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CD player plays some CDs, not others.

I need a little advice here. My Denon player (8 years old) will play most CDs just fine, but now and then certain CDs, which played just fine before, will no longer play. The display reads Track 01, and that is all. I can skip to track 02 but it still will not play. If I put in another CD, it will play. Then if I go back to the other CD, it will not read the CD. These are CDs that will play in my Sony Walkman, but for some reason my Denon is not able to read them anymore. They are in good shape, clean, and had played in the past. Is the laser shot?? Need a new player?? ALong those lines, what quality can I get in the $500-$600 range, single play or changer. I like Denon, but will try any other recommended to me. Thanks in advance. Al on Cape Cod
codger
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
CD player plays some CDs, not others.
Are these burnt/copied cd's or retail cd's?

Because some lasers have problems with burnt cd's, (doesn't mean they're bad lasers) and some will play some but not others, depending which brand of blank it is that was used.  

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Left to right:
1: Stamped/Moulded retail CD
2: Burnt gold CD
3: Burnt normal CD

You can see why some lasers have troubles with burnt CD's, and why error correction will be higher
https://www.iasa-web.org/sites/default/files/tc05-fig20.jpg

Cheers George

ebm
9,311 posts
 
Time to dump it and upgrade as the lazer is almost history.
brenozuk
2 posts
 
Hey, guys. I have had the problem of "No Disc" on a then new Sony Home theatre system from way back >20 years ago? It played all commercial CDs from big companies but refused all home created audio CDs including limited edition artist-produced CDs (examples being multiple CDs from small commercially produced runs (e.g. a say 100 or 200 CDs) some poetry by a group of poets in UK). I think it was an anti piracy measure - no industrial copyright protection - no play. I have not risked buying Sony since.

The system still works fine on big label CDs but I have to play my poetry recordings on another CD player.
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