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Denon UD-M30 - repair or replace?

advb69

Member
Hi everyone.

I'm afraid I only post here when I have a problem and today is no exception!

I have a Denon UD-M30 CD/receiver as a second system in the bedroom, with the matching SCM51 Denon/Mission speakers in the bedroom and a pair of Eltax Mirage 2i speakers run into the adjacent kitchen.

It gets plenty of use, especially when my wife is cooking, but the CD player is getting increasing problematic. More often that not, it cannot read CDs and shows the track count as zero. If it is turned off/on enough or the CD ejected and reinserted multiple times, it might eventually read the CD contents properly - once this happens the CD will normally play ok. However, once the disk is ejected and another put in, the problem starts again.

This has gradually been getting worse over the last year and my wife has finally lost patience with it so I need to do something before she loses patience with me as well. :D

So my questions are:

(a) Is it worth trying to repair it? Does it use a commonly available CD transport?
(b) Is there a well rated CD receiver on the market which would be a good replacement with the existing speakers?

I would be grateful for any comments. I got the UD-M30 almost 10 years ago so I am a bit out of touch with what is available now.


Thanks.
 
How about trying a lens cleaner first is it?

I use one of those Denons too, very very nice.

DS
 
After referring to it in the title and text several times as a UD-M30, I realised that it is actually a UD-M31!!!! My excuse is that it is paired with a DMD-M30 MiniDisk player and I got confused. :D

I haven't tried a CD cleaner yet (I don't have one) but wouldn't dirt on the lens cause playing issues as well? It seems to be all or nothing - it either can't read the disk at all or it plays perfectly.
 
Common problem on these not reading discs which contrary to popular belief isn't a faulty laser! Most often the lense is dirty & wiping it clean with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud will sort it out.

Following that there is an automatic laser calibration mode built into the software initiated by pressing a combination of buttons which 9 times out of 10 results in a working machine. I can look out my copy of the service manual with said procedure if your interested ?
 
Common problem on these not reading discs which contrary to popular belief isn't a faulty laser! Most often the lense is dirty & wiping it clean with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud will sort it out.

Following that there is an automatic laser calibration mode built into the software initiated by pressing a combination of buttons which 9 times out of 10 results in a working machine. I can look out my copy of the service manual with said procedure if your interested ?

In a kitchen especially cac may well build up on the lens. A cotton bud in alcohol, gently applied, may well be all that's needed.

Good machines those and worth a shot at a fix.
 
If it were me I'd go for one of these:

http://www.froogle.richersounds.com/product/mini-hifi/denon/dm39/deno-dm39-sil

That's a cracking price at the moment and will give you various features you don't get on your existing unit. You can use it with your existing speakers.

Oh and no, I don't work for Richer Sounds!

Thanks for the suggestion. I just spotted this earlier today when I was looking for options. If cleaning the lens doesn't help, I think this is what I would go for.
 
If still no joy after cleaning the lense try this: [from service manual]

1. Plug the power cable into the wall socket while pressing the power & function buttons at the same time.
2.Open the disc tray, place a CD in the disc tray, close the disc tray.
3. Push "play" 3 times at 3 second intervals.
4. Press "skip next" then "stop" then "skip back"
5. screen will show "06 Adj" - When screen changes to "display 01" remove the plug from the wall socket. Calibration complete.

All of the above should be done using the front panel controls not the remote.

Doing the above has brought two back to life & fixed another that was taking ages to read the TOC.... Best of luck with it.
 
Common problem on these not reading discs which contrary to popular belief isn't a faulty laser! Most often the lense is dirty & wiping it clean with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud will sort it out.

Following that there is an automatic laser calibration mode built into the software initiated by pressing a combination of buttons which 9 times out of 10 results in a working machine. I can look out my copy of the service manual with said procedure if your interested ?

Any idea how best to access the laser on these? I did take the top cover off but the laser transport seemed to be enclosed - although I have to admit that I didn't look too closely.

But assuming that there is a way of getting to the lens, I would be very interested in knowing how to initiate the laser calibration. Is it by pressing "reverse skip" and "SDB/tone" buttons together when powering on? I found mention of that on a review of another Denon model.
 
If still no joy after cleaning the lense try this: [from service manual]

1. Plug the power cable into the wall socket while pressing the power & function buttons at the same time.
2.Open the disc tray, place a CD in the disc tray, close the disc tray.
3. Push "play" 3 times at 3 second intervals.
4. Press "skip next" then "stop" then "skip back"
5. screen will show "06 Adj" - When screen changes to "display 01" remove the plug from the wall socket. Calibration complete.

All of the above should be done using the front panel controls not the remote.

Doing the above has brought two back to life & fixed another that was taking ages to read the TOC.... Best of luck with it.

This is good to know. Like most service sequences, its not the sort of thing you can discover by accident!
 
From memory....unscrew the screws marked red + the cables marked red in the picture & that pcb will "flip" from right to left revealing the lense.

img322bc4eezik6zj.jpg


I'll open mine up tomorrow to confirm, its been a while !
 
The transport in my Denon Micro DVD system vibrates like hell and I had it repaired under warranty. A did a bit of research to locate a more reliable transport, and it seems they have a reputation for being problematic. Doesn't bother me as I only use it as an extremely passable digital amp for the Macbook now.
 
Brilliant - you're a star!

So far, so good.....

I tried the calibration yesterday (before I cleaned it) and it made no difference. I cleaned the lens today - and the contacts on the ribbon cable for good measure - and re-ran the calibration. It then read the TOC. I ejected and reinserted the same CD a dozen times. It read the TOC most times but failed occasionally.

Anyway, I put it back together and reconnected all the cables. I put in half a dozen different CDs and it worked on all of them.

So it is much better than it was but it is still on a warning! :D If it plays up again to any extent, I'll be off to Richer Sounds with a wad of cash and my eye on its younger sibling.....

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice and comments. It is forums like this that make the internet worthwhile.
 
Hi all,
Painstakingly fitted new laser to my little denon udm31 friend and it played the first time of trying but no sound.
Tried the obvious but no result.
Any ideas please.
 
Hi all,
Painstakingly fitted new laser to my little denon udm31 friend and it played the first time of trying but no sound.
Tried the obvious but no result.
Any ideas please.

Does it still output sound from tuner/aux ? Check all internal ribbon cables are seated correctly.
 
No sound from tuner either
Just trying to pluck up the courage to strip it back down if noboby can give me any other ideas.
 
Stripped her back down and checked all the connections which were ok.
Decided to fit the new ribbon cable i purchased with the laser.
Put her back together but left the cover off and tested but no sound.
Decided to re-calibrate and guess what
Cd wont even spin or play which it was doing before re-calibrating
Any help appreciated.
 
Please do not use a Q-tip and isopropyl alcohol, that is the lamest thing to use on the Laser upper Optic, first of all a Q-tip will scratch the plastic lens alcohol will fog the plastic. Use a piece of sheep skin or a micro fiber cloth with just a little Windex to clean the outer Plastic Optic Lens and lightly shoot can air in to the laser optic assembly to remove any dust after cleaning the Laser optic lens, remember People 92% of the laser optics are plastic and plastic scratches very easily, plus I am, a real, Audio-Video Technician and been repairing Electronics for 40+ years. Thanks.
 


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