CD player skipping - any suggestions.

[T.D.]

Cleaning disc is worth a try. I play cleaning discs every month or two, as a precautionary measure. In my experience, skipping due to dirt on the lens (cleanable) is much more sporadic than what you're describing. I suspect "the laser is shot" (this has happened to me a few times over the years), and that the player is history.

I concur with the previous poster who advocated disposable/commodity-like CD players. An alternative is to use a DAC and employ a disposable/commodity-like player as a transport. Thrift shops (Goodwill, etc.) can be good sources...

Edited June 14, 2011 by T.D.

[AmirBagachelles]

Leave the unit on, that may help. I solved my skipping problem completely by only running warm.

[Larry Kart]

Well, I ran a Memorex cleaning disc through the CD player and the voice on the cleaning CD that prompted me through the process was skipping a lot. But I just let it run and after running it I played the CD that was skipping and it played fine. The next CD I tried, the player started skipping again, so I ran the cleaning CD several times. The second offending CD is playing fine now, but I suspect there may be something more going on. An alignment problem maybe. We'll see how it performs over the next several days.

btw, I'm running a Cambridge Asur 640C, three years old.

Had a Cambridge Azur 640C that developed the same problem. Not a cheap unit either, damn it, as you know. Decided to replace it with another brand of player after repeated uses of a cleaning disc didn't help. Lesson learned, though I'm not sure what the lesson was, other than that the Cambridge Azur 640C I had was vulnerable. BTW, the guy at the outfit, Music Direct in Chicago, from which I bought the new player (won't mention the brand and model out of fear of tempting the Gods) said to never use a cleaning disc, that doing so might well damage the laser.

Music Direct is online, BTW, at musicdirect.com

P.S. I didn't try to get my Cambridge Azur 640C fixed because it was out of warranty, and I would have had to send the unit to England.

[papsrus]

Thanks Larry. Yeah, I would be reluctant to try to get it fixed if the problem persists.

I'll check out musicdirect.com, but feel free to PM about the unit you settled on. If I'm going to be in the market, might as well get some good recs.

Edited June 14, 2011 by papsrus

[Larry Kart]

Papsrus -- sent you a PM.

[Chuck Nessa]

I have stopped buying cd players. I now buy $99 Sony dvd players. They play cds and sound wonderful.

[.:.impossible]

I did something similar. I replaced a 12 year old Kenwood changer that had begun skipping with a Pioneer Elite Universal player (SACD, CD, DVD, etc, no bluray) on Craigslist for $100. I feel like I got a hell of a deal.

[T.D.]

Excellent point on the DVD players. I have one and find that it plays great (other system uses DAC and thrift-shop changer transport).

Very few CD players are now being manufactured, unless you want to go for "high-end audiophile"-type CD players (not my bag), so if you want to buy new, DVD is the way to go (IMO of course).

[papsrus]

I do have a dvd player here. A cheapo Samsung. Cheapest one I could find on the shelves at Best Buy.

CD player is behaving for now after running the cleaning disc.

[papsrus]

After another round of skips today, I'm going with the DVD player for now. It's working fine and dandy and I don't notice any dropoff in audio quality.

The CD player began acting up again after I inadvertently hit the power off button while a disc was playing. Coincidental or not, it was behaving fine prior. But, c'est la vie. I'm fine with the DVD player.

If this fails, I have an old rig in the shed that uses neighborhood squirrels to drive it.

[kinuta]

I got tired of the short life and problems of cd players a few years ago. I started using dvd players at home and at work and have had zero problems. The one at work which is used for playing language cds and gets heavy use is a cheap Mitsubishi dvd player but I've had nothing but faultless playback from it for the past few years.

At home I switched to a Pioneer dvd player and an old Pioneer cd recorder which is built like a tank with a heavy tray and great sound. I doubt I'd ever be tempted to fork out for a new expensive cd deck again.

Incidentally almost everyone I know here now uses a dvd player for cd playback.

