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CD player cuts out

Hi guys,

I have a Resolution Audio CD50 that has started cutting out a little bit. It is relatively infrequent - perhaps every 10-20 cds listened to - and is only for a couple seconds. It usually continues tracking the disc and sound comes back within a couple seconds. 

I tried cleaning the laser with isopropyl alcohol and a cuetip but that didn’t seem to effect anything. 

Any other thoughts or tips to solve this problem? I know the CD player is long in the tooth but it still sounds great. Would love to eek out some more time with it. 

TIA


leemaze
davehrab's avatar
davehrab
380 posts
 

Here's a long shot ... as your R/A CD50 is an older model ... some of the lubricant on the CD sled guide rails may have dried and hardened in some spots … when the sled hits one of these dry patches  it will be slowed or stalled not allowing the laser to lock correctly with the spinning disc … once the laser sled passes over/through this spot ... it should regain the correct lock with the CD data stream and stop skipping 

Can you remove the cover and locate the lased transport system and see if you can gentle clean the rails 

Good luck
 

sevs
301 posts
 
+1 for checking sled gears and sleds, if you are lucky that's might be it!
Forgot to add: before opening anything check how it plays CDR and CDRW first, it may give you a better idea on what is going on. 
leemaze OP
329 posts
 
Thanks all!

@sevs it plays CDRs mostly fine. Sometimes a CDR will give me an Error upon insertion, but if i reinsert the disc a couple times it will read and then play fine. 

Does that that tell you anything?

I have one Eno CD that frequently gives me an error upon insertion, but I believe this is due to the early 2000s anticopy-protection embedded in this disc. 
sevs
301 posts
 
Check CDRW just to be sure that laser is still strong.  There is a good chance that nothing is wrong with tour CD50: my Naim CDS3 also does not like CDR and sometimes skips on badly pressed CDs, unplayable by Wadia. And my CDS3 gets a new laser mech installed by AVOptions every 3-4 years (yes, I play it to death!).

once it gets worse, open it again, clean/lube sled rails, clean CD platter and puck, put a droplet of oil on the TT motor spindle/brass bushing (syringe with 20+G needle usually helps here) and there is a good chance that skipping will be gone for awhile

which Eno album? I will check it on my setup 
leemaze OP
329 posts
 
Cool - thank you for the ideas! I will pop the top and take a look at the rails. I’ve noticed if I try to select and play a track from the end of an album, the player will sometimes give me an error - however if I start the same cd from the beginning it plays fine. Perhaps this is also a problem with the laser moving along the rails. 

The Eno CD is Another Green World DSD remaster. Thanks!
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