Marantz CD-6004 Skipping.

[nbat58]

I wonder if anyone had a similar issue with their Marantz CD player skipping.

I purchased the CD laser full assembly (Sanyo SF-P101N) not genuine part as the Sanyo name was not stamped on the part.

I thought I had it fixed until it skipped again, only once mind you while playing a full CD, I wonder if I need to give it more time to bed in (me hopes)?

Not sure whether genuine parts can be found for this player?.

It is skipping pretty often now, is this caused by the laser or something else, the assembly is also new.

 

[restorer-john]

I wonder if anyone had a similar issue with their Marantz CD player skipping.

I purchased the CD laser full assembly (Sanyo SF-P101N) not genuine part as the Sanyo name was not stamped on the part.

I thought I had it fixed until it skipped again, only once mind you while playing a full CD, I wonder if I need to give it more time to bed in (me hopes)?

Not sure whether genuine parts can be found for this player?.

It is skipping pretty often now, is this caused by the laser or something else, the assembly is also new.

If you want a genuine SF-P101N, your best bet, ironically, is to scour a few thrift stores and look for older CD Boomboxes (the small crappy ones made in the 90s and early 00s). Lift up the lid and shine your phone torch at the mech. You will likely find SF-P101N genuine Sanyo mechs for a dollar or two. You may also need to use the elastomer mounts as yours may have 'bottomed out' and the mech is vibrating causing the mistracking.

A genuine mech is about AU$50. Cheap copies, about $5.

Realistically, the player needs a proper alignment and full setup as per the S/M. Laser mechs are not like replacing a turntable cartridge- there is a lot more work to do.

But, by replacing the laser, spindle motor and tracking system motor, you've changed everything.

I would suggest there was nothing wrong with the old mech or the laser itself- just the alignment of the machine or the mechanism suspension. You cannot determine the viable laser output or adjust the emission without a laser power meter and they are very expensive. Do not mess with any pots on the mech or in the machine unless you want to write it off.

 

[Ninjastar]

I used to own the Marantz CD6004 and I also ran into fairly frequent skipping problems where it was super sensitive to any scratches on a CD, more than any other player I've owned before. It would only get along nicely with perfectly clean and scratch-free CD's.

I did purchase it used so I don't know if it is inherent to the player or if I needed to replace the laser assembly. I cleaned the heck out of the lens, which improved things a little, but never made it stop.

 

[nbat58]

If you want a genuine SF-P101N, your best bet, ironically, is to scour a few thrift stores and look for older CD Boomboxes (the small crappy ones made in the 90s and early 00s). Lift up the lid and shine your phone torch at the mech. You will likely find SF-P101N genuine Sanyo mechs for a dollar or two. You may also need to use the elastomer mounts as yours may have 'bottomed out' and the mech is vibrating causing the mistracking.

A genuine mech is about AU$50. Cheap copies, about $5.

Realistically, the player needs a proper alignment and full setup as per the S/M. Laser mechs are not like replacing a turntable cartridge- there is a lot more work to do.

But, by replacing the laser, spindle motor and tracking system motor, you've changed everything.

I would suggest there was nothing wrong with the old mech or the laser itself- just the alignment of the machine or the mechanism suspension. You cannot determine the viable laser output or adjust the emission without a laser power meter and they are very expensive. Do not mess with any pots on the mech or in the machine unless you want to write it off.

How is the alignment done? is it a very technical job that requires expensive equipment to do?

I have got an older Technics machine from the early 80's late 90's and still works perfectly, Thechnics SL-P770.

Is the miss alignment happen in the laser assembly mechanism?

 

[evalrat]

I fixed my CD6005 by cleaning the 'rails' of the laser carriage (with IPA) and subsequent re-oilling with a few drops of sewing machine oil. Lots of instructables on Youtube.

 

[nbat58]

I fixed my CD6005 by cleaning the 'rails' of the laser carriage (with IPA) and subsequent re-oilling with a few drops of sewing machine oil. Lots of instructables on Youtube.

I had done this initially with the old laser assembly and cleaned the white lithium oil with isopropyl alcohol and applied Panasonic shaver oil to no avail.

This is a whole new assembly but still skipping.

 

[evalrat]

Pity, you lost an excellent player. Next items in the chain, carriage drive motor or the controller hardware etc. etc....... Modern hardware doesn't live as long as it used to. Buy a CD6007 and be done with it until it develops the same problem. 10 years nowadays seems to be the lifespan you may expect.