[jazzbo]

I'm still using cd players and only have had one give me problems with skipping.. . I put it away as a spare before it got really bad.

I've spent more for them, buying a more expensive one, because the build quality seems to make a difference in longevity and also in the quest for a great sound. I'm very very happy with the Sony SCD-XA5400ES that I bought a few years ago.

I really found that dvd players that don't actually have a cd laser in them give a smoother sound to cd playback. Many really like it. I don't really.

[Shawn]

Most DVD players sound too "soft" to me, could be imagination I guess, but I've had basically the same impression with every one I've owned.

I would actually recommend a blu ray player instead of the standard DVD player, at least you're ready when the plug gets pulled on DVDs completely. Generally I think blu ray players sound a little better when playing CDs.

[Chuck Nessa]

No complaints of "softness" here. Maybe I just don't know.

[T.D.]

After reading this thread, I bought another thrift-shop changer for a spare. Marantz CC-65 5-disc model w. remote for $30, works perfectly.

[Big Beat Steve]

As I've had problems with skipping on my Sony CD player too I am gettng ready to buy a new one before long.

Now what I would like to know is this:

My CD player has intermittently also been giving me problems with not recognizing CDs at all. I put in a quite normal music CD and it outputs "No CD" on the display, despite repeated trials. And on some other CDs (right from the time they were bought) it gives a hiss and fuzzy, distorted sound when playing the CD a if it was a CD-R that is breaking down and gradually becoming unplayable.

Yet with both symtoms (not recognizing CDs and distorted play) the CDs in question play perfectly well on another (certainly NOT "upmarket") portable CD player that normally only serve as a backup unit for less demanding (party) use.

Now how far down the line to total breakdown (beyond skipping) is my CD player when it shows these symptoms?

Just wondering ...

Edited July 3, 2011 by Big Beat Steve

[Leeway]

As I've had problems with skipping on my Sony CD player too I am gettng ready to buy a new one before long.

Now what I would like to know is this:

My CD player has intermittently also been giving me problems with not recognizing CDs at all. I put in a quite normal music CD and it outputs "No CD" on the display, despite repeated trials. And on some other CDs (right from the time they were bought) it gives a hiss and fuzzy, distorted sound when playing the CD a if it was a CD-R that is breaking down and gradually becoming unplayable.

Yet with both symtoms (not recognizing CDs and distorted play) the CDs in question play perfectly well on another (certainly NOT "upmarket") portable CD player that normally only serve as a backup unit for less demanding (party) use.

Now how far down the line to total breakdown (beyond skipping) is my CD player when it shows these symptoms?

Just wondering ...

It is pretty much already broke down. These problems are evidence that the CD transport and/or laser are on the fritzz. They can be fixed, as I have done in the past. Usual price is from $75-$125 depending on model, dealer, etc. Worth it if it's a good CD player and you like it.

[skeith]

Phil, I hope the problem is indeed solved, but, from experience, I suspect that your laser is on the blink (so to speak) and, in time, will stop functioning completely. These problems usually do not progress linearly; but in phases. It usually costs about $125-150 to perform a repair for this type of problem.

How do you decide to get the new laser? If the unit is around 10 years old are there a lot of other things that are probably old? I hate to fix the laser and then have something else go out, but if the rest of the unit is pretty good, then I might replace the laser.

What other parts are vulnerable to aging?

I should mention that the unit was pricey and very good sounding so I am not adverse to spending a $150 or so to replace the laser.

[Pete C]

I think any CD player can develop laser alignment issues, but I think it may have been more common in the early days of the technology. I haven't had a dedicated CD player for years. Since I have a setup that includes TV and audio system in one place I use DVD and Blu-Ray players to play my CDs.

[Bigshot]

My most expensive CD player ($900) was the worst with skipping, and it sounded exactly the same as a $45 Coby DVD player. I've given up on expensive players. They just aren't worth it. I'm currently using a $130 Sony bluray player for everything with no skips and great sound. If it breaks, I'll throw it out and get a new one.