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Arcam CD Player Skip

C

Chuey

Member
Hi. Not sure if this fits in this Classic area. I have an Arcam CD72 and it skips in the earlier tracks on the CD and improves in the latter tracks. I opened it up, cleaned the rails and greased them as advised on some YouTube channels but it still skips. The player boots up ok, reads disc content and does play...but it skips. Any advice on how I can fix this very much welcomed. 🙏
 
Unfortunately, it will be the Laser lens / head that has probably failed as they don't last forever, it happened to my CD 192. the good news is they are not expensive to replace, I had the technician at my local HiFi shop replace mine (because I'm too lazy to do it myself) and was pleasantly surprised by how little it cost to fit and configure.

If you are confident and competent you can probably replace it yourself as I believe these units are calibrated at the factory, so you don't need to adjust any settings in the new Laser, just replace and play.

I've just doing some quick googling; I believe part number KS213CCM is the laser sled and drive mechanism for the CD72 or Part number KSS-213C for just the Laser Lens assy. The original CD72 service manual calls up part number CDM14 for the CD transport, but I understand this is the entire Tray, Sled and Laser assy. There are also two variations on the CDM14 depending if your machine id the CD72 or the Latter CD72T (for reading CD text).

You should check with Arcam before purchasing against either of these part numbers though, maybe another more experience tech might chime in on this post and confirm.

Hope this helps.

LPSpinner.
 
As LPSpinner says, the replacement parts are not expensive and the replacement process is not particularly challenging. I now spend a good portion of my days with a soldering iron in hand and fiddling inside a case, but I replaced the laser on my Arcam CD23 when I was a complete rookie at "technical stuff" and it was straightforward and solved the issue.

I believe the CDM14 is indeed the whole tray mech and it's a good one at that (Sony I believe). You will need to confirm the model you need but all shall be well.

Let us know how you get on.
Nigel
 
PS. An eBay search suggests KSS-240A but you need to be careful to differentiate CD72 from CD72T as they may well be different.
 
Thanks @LPSpinner and @TheFlash. Surprising that KS213CCM with the sled and drive is marginally cheaper than just the laser KSS-240A. I'll give Arcam a call and check out their support service to get the right part. I don't mind tinkering with this and give it a try myself. Which would you say is easier to replace, laser sled and drive or just the laser component?
 
I’ve done both, but a good while ago now: I think I’d go with the laser as being more straightforward but both are eminently doable
 
I'll give the laser a try first then. Probably be some time before I get to do it but will update here when I do.....if not with more questions. Thanks so far.
 
Hi All,
Good Find Stony...

Looking at that table, Just be aware; the ARCAM DIVA CD72 uses KSS-240A and the ARCAM DIVA CD72T uses KSS-213C. Make sure you order the right one.

Open up the case and have a look at the laser head to confirm the part number is usually shown on a sticker/label on the Laser head.

4d00ec27-117d-4cc7-afe7-0a71a74cb762.JPG


KSS213C.jpg


ModelLaser head P/N
ARCAM DIVA CD72KSS-240A
ARCAM DIVA CD72TKSS-213C

LPSPinner
 
I see it uses exactly the same laser replacement as my Rega Jupiter 2000.
I have some decent instructions on how to carry out a swap. Appreciate it's not exactly the same but it might be helpful
If you want them, I can share via email. It's a simple Microsoft word file but it's not allowing me to copy or save it.
 
Hi Guys

I’d believe that too Nigel, the Sony transports were good reliable but cost-effective mechanisms. Both my Arcam CD192 and Yamaha CDX-397 use the KSS-213C. I have also seen it used is many mid-priced to high end CD Spinners. This means spares parts are not going to an issue for quite some time and we can keep these older machines going for a little while longer.

Chuey: If you do go ahead and do the swap out yourself, read the instructions that come with it, I believe they are shipped with some of the terminals shorted by soldering a bridging wire to prevent static built around some sensitive parts on the laser head. The instructions supplied should tell you how to deal with these during the installation.

LPSpinner
 
I've ordered part KSS-240A from eBay and will be arriving next week. Will check instructions @LPSpinner. Are you assuming that I might have to remove the bridge by taking away the solder?
 
Just an update. The laser arrived over a week ago and have only managed to find time this evening to open up the Arcam. It took a bit of figuring out how to disassemble the laser without taking unnecessary parts out but I got there and replaced the laser. There are more parts and the construction is different to the YouTube video I was following.

Upon testing it, everything was working but I knew I had to listen to a couple of songs on the disc before skipping kicks in and unfortunately it did. There was some skipping but definitely less than before. Then I went through the majority of the CD and played the earlier tracks again, then another CD. Skipping happens much less frequent and may not happen at all whereas previously, it was more frequent and predictable when it was going to happen.

Now I wonder why the new laser is still skipping, albeit a lot less, and sometimes don’t skip at all. Could the player perform better the warmer it becomes? Sticky places gets warm and becomes less sticky?

@LPSpinner there was no instructions that came with the laser so I didn’t do anything with the bridge.
 
Have you tried to clean and lubricate the rails the laser slides on ?
Could you open the case and take a video of it when is skipping ?
 
Great idea about taking video whilst it’s playing. I am going to play more CDs through it today to see if the skipping persists. I did lubricate the rails the first time round and I suspect the new laser has no lubrication so skipping a little but has now moved the length of the rail and back so hopefully it has picked up the lubrication by now. Further listening will tell. If it skips, then I’ll do a vid. Thanks
 
What condition are your CD's in ?
Slight hair line scratches have caused me problems , Try it with a NEW CD
 
CDs are brand new and I have tried a range of CDs in the collection and the player tends to skip mostly in the first 4-5 tracks.
 
You might need somebody to have a look at this from a different perpective.
Have you tried to message Arcam ? It might be a typical issue with CDP which they know well about.
If a new mechanism didn't help and it's not a mechanical fault I would put my money on capacitors which have dried out with age.
Did you check if you have the right voltage from a power supplier comming to the mechanism ?
Where are located ?
 
Did you replace whole mech or just laser unit? Quite often on these Sony‘s the white rails the sled runs on get cracks in them, causing skipping….
 
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