I refurbished a Discman!

Kaosun told me exactly the same thing, that increasing laser voltage is cheating. That is why I never played with laser current pot located on the laser itself. By any chance, do you remember how to turn it for a temp/dirty fix: CW or CCW? I want to try this on one of my own Discmans to check how long such 'fix' will actually last...

Yes, sometimes I see new KSS-220A for sale, but the price is justifiable only if you fix D-Z555 or Denon DCP-150. Broken Discmans from the 'parts bin' is my source of lasers

 

Hmm, to increase resistance on the pot, turn it clockwise. That much I know, but as far as adjusting the Discman's laser pot, I don't remember.

BTW, I did this 'fix' on a LUXMAN CD player a long time ago and it lasted about week before skipping again. After replacing the laser, everything was back to normal. When I adjusted the pot on my Luxman Laser itself, I turned it clockwise.

Yeah, I suppose a used laser would out-cost a broken unit. It's kinda a shame.

 

Shame it is! For when new lasers were officially available for a few bucks it was a common knowledge to buy a new laser if Anything went wrong with a Discman. Discussed at length at DIY forums and by Kaosun himself, if I remember correctly. And all stash got sold out within a few years There must have been some truth to it, but only for those owners who used Discman as a front-end for their stereos: in my 'workhorse' Naim CDS3 I had to send it to NaimAudio for a new laser every three-four years. But CDS3 was spinning non-stop when me at home: I like my music loud, and I like it as a background or for actual listening, so my front-end of CDX and then CDS3 had a tough life with me

 

I've got one D-9 still sitting on the bench. I'm waiting for the replacement motor for it and wow, speedPAK from China has no SPEED at all. O well, I really hoped to keep this forum rolling with more Discmans coming out every week or so, but ehh, not happening now.

 

One Discman per week: I Love your ambitions!!!!!! With my favorite Sony D-90 it is doable, once you get a stash of motors and center-gears: according to my notes I had to put new spindle motors in all older D-90 with KSS-165 lasers to make them play CD-R
Once you get tired of these babies and move into ‘big-boys’ territory of D-15, D-250, D-7(D-50Mk2), and D-10: only then you have to actually stress your skills: nasty beasts to fix, but sound lovely!!!

 

Great job guys. I need some help! Trying to revive my D-9. Replaced the middle gear and cleaned all the gunk around it. The laser is functioning but I couldn't get it to play. It starts, spins, trying initiate a track and stops and shut off. I'm suspecting some bad caps. If so, which/what should I look for and where do I start?

 

Absolutely ALL D-90 have a few caps gone Totally BAD! My tutorial on how to revive D-90 is here: Sony D-90

Photo of D-90 board being re-capped, with bad and questionable caps already removed:



I put double circle over 220uF/4V thru-hole electrolytic which ALWAYS leaks and pretty often damages traces and vias around it. 3.3uF and 4.7uF SMD caps circled red always leak and must be exchanged. 10uF SMD is usually solid (that is why the one behind LCD was left alone, but it is next to impossible to solder 3.3uF SMDs back without removing 10uF SMD

 

Thank you much Jorge. That's a lot of work...hmm...but then again my D-9 is in mint condition with the original box, foam, unused case still in its wrapper, with everything else, and all paperwork intact! I think it might be worth the shot.