CD player erratic playing

[Mindwarp]

Hi I have a long standing problem with my Linn CD player it plays on some occasions and then will refuse to play a CD on other occasions usually remidied by switching on and off a few times.Either it plays with no sound or does not play at all!!

The player has been back to Linn about three times and quite a few parts replaced but to no avail....

The amp has also been back to my local dealer but no fault can be found.There is some loud feedback from the speakers when the system is put on at the mains and the amp switched on, is this normal?

So could a mains filter be the answer.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Gray]

Hello Mindwarp.

Last point first. No it's not normal for loud feedback when an amp is powered up.

So you need to determine whether there is a problem with the amp itself, after isolating it from the CD player and any other sources. A mains filter would not be the answer to the 'loud feedback' you describe.

If you are certain the CD player still has intermittent operation you need to contact Linn.

Do you know exactly what happened on each of those three visits to them? Did they confirm an actual fault and what parts did they replace?

 

[Mindwarp]

The player has been to Linn3 times after replacement parts were fitted no faults found, also the Amp has been tested for about four weeks in isolation with no fault found.

thanks

 

[nopiano]

Great advice from Gray. I can only add that it might be worth reviewing comments on Linn's own forum, or asking there. Linn's own staff respond there too, so you might get some better 'traction' than so far.

The 'feedback' you mention - is it a pop or bang, or something longer-lasting, like a noisy buzz?

 

[shadders]

Hi,

Is the loud feedback when you power up the amplifier, a low to high frequency sound?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Gray]

That's the reason I asked about the Linn findings. Having worked in several places as a Service Engineer I always wanted to find the fault a customer described. The 'NFF' (No Fault Found) verdict helps nobody (especially when, out of guarantee, the customer pays a fee to hear that verdict!)

If Linn have found no fault, yet have still replaced parts as a precaution, then I would certainly not critisise them (neither do you by the sound of it)

But that still leaves your problem(s). All you can really do is further elimination, asking questions like:

Some or all discs? No rotation? Not reading? Just no audio? Narrow it down completely.

As for the amp. Four weeks without problem could legitimately be described as NFF by a service department.

Is the problem always just on power up? On both channels? Importantly, does the fault symptom EVER occur whilst the amp is connected only to the speakers / headphones? If not connect source(s) back one by one / swap leads over etc. With the power isolated you could do an internal inspection for any obvious problem with components or dry joints on the solder side (not so likely if it's a quality brand)

Good luck.

 

[Mindwarp]

Test

 

[Mindwarp]

So the there is a loud popping noise from the speakers when the Amp is powered up and this usually cures the problem but only after powering on/off about three times!

Linn and the dealer seem to be at a loss as to the problem but have not said they have given up in any correspondence....

but having the Amp and the player away at dealers or Linn they are yet to find anything wrong?

The mains filter was a just a last ditch effort to find a cure, as maybe there is a electric interference from any electrical appliance running in the house....! (clutching at straws)

Cheers.

 

[shadders]

Hi,

Are you near a strong magnetic field? Do you live next to a substation?

Has the mains filter worked?

Is the amplifier near a Wifi node? Or other RF source?

Not sure if this has been asked before, but if you listen to the amplifier with the speakers connected, do you hear the relay switch after a few seconds?

If you then disconnect the loudspeakers, do you hear a change in the relay operation when you switch the amplifier on?

Have you tried switching the amplifier on in a different room and as above, listened for the relay switching?

You could take it to a friends and see if it changes behaviour.

Do you have a multimeter and checked the DC resistance of the speakers?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Mindwarp]

The system is near a router but only for the last 5 months , I do not live near a substation and I have not tried it with a filter yet.

i suppose the next step is to try the system at another house.

Tonight it played a disc then suddenly stopped in the middle of track 2, it does not seem to be disc dependent, system restarted playing after switching on/off twice , I also noticed a slight feedback through the speakers when switching the tv from standby to off?

Thanks.

 

[shadders]

The system is near a router but only for the last 5 months , I do not live near a substation and I have not tried it with a filter yet.

i suppose the next step is to try the system at another house.