 

[teched58]

How is the alignment done? is it a very technical job that requires expensive equipment to do?

I have got an older Technics machine from the early 80's late 90's and still works perfectly, Thechnics SL-P770.

Is the miss alignment happen in the laser assembly mechanism?

Yes, it's very technical. You need an oscilloscope and a test disk. You will have to look at and adjust "eye' patterns (Lissajous patterns), by adjusting the pots (potentiometers) on the pc board

Also, as @restorer-john noted, a laser power meter.

Even if you had this equipment, you need a strong background in electronics to do the alignment. (You will have to be able to read the service manual schematics to find the correct test points (where to put the oscilloscope probe) and you may also have to short two links on the PCB (pc board) to put it into test mode. DO NOT attempt this at home

 

[nbat58]

Pity, you lost an excellent player. Next items in the chain, carriage drive motor or the controller hardware etc. etc....... Modern hardware doesn't live as long as it used to. Buy a CD6007 and be done with it until it develops the same problem. 10 years nowadays seems to be the lifespan you may expect.

I Had looked at the Marants CD-6007 but it had varying reviews, some not so good from some owners, the 6007 was built in Vietnam with a different CSS DAC that Marantz are advertising it selling with the AKM4490.

The 6004 was made in Japan with the CS4398 older DAC that sounds pretty good to my ears.

 

[nbat58]

Yes, it's very technical. You need an oscilloscope and a test disk. You will have to look at and adjust "eye' patterns (Lissajous patterns), by adjusting the pots (potentiometers) on the pc board

Also, as @restorer-john noted, a laser power meter.

Even if you had this equipment, you need a strong background in electronics to do the alignment. (You will have to be able to read the service manual schematics to find the correct test points (where to put the oscilloscope probe) and you may also have to short two links on the PCB (pc board) to put it into test mode. DO NOT attempt this at home

Maybe I need to send it away for repair to an approved repairer, however, I have heard that some of these repair shops simply turn the laser up, then while it woks upon receipt, it will apparently only end up dead from this.

 

[evalrat]

I am sorry, but i'm really smiling at your loss aversion. Here in Holland the CD6005 cost Euro 299, -- ten years ago, your CD6004 can't have cost much more. I only mentioned the CD6007 because that is the current model costing round euro 400,-- and has raving reviews. Any competent DAC nowadays performs far beyond the requirements of CD replay. Marantz simply introduces a new model when they need an other part because the old one runs out of inventory without any real change in the rest of the design, which prompted me to say "until it develops the same problem". I don't know where you live, but in Holland any repair-shop will ask 50 euro investigation cost and a subsequent 90 to a 100 per hour plus the cost of the components and you still have a machine that would cost euro 25 in a thrift shop. I am quite sure a CD6007 will last longer than a repaired CD6004 and will sound just as good. Of course you can also buy an entry level player from one of the other manufacturers to avoid this known Marantz issue.

 

[nbat58]

I am sorry, but i'm really smiling at your loss aversion. Here in Holland the CD6005 cost Euro 299, -- ten years ago, your CD6004 can't have cost much more. I only mentioned the CD6007 because that is the current model costing round euro 400,-- and has raving reviews. Any competent DAC nowadays performs far beyond the requirements of CD replay. Marantz simply introduces a new model when they need an other part because the old one runs out of inventory without any real change in the rest of the design, which prompted me to say "until it develops the same problem". I don't know where you live, but in Holland any repair-shop will ask 50 euro investigation cost and a subsequent 90 to a 100 per hour plus the cost of the components and you still have a machine that would cost euro 25 in a thrift shop. I am quite sure a CD6007 will last longer than a repaired CD6004 and will sound just as good. Of course you can also buy an entry level player from one of the other manufacturers to avoid this known Marantz issue.

My grip is not with cost of the player but although with quality components inside the player hasen't lasted that long based on only used it once a week or so as I use mainly my Technics player that is three times as old and never gave me any issues.

I like the CD6004 on how it sounds to me and being built in Japan, although on this occasion this seems not to have helped with it's durability.

I believe that possibly that these days there maybe a ticking clock inside to not let the player last too long, otherwise people may not be upgrading if you can call it that as newer doesn't always mean better.

I won't be going Marantz next time, not because of cost but because of durability, my other Thechnics and Pioneer hifi component are all 30 plus years old and still working as expected.

Rant over...

