Modifying Micromega Stage CD players

[Fozz]

I’ve seen this item on Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5802166266&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

Which is a modified Micromega Stage Two player, now I’m not too interested in purchasing it myself, as I already own a Micromega Stage 4 player but I was interested in the mods. Has anybody any experience of these and know if they are worth while? I do have a problem with my cartridge picking up transformer hum from the Micromega and I sometimes get an irritating problem when tring to load a CD, it just keeps reading ‘No Disc’ untill deciding to co-operate!

Ulitimately I would love a player like the Naim CD5i or the Densen B-400 Plus. Would I be better off saving my money untill I can afford one of those or should’nt these mods cost that much to do and be a worthwhile stop gap?

By the way the seller says the Stage 2 was the best of the range! I always uderstood the Stage 4 was considered the best and that the jump up to Stages 5 and 6 was’nt really worth it?

 

[RustyB]

Well, he says HIS 2 was better than HIS 3 actually.

I don't think anyone here's done a Micro, but what he's done is pretty standard stuff, and chances are the Stages respond as well as other players do.

I do agree about his comments re the second series of players; I compared my 3 to a 6 with a view to upgrading, but found the 3 more musical, even though the 6 was a little more detailed and tidier.

If you're handy with a soldering iron, I'd say go for it.

 

[mirland]

Just a word of warning: I purchased a Stage 2 from a guy on eBay which I did not know had been modded before it arrived at my doorstep and didn't work. The DAC board actually never got to work... So if anybody needs spares for a Stage 2 (drive, chassis whatever) you may contact me

/Mirland

 

[Fozz]

Thanks Guys,

I know some one handy with a soldering iron! Any idea how much the Jamicon caps, Burr-Brown op-amps and copper shielding tape are? And are they easy to come by?

It probably makes more sense to see if I can sort out this problem with loading/reading CD’s first, before spending money on other parts of the player. Sometimes it plays first time, othertimes it can take up to twenty attempts. Any idea which part of the player could be playing up? I’ve owned it from new, it’s in otherwise excellent condition and this is the only problem i’ve ever had with it, which started happening about six months ago.

I see that at long last Micromega have got themselves a distributor again in the UK, so maybe they can help, or perhaps theres a part I can salvage from Mirlands player!

 

[RustyB]

Have you checked the laser for dust?

There is an acknowledged problem with some of these players (not mine) with the grease on the sled rails going sticky; this should be obvious by inspection.

Mine only hicupped once early on; pulling the plug and reconnecting sorted it (reset its little brain I guess).

If no joy from the above, you'd need to get a techie to delve into it with measuring tools; a new trannie may be required.

 

[zanash]

the opamps depending on what you want and were you are are easily found, similarly the foil tape, not certain about thr caps but silmics blackgate [not my fav] and stargets are all available from RS components....at a price. Some of the stuff can be bought peicemeal off epay. Look to swap any resistors in the signal path...you can make big gains here. The swapping of rectifying diodes goes a long way to improving the overal performance of the player to....i'd go for 11DQ10's