CD Lens Cleaners - Do they work?

[professorhat]

My friend has a CD player that every now and then refuses to play any discs. Then, suddenly it's fine for 30-40 minutes, then the problem starts again and discs that played fine just before will no longer play. My immediate thought (other than getting it repaired!) was a lens cleaner, but then I thought, I can't think of any occasion where I've used one and it's made any difference!

Does anyone have any experience where it's helped? If so, which one did you use? Maybe it's just I've bought cheapy rubbish ones previously!

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="professorhat"]My immediate thought (other than getting it repaired!) was a lens cleaner, but then I thought, I can't think of any occasion where I've used one and it's made any difference![/quote]

Thats the whole point. Use it regularely and the lens stays clean ie. no difference in sound

 

[professorhat]

I obviously meant when there is a problem e.g. CDs keep skipping etc., not when things are working fine!

 

[drummerman]

Could be anything from a dirty lens to a tired laser assembly. Worth trying the cleaner first and perhaps sourcing a replacement if the player is worth repairing. Plenty of third party suppliers on the net.

 

[John Duncan]

To answer the original question, yes they do - when I got my Primare it skipped a lot (which worried me, obv), but bought a cleaner (£3 from HMV) and once I'd got it to work (the instrucitons are narrated on the disc, which, er, skipped), no problem thereafter.

 

[professorhat]

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll give the cleaner a go.

 

[Anonymous]

Would there be any difference between dry and wet cleaners; i assume the wet would be a bit better?