 

[evalrat]

Okay, point taken. But.. I have 30 year old Technics that still plays any CD no matter how dirty or even scratched and a 20 year old Pioneer that's going to bin because it hangs quite often, even on clean undamaged disks. The Technics however sounds awfull. I have three Marantz players The CD6005, a NA6005 and a ND8006. All hang occasionally, where it's probably not the disk as it also sometimes happens when I stream a rip of the CD with 0 read errors or play another copy of the offending CD. (yes I bought an other copy of the CD's when it happened first the time). I fear that's a software issue. I will never consider a more expensive player anymore since Australian HIFi subsequently tested 3 Marantz players from budgetpriced to audiophile that all tested essentially equal in quality when playing CD's. Succes...., it would be nice to hear how your quest ends.

 

[nbat58]

Okay, point taken. But.. I have 30 year old Technics that still plays any CD no matter how dirty or even scratched and a 20 year old Pioneer that's going to bin because it hangs quite often, even on clean undamaged disks. The Technics however sounds awfull. I have three Marantz players The CD6005, a NA6005 and a ND8006. All hang occasionally, where it's probably not the disk as it also sometimes happens when I stream a rip of the CD with 0 read errors or play another copy of the offending CD. (yes I bought an other copy of the CD's when it happened first the time). I fear that's a software issue. I will never consider a more expensive player anymore since Australian HIFi subsequently tested 3 Marantz players from budgetpriced to audiophile that all tested essentially equal in quality when playing CD's. Succes...., it would be nice to hear how your quest ends.

I am honestly contemplating now a network streamer with build in DAC and carry on using my Technics CD player that is as good or even a little better than the Marantz.

When I purchased the Thechnics CD player, it was class AA circuitry and one level down from the top model, to me sounds great and cost about the same money over 30 years ago than the Marantz did even if I spend the same amount today which possibly be anything between £3000 to £4000, not sure if I am converting correctly, will not get the same quality and durability.

I will try the streamer route and hope not to get attached to it too much if it turns out to be any good.

 

[coonmanx]

Best thing to do is scrap a skipping CD player and find a different one. I have three different players that I use and none of them skip. A Panasonic portable (SL-S160) downstairs that sounds good. Upstairs is a Scott unit and in the basement is a JVC. And I didn't pay very much for any of them.

 

[nbat58]

I have changed my mind again and now looking for a CD transport and DAC.

Still hunting, what would work well with a NAD c356bee and Ruark crusader ii, looking to spend between £1000 and £1200?

 

[nbat58]

Would you say that if I have purchased a genuine Sanyo SF-P101N Lazer mechanism for the Marantz cd6004 this would have fixed the skipping issue or does the issue lie elsewhere than the mechanism?

 

[evalrat]

I see you didn't get any response. If you like to tinker, try it. I see the price for the laser assembly is low enough. However, your laser works, the machine can play disks. The issue will be in another place. You already tried to reduce the friction on the laser sled. Next comes the motion-control which is other hardware. It looks like the laser mechanism brings new servo motors, however the problem can just as well be in the servo-controllers which aren't replaced that easy without the right tooling. Looks like half a days work for the uninitiated amateur. The service manual for the CD6005 is free to download from the internet, but it won't help much I wouldn't try it, but buy a new dependable machine.

 

[DSJR]

I fixed my CD6005 by cleaning the 'rails' of the laser carriage (with IPA) and subsequent re-oilling with a few drops of sewing machine oil. Lots of instructables on Youtube.

Late reply and hope the post I refer to above helps.

I was given to try to fix a rather nice, solid Technics MASH player froim 1998 or so. It used the linear tracking mech that Marantz seemed to use around this time and this one would 'jump' at 17 - 20 seconds into a piece of music from disc-start the first time it was played from 'cold.' As above, it was the hardened grease on the rails and sled gearing, the laser's free focusing movement being used for the first few seconds. Totally removing the old compacted grease and very lightly lubricating the rails with light oil (barely a drop in my case) totally cured the issue.

 

[restorer-john]

Would you say that if I have purchased a genuine Sanyo SF-P101N Lazer mechanism for the Marantz cd6004 this would have fixed the skipping issue or does the issue lie elsewhere than the mechanism?

Like I said before, the SF-P10N is not something you just 'drop-in' and everything just works. CD players are phenomenally compliciated devices and every single sub-system interacts with everything else.

The set-up procedure and alignment of a typical CD player can take half a day, involves a service manual and is done is a specific order of carefully controlled steps using various test equipemnt and procedures.

It is not a job for a guy with some lithium grease and a screwdriver.

If you cannot even view the RF eye-pattern with a scope, you should stop there.