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Problems with 3.5 drive !?!

tomek

tomek

pfm Member
Hi,
Since few weeks i have problems with a cd-drive (Philips VAM-1205) in my 3.5.
CD Player is not recognizing the cd and shows err status. It is not the PUCK. Few weeks ago it was just necessary to wait 5 to 10 minutes, and the when 3.5 became little warmer the situation was ok, cds were recognized immediately. I was thinking that all circuits just have to stabilise.

Now after few weeks even after some time the cd player is not recognizing any cd (original, or copy). I was thinking that maybe it is is caused by two ALWSR inside (causing some instability), but after removing them, the situation doesn't changed. Today i have checked all cables, removed the complete transport, dissassembled the tray, checked everything. When i am inserting the cd the transport, it is trying to start, but it looks like it has not enough force to start the cd.
When i am pressing "play" without cd inside i see that the laser is trying to focuse and the axe is rotating once very fast, but with cd inside the transport is moving the cd very little ans shows error status. Any ideas ?

If the transport is broken, when can i get a new one ?

:( Tomek
 
I found a company delivering Philips vam 1204 and 1206, but not 1205. Does anybody know if i can use 1206 ? On the picture looks very similar to 1205 ...

Tomek
 
So,
finally i got one 3.5 drive from this adress:
http://www.ersatzteil.justone-schnepel.de/html/bildergallerie1.html
http://www.ersatzteil.justone-schnepel.de/html/philips_cdm12_5_vam1205_mechan.html
He has really a lot of stuff !!!

I have build in delivered drive, but there where some problems with it. It was looking little differenet from the original Naim drive, so i decided to use the new laser from the new drive and a rest from original naim-philips drive.
Now my 3.5 is working perfect again !!!

Tomek
 
Hi Tomek - nice one.

I'm soon going to post a how-to article on this, as my 3.5's laser died about the same time as yours! I might have an even cheaper/ simpler alternative - more on this when I've proved it works repeatably & taken some photos.
 
Martin,
I really hope I don't need the article but very reassuring knowing it will be there. I might buy some bits just in case the worst happens. My 3.5 is on it's third drive after the firs two went very early in their life, fortunately under warranty [if that's not a taboo].
 
martin clark said:
Well mine was 7yrs old and brutally murdered ;)
Click to expand...

Same here, 7 year old transport slain by 3 year old child :mad:

3.5 and child have since made it to 9 and 5 years respectively :)
 
Hi Martin/Tomek and all cd3.5 modders,

I must admit that since I saw this thread, I had few sleepless nights, ;)

As my cd3.5 is 7 years old, and it have some interesting stuff inside it (Tricord clock+ Martins superreged op-amps idea +two OPA627+ 4 AD8610 op-amps),

I don't want it to be silent one day, so I want to be prepered with some bits,

1- I am going to recap the cd3.5 with:

Two caps for the supply: Farnell 248150 BC058 10000uF/40v insted of the
original BHC ALC20A (now obselate and can't find the replacement ALC10A in
farnell)

In the cd3.5 seems that Naim tried to save and puts a lot of cheap(?)
Rubycon CE W 10uF/50v electrolytics (31 caps!),
I am planning swap all those with 10uF Tants.

Thay are some six Nitay? FNA 47uF/35v - can try 47uF silmics.

2- I know the output of the laser decay after few years of playing,
so before the player is going skipping discs, I want to change the laser or
all the transport,

Tomek- why the transport you ordered didn't match exactly?,
do you think it is more sensible to order only the laser?.


martin clark said:
Hi Tomek - nice one.

I'm soon going to post a how-to article on this, as my 3.5's laser died about the same time as yours! I might have an even cheaper/ simpler alternative - more on this when I've proved it works repeatably & taken some photos.
Click to expand...

Martin- can you help with some details please? . your alternatives are
allways been interesting ;)

All replies will be wellcome,

AVI.
 
Bit short of time, just two quick comments:
Naim tried to save and puts a lot of cheap(?)
Rubycon CE W 10uF/50v electrolytics (31 caps!),
I am planning swap all those with 10uF Tants.
Click to expand...
Actually these are placed where they make no difference - on digital supply lines. There are also good reasons for using plain old eectrolytics after LM317s, to do with HF stability. Bottom line - you can leave them for now, you're not missing anything.
why the transport you ordered didn't match exactly?,
do you think it is more sensible to order only the laser?.
Click to expand...
I bought a couple of drives from the same source as Tomek - they appear to be (very good) Chinese copies, Philips having long since discontinued this drive. My cheaper alternative is the swapping-in of the laser block from another Philips drive which is still available NOS, the CDM12.4. Much more on this when I have time (I'm working a long way from home at the mo.)
 
The 12.4 as is will NOT work with the 3.5 - the disc motor is different etc. Suggest you wait for the resulting writeup and pcitures...
 
Today i had exchanged the laser in one 3.5 which belongs to my friend. One has to be extremly carefull and tricky removing only the laser and putting a new one in the drive, but it works perfect.

The laser (only laser without mechanics) from cdm 12.4 (which is much easier to buy than 12.5) fits perfectly in cdm 12.5 mechanics, looks like it is exactly the same laser.

;) Tomek
 
After receiving a flyer from my dealer (Sound Org in York) today with details of another trade-in offer from Naim on their old CDP's I remembered this thread and decided to dig it out.

Of course I am not tempted to trade-in my 3.5 however I will be sorting myself out with a spare laser/motor.

Martin - before I go ahead and order a laser from the guys that Tomek suggested do you have any more details on your alternative/cheaper workaround?

If there is interest it may be worth a group buy on lasers/motors.

Cheers

Nick
 
Basically, the CDM12.4 laser block is the same as that in the VAM1205 mech. Since the 1205 uses a hall-effect disc moter, it' only the laser that dies... so you look for and buy a 12.4, dissassemble it (and the target VAM1205) and swap the good laser block in complete - taking care to observe full anti-static precautions. That's it!
 
Thanks Martin, kinda figured it would be like that.

RepData still have the best price at 24.95 Euro plus 4.95 Euro postage.

Anyone want to add to my order?
 
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