To replace Naim CD2 with CD3.5's CD Mechanism? Ribbon cable compatibility?

[James Yeoh]

Considering CDM9Pro & CDM9 mechanism are getting very rare and pricey, I'm wondering if it is possible to swap Naim CD2 with CD3.5's CD mechanism & servo board? If CDM9 mechanisms gone obsolete at least there's hope of finding VAM1205 replacements.

Probably there are some tweaks required for the physical tray & magnets, but if the ribbon cables are incompatible (see pic below) then this is probably not possible:

 

[martin clark]

The drive system is totally different - as, by the way, are the drive electronic within the pull-out tray. So the same ribbon is doing very different things between the two models.You'd be re-engineering the whole player.

Also - the CDM9 is much-longer lived than the VAM1205 used in the CD3.5 and other later players. - by far; and no easier to get a working one now.

Sorry!

Do some research on other manufacturers who used the CDM 9 mech (many!) and look for such a secondhand working player just for spares ...

 

[James Yeoh]

Thanks for the reply, this is a no-go then. Mine is the CDM9pro version and have been checking out spare CDM9 players too, and just realised some servo board modifications required as well due to different motor types.

Btw side topic, do you on your CD player 24/7? To minimise the strain on the components from the on/off inrush current?

 

[Mike P]

The easiest way will be to transplant just the laser head (swinging arm) from a known working donor player with a CDM9 into the body of the CDM9 pro in your CD2.

Turn your player off when not in use. Always.

 

[MJS]

Decent working CDM9 and VAM/CDM12 transports are getting rarer all the time. Which is why you'll have to prise my CDM4-based CDI out of my cold dead hands..