimes one of the authorized Sony parts houses would show up in the search on the first or second page. Other times it would be on the 5th or 10th page. Google searches generally hit on Chinese based sites in the early pages, or else parts houses with online hits for the KHM230AAA laser or the Sony part no. 882013209.
One thing was for certain, the authorized Sony places had high prices and German based hits always seemed to have higher prices.
Sony raised their official price to $313 back in 2013 or 2014 I think. It was quite awhile ago. The other authorized Sony places essentially had the same price, adjusted for local currency and tax.
I noticed in my all my email enquiries that few respondants were interested in spending that much money on a laser replacement. A few respondents reported back to me that they purchased a laser at a much lower cost and it worked. Others reported that the cheaper lasers were duds.
In January 2019, just last month, I decided that I might like to buy a spare laser to keep just in case my trusty Sony 2012 gave up the ghost. I was a year or two too late. Encompass Audio and EET Group showed the laser part to be "no longer available". I contacted a German-Irish site that specializes in hard to find parts, Donberg, as they always had listed the KHM230AAA. But they replied that they could not get it. I also enquired at a couple other places that advertised the part as "Special Order only". The replies were that the part was not available and they have taken the part number off their site.
As a last resort I ordered from martin-electronik in Germany. I did so without an availability enquiry. This was not wise on my part. My experiences are in another thread and do not need repeating here.
However I have continued to search.........................
I can report that the authorized Sony parts supplier in Canada, Reliable Parts, shows Genuine Sony NOS lasers. They are $352 Canadian. However, they only ship to Canadian addresses. There are no other Genuine Sony NOS lasers available anywhere.
So unless one can get one of the Canadian lasers, when the laser in your SA-8260 player starts to not work any more. That's it, over and out for that player.
These are also the seeming twilight days of sacd players in total. Oppo is done. Marantz still makes a few models, all at high price, as the End of Life for the SA-8005 model was in December 2017. You just have to hunt to find a new player.
However there are plenty of players on the used market. It all depends on how much you wish to spend. Nevertheless, they all have the same issue, laser replacements are dwindling in supply. So no matter what player you have or buy, you had best invest in a spare laser or two for your player if you want to keep in operating for a long time. And even here, the issue of reliability and getting a genuine NOS part exists, as with the SA-8260.
I started this thread back in October 2013 as a Modification page to list all I had done to make my SA-8260 player sound so good. And I added a few updates as they happened. However I was really a few years too late with this as nobody modified sacd players very much by 2013, and certainly not this one.
The issue with the SA-8260 player was, and always was, the laser.
I made a post on the old sa-cd.net forum in 2010 about how one could make a simple repair and hopefully correct the reading issues of the laser. Over the years I have gotten a large number of enquiries from people with the problem and searching for an answer. Even in late 2018 I received enquiries about this.
However, by 2013 the player issue was not really the simple repair but laser replacement. Of the enquiries I received most all players were found to have already had the repair. In such cases, the laser needed replacing.
By 2013 the replacement lasers were starting to get in short supply and high in price. Sony was charging $212 plus shipping at that time. There were other suppliers available then, though the laser received often did not work. I made posts here and in emails about sources of reliable laser replacements.
My own experiences have always been that the only reliable laser replacements were the ones from Sony. I have several players and bought laser replacements in 2010 and 2012 from Sony. These lasers still function today and the one purchased in 2012 is currently in the only SA-8260 player that I use. It works good.
Now, in early 2019 it is near the end for purchasing genuine Sony NOS replacement lasers. A few years back, 3 or 4, Sony offloaded their spare parts departments to private parts outlets, so no more ordering from Sony Parts. And it took a bit of an effort to find an authorized Sony parts distributor, no matter where one lived.
Sony US, offloaded to Encompass Audio in Georgia. Sony Uk/Europe offloaded to EETGroup Parts. Sony Canada to Reliable Parts.
And through time one could always locate the laser replacement with a simple google search. Sometimes one of the authorized Sony parts houses would show up in the search on the first or second page. Other times it would be on the 5th or 10th page. Google searches generally hit on Chinese based sites in the early pages, or else parts houses with online hits for the KHM230AAA laser or the Sony part no. 882013209.
One thing was for certain, the authorized Sony places had high prices and German based hits always seemed to have higher prices.
Sony raised their official price to $313 back in 2013 or 2014 I think. It was quite awhile ago. The other authorized Sony places essentially had the same price, adjusted for local currency and tax.
I noticed in my all my email enquiries that few respondants were interested in spending that much money on a laser replacement. A few respondents reported back to me that they purchased a laser at a much lower cost and it worked. Others reported that the cheaper lasers were duds.
In January 2019, just last month, I decided that I might like to buy a spare laser to keep just in case my trusty Sony 2012 gave up the ghost. I was a year or two too late. Encompass Audio and EET Group showed the laser part to be "no longer available". I contacted a German-Irish site that specializes in hard to find parts, Donberg, as they always had listed the KHM230AAA. But they replied that they could not get it. I also enquired at a couple other places that advertised the part as "Special Order only". The replies were that the part was not available and they have taken the part number off their site.
As a last resort I ordered from martin-electronik in Germany. I did so without an availability enquiry. This was not wise on my part. My experiences are in another thread and do not need repeating here.
However I have continued to search.........................
I can report that the authorized Sony parts supplier in Canada, Reliable Parts, shows Genuine Sony NOS lasers. They are $352 Canadian. However, they only ship to Canadian addresses. There are no other Genuine Sony NOS lasers available anywhere.
So unless one can get one of the Canadian lasers, when the laser in your SA-8260 player starts to not work any more. That's it, over and out for that player.
These are also the seeming twilight days of sacd players in total. Oppo is done. Marantz still makes a few models, all at high price, as the End of Life for the SA-8005 model was in December 2017. You just have to hunt to find a new player.
However there are plenty of players on the used market. It all depends on how much you wish to spend. Nevertheless, they all have the same issue, laser replacements are dwindling in supply. So no matter what player you have or buy, you had best invest in a spare laser or two for your player if you want to keep in operating for a long time. And even here, the issue of reliability and getting a genuine NOS part exists, as with the SA-8260.
I found a seller on eBay from Germany who had a new laser assembly for just under $200. I emailed him about it, and he said it was new, and he'd refund my money if it didn't work. It arrived yesterday, and I installed it today. This is the first time that SA8260 has worked in many years! It's playing through some CD's now, and I'm gun shy, but it seems to be fine.
Well, good luck to you. Does your new laser read sacd's? I've had replacement lasers that have read rbcd's just fine, but they have trouble reading sacd's.
Yes, I'm aware of that dealer. It's good that he will take returns.