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Micromega cd issues

Simon66

pfm Member
I have a micromega stage 4 cdp bought on these forums recently, it's the first time I've owned one of these so have a couple of questions, firstly when powered on the 'stage 4' leds flash on and off for around 2-3 mins before the cdp actually turns on, is this normal for this cdp?
Also the laser pickup wasn't reading most discs and just showed 'no disc' on display, I bought a new one and replaced it but the issue is still there, could there be a different issue rather than the laser pickup which causes this problem? BTW cd's used are all fine and play flawlessly on another player.
TIA
 
Those players used first generation sled transports where the laser head ran along rails rather than being on a swing arm. They were notorious for the grease used on the rails going off and the sled sticking. Cleaning off the grease and replacing it with better stuff usually sorted it.

If it's not that it'll need testing as there are a few things that can go wrong electronically and effect the tracking of the laser. One capacitor going bad can do it.
 
First issue normal.

Second one - it’s likely a good laser assembly will fix it…but the quality of replacement 12.x lasers is simply rubbish nowadays. Where did you get the replacement laser? I’ve had 8 from Donberg, of which 7 were good - not a bad hit rate :)

first thing - with disc drawer out, remove power. Carefully wind the laser sled gear so laser is in middle of the rail (away from spindle, CDs read inside out). Now switch power back on - does laser return to spindle, does disc drawer close, and can you see laser bob up and down a few times?

Now try inserting a disc - does it spin briefly? If yes, means it’s trying to read TOC…and most likely you bought a shit quality replacement laser. Try one from Donberg is all I can suggest.

I actually have the 7 mechs I’ve replaced still here - when reliable used replacements dry up I’ll try stripping and cleaning the old ones - for the time being replacement cost from Donberg doesn’t make it worth my effort :)

happy to take a look at it for you…but I’m in Switzerland :)

Worth fixing, good players - I’ll also buy it off you faulty if you give up ;)

edit to add: I would only try stripping, cleaning, relubing original laser assembly - no idea why new replacements are so unreliable…but likely the laser itself rather than the grease developing sugar crystals which killed the original Philips items. Good luck!
 
Thanks, I bought the laser from ebay and think it's origin is Chinese, maybe I'll do as suggested and buy a better one.
Rgds
 
i think it was a phillips mech in those micromega cdps, i had a stage 1 about a million years ago.
 
I had a stage 4 which i had problems with i upgraded to a stage 6 which worked for a while then that had problems i gave up on micromega products.
Support was pretty poor
 
I gave up on Micromega products.
Support was pretty poor.

I think that transport issue did them a lot of damage. It wasn't their fault. They didn't build the transports, they just bought them but they were playing up quite early in the lives of the players and they were doing it in large numbers. Hard for any company to deal with. Before that their players were just reliable as anyone's.
 
I think that transport issue did them a lot of damage. It wasn't their fault. They didn't build the transports, they just bought them but they were playing up quite early in the lives of the players and they were doing it in large numbers. Hard for any company to deal with. Before that their players were just reliable as anyone's.

The Transport issue killed the first iteration of the company unfortunately - their warranty returns on the Stage players was more than they could handle, really unfortunate. They make great products, I’ve had most of the Stage players, still have a 3 with Audiocom clock (thanks again Si!) I’ll never get rid of (not as good as my Naim CDIs, but good regardless) and use a Duo DAC Daily.

edit to add: Stage 1-3 build quality was terrible, but electronically much batter than 4-6! The front panel of my modified stage 3 simply fell off one day, buttons flying everywhere! Easy to fix with more double sided tape :)
 
So basically they went bankrupt mainly because of Philips. Oh the irony.
Philips should have helped them financially.

I have a Stage 3 to fix – faulty transformers that hum like hell. I have replacements for the Schaffners but not for the transport and display PSU.
I have an original CDM in stock, although this one seems to work fine.
 
So basically they went bankrupt mainly because of Philips. Oh the irony.
Philips should have helped them financially.

I have a Stage 3 to fix – faulty transformers that hum like hell. I have replacements for the Schaffners but not for the transport and display PSU.
I have an original CDM in stock, although this one seems to work fine.

also a very Common Problem…so not all Philips fault :) And I suspect Philips f*cked more than Micromega with their 12.x mechs, it was just unfortunate that it coincided with Micromega getting good UK press coverage at same time.

if you want the specs of the transformers to replace them I can measure mine, I think the company making the original blue boxes are long gone ?
 
Yes I guess so. Yours don’t buzz then?
I know the voltages, ta.
However they are not consistent with Philips’s application notes!
That’s odd.
 
Owned two, 3 and a 6 never had any issues with either beyond the sticky grease, no flashing lights, ever.
 
Yes I guess so. Yours don’t buzz then?
I know the voltages, ta.
However they are not consistent with Philips’s application notes!
That’s odd.

no, none I’ve heard buzz - but I’ve heard them in Europe, not UK - think I’ve had 7 though my hands and transformers always quiet.
 
If you can get the traffos out they should be an easy swap, loads of parts with same output voltage, though different form factor. Ain't easy prising them off with all those pins though. I've done it before on a Paradise, removed an 8 pin box traffo with plenty of paste flux, a palette knife and flexing the pcb as you desolder one pin at a time.
 
We now have 235 V nominal, often a bit more.
Hence the humming problems we have with much equipment that don’t have a 240 V tap.
That said, insufficiently impregnated 220 V ones don’t stay silent forever when submitted to the extra AC at their primaries.
Good quality ones don’t pose any problems with regulated DC supplies.
 
245 V is very common and its best to assume anything up to 250 V in reality.
The fix is easy with a bucking transformer. Getting the laser and tray working is harder
 
It wasn't their fault.... Before that their players were just reliable as anyone's.

I worked at a dealer in their earlier days, along with the very poor reliability, not just the transport BTW, they had a very bad attitude that lead to our store and many others discontinuing the dealership.
 


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