Tonight it played a disc then suddenly stopped in the middle of track 2, it does not seem to be disc dependent, system restarted playing after switching on/off twice , I also noticed a slight feedback through the speakers when switching the tv from standby to off?

Thanks.

Hi,

It seems that since you have the CD player going wrong, and the amplifier malfunctioning too, there is an external source causing the problem.

Do you have any electrical equipment in the house that is old? The TV, is it old?

Do you live near a cell station?

With regards to the power, are both the power leads you have for the CD player and amplifier, include an earth connection?

Have you tried all what I have written before, such as using the system in another room in the house?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[shadders]

Hi,

Can you also quantify feedback, that is, is it a thump at switch on, or a tone?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[ChrisIRL]

Does the CD player have optical out? Try running through a dac instead of RCA. Remove interconnect.

Try different interconnects.

Try different input on amp.

Try different speaker cable.

Try different sockets in your house.

 

[Gaz37]

If it's under 6months and Linn have tried to repair if it is still faulty you can reject it under your consumer rights.

Over 6 months you may still be able to do so if the fault was reported within the first 6 months

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

The same here. I would return the player to Linn, and make it run once and for all. Normally, the fact that they changed things and charge you for that is not correct. If it's inside the warranty time, they have nothing to ask you in compensation, they must see that the junk they sell work.

Anyway, it's another negative feedback for Linn gear... again !

 

[Mindwarp]

Just fitted mains filter..... we'll see...

 

[Mindwarp]

That was a waste of £30, still the fault remains...well it was worth a try!!

 

[shadders]

That was a waste of £30, still the fault remains...well it was worth a try!!

Hi,

Do you have an extension lead? Try a different power socket, example, upstairs?

Can you move the amplifier and speakers to another room?

Do you live near an industrial estate?

Is your fridge or freezer really old, so when the motor starts or stops there is a spike heard throgh the speakers?

Is there a cell site nearby?

Do the leads used for the power have the earth connected? Sometimes they don't have the earth wire.

Does it only occur at certain times of the day?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Mindwarp]

Fudge freezer is about 8yrs old, do not live near an industrial estate, will Need to check plugs.

will try another socket.what is a cell site?

Thanks for the info and replies but player may have to go back to Linn again....

 

[shadders]

Fudge freezer is about 8yrs old, do not live near an industrial estate, will Need to check plugs.

will try another socket.what is a cell site?

Thanks for the info and replies but player may have to go back to Linn again....

Hi,

A cell site is a mobile basestation. What mains filter did you use?

Would Linn puposefully state the unit is ok when it is not? So i would be reticent to send them back again.

Does any part get hot?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Andrewjvt]

.

 

[Mindwarp]

Mains filter is a Tacima cs947 recommended by what Hi fi

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

The problem here, is that What-hifi is not neutral when it comes to such products. Just look at this funny review :

http://www.whathifi.com/atlas/mavros-5m/review

... so you can't take everything WHF write seriously.

But the problem you encounter can't, IMHO, be triggered by surrounding fridges or apparels. Those kind of problems would be hums, pocs and other disturbances. This is nothing near of that problem. It's more of an internal problem. Maybe a general software bug, or the mechanic is not recognized by the software completely or is not recognized some times. I will contact Linn in this instant, and ask them to look in the deep of your problem. I can only invite other members to do the same.

Cheers from Switzerland.

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

helpline@linn.co.uk

Hello dear Sir or Madam,
How are you going. I hope you are enjoying your weekend.
I'm member of a hifi forum called What-Hifi. Lately, a new member joined us with a very strange problem that we can't solve by ourselves.
It looks like his CD player is faulty and, even if he had consulted your aftersale service, and repair was done, his player is always faulty in this moment. Can you please look in this matter with an urging priority. We all wish our forum member to enjoy english made hifi as much as possible.
I send you a link of the discussion and will recommend him to re-contact you in a short amount of time.

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/cd-player-erratic-playing
Please help him.

With best regards !
NSA_WMT

 

[Gray]

From your story so far, I don't think a Linn return will be the answer.

As soon as possible I would remove the the CDP and amp to another location (as far away as practicable for you) and then see if operation is fault-free.