Hello all,
1st post here. I found this website when searching for assistance for a laser replacement in my European Sony SCD-555ES (not the multidisc version), and I really hope you guys can give me some advice, as I'm stuck with an only semi-functioning machine after a laser replacement.
The story is as follows:
I own a Sony SCD-555ES SACD player, which was built in year 2000, and which I am really fond of. It sounds amazing in my setup, and I would go to great lengths to keep it working.
About 3 weeks ago, it suddenly stopped recognizing any kind of disc, so I concluded that the laser was dead.
I bought a replacement KHM-230AAA laser/transport from a German dealer (I live in Denmark), as I did not trust the sellers on Aliexpress, which seems to be an ample resource for replacement lasers.
I removed the solder blob from the new laser unit, and replaced the old laser.
The problem is as follows:
The player immediately recognizes any kind of disc I insert. It will also play CDs and single layer SACDs. It is however extremely sensitive to hybrid SACDs, and it frantically tries to read the TOC. After about 40 seconds, it gives up, and identifies the disc as only CD. The CD layer is always possible for the player to detect and play.
This happens with all my hybrid SACDs with the exception of 2. The 2 hybrid discs it can read, are identified and read immediately.
I have done a complete auto-check of the hybrid disc reading capability in the service menu of the player, and it succeeds almost every time.
Additional info:
There are minor differences between the old and the new laser. The writing on motor-labels is identical, and they seem to originate from the same supplier.
The end-stops however are different as seen in the below picture, where the left one is the old laser, and the right is the new one.
Cannot get the picture to show here, but it is uploaded under the following link.
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
I hope you can give me some advice, as nothing I do, seems to work. Perhaps a guide based on the service manual (which I have) to perform an auto adjustment of the laser?
Many thanks in advance.
1st post here. I found this website when searching for assistance for a laser replacement in my European Sony SCD-555ES (not the multidisc version), and I really hope you guys can give me some advice, as I'm stuck with an only semi-functioning machine after a laser replacement.
The story is as follows:
I own a Sony SCD-555ES SACD player, which was built in year 2000, and which I am really fond of. It sounds amazing in my setup, and I would go to great lengths to keep it working.
About 3 weeks ago, it suddenly stopped recognizing any kind of disc, so I concluded that the laser was dead.
I bought a replacement KHM-230AAA laser/transport from a German dealer (I live in Denmark), as I did not trust the sellers on Aliexpress, which seems to be an ample resource for replacement lasers.
I removed the solder blob from the new laser unit, and replaced the old laser.
The problem is as follows:
The player immediately recognizes any kind of disc I insert. It will also play CDs and single layer SACDs. It is however extremely sensitive to hybrid SACDs, and it frantically tries to read the TOC. After about 40 seconds, it gives up, and identifies the disc as only CD. The CD layer is always possible for the player to detect and play.
This happens with all my hybrid SACDs with the exception of 2. The 2 hybrid discs it can read, are identified and read immediately.
I have done a complete auto-check of the hybrid disc reading capability in the service menu of the player, and it succeeds almost every time.
Additional info:
There are minor differences between the old and the new laser. The writing on motor-labels is identical, and they seem to originate from the same supplier.
The end-stops however are different as seen in the below picture, where the left one is the old laser, and the right is the new one.
Cannot get the picture to show here, but it is uploaded under the following link.
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
I hope you can give me some advice, as nothing I do, seems to work. Perhaps a guide based on the service manual (which I have) to perform an auto adjustment of the laser?
Many thanks in advance.
Last edited:
If I recall correctly, there may be some calibrations you need to do with these older Sony's when replacing the laser. You might best do a google search on this.
BTW, what was the German dealer that you purchased your KHM230AAA laser? These lasers are real hard to find from anywhere other than a Chinese dealer.
Steve
BTW, what was the German dealer that you purchased your KHM230AAA laser? These lasers are real hard to find from anywhere other than a Chinese dealer.
Steve
On google I find a couple of people having done the replacement of the laser assembly in similar players, but none of them experienced the problems my SACD player have. None of them mention having to re-calibrate the laser after installment.
I guess it makes sense, that a re-calibration has to be done, but the service manual is a bit unclear for me at this point, as there are a lot of steps to follow, but very few seem to have anything to do with calibration of the laser unit.
The dealer I purchased the laser assembly from is called www.Musi24.de – Ihr zuverlässiger Ersatzteil-Lieferant! and still has the KHM-230AAA as well as a lot of other lasers in stock. "Sofort lieferbar" means ready for shipment.
The direct link to the KHM-230AAA laser is Laserpickup / Lasereinheit / KSS-230AAA
I know there is a risk that this guy purchases lasers on Aliexpress cheap, and re-sells them at a premium price, but the assembly I received seems to be close to original.
I guess it makes sense, that a re-calibration has to be done, but the service manual is a bit unclear for me at this point, as there are a lot of steps to follow, but very few seem to have anything to do with calibration of the laser unit.
The dealer I purchased the laser assembly from is called www.Musi24.de – Ihr zuverlässiger Ersatzteil-Lieferant! and still has the KHM-230AAA as well as a lot of other lasers in stock. "Sofort lieferbar" means ready for shipment.
The direct link to the KHM-230AAA laser is Laserpickup / Lasereinheit / KSS-230AAA
I know there is a risk that this guy purchases lasers on Aliexpress cheap, and re-sells them at a premium price, but the assembly I received seems to be close to original.
Thanks for the information on the dealer.
I recently ordered a replacement laser from a different German dealer, at a significantly higher cost. I am hopefully that I will get a good one as the KHM230AAA has long been in short supply of NOS ones. My experience is that the Chinese ones on Ebay do not work.
I don't have a Sony sacd player but I do follow things and I seem to recall that the early Sony sacd players had some kind of calibration procedure that needed to be done before replacement lasers would work properly. But I cannot be any more specific than that, sorry.
From my own experience with Marantz players that use the KHM230AAA laser it is reading the TOC of hybrid discs that is the most difficult thing and where they go bad. Without reading the TOC, the disc will not play. So if your new laser reads the TOC there must be something else slightly amiss for the discs to not play.
I recently ordered a replacement laser from a different German dealer, at a significantly higher cost. I am hopefully that I will get a good one as the KHM230AAA has long been in short supply of NOS ones. My experience is that the Chinese ones on Ebay do not work.
I don't have a Sony sacd player but I do follow things and I seem to recall that the early Sony sacd players had some kind of calibration procedure that needed to be done before replacement lasers would work properly. But I cannot be any more specific than that, sorry.
From my own experience with Marantz players that use the KHM230AAA laser it is reading the TOC of hybrid discs that is the most difficult thing and where they go bad. Without reading the TOC, the disc will not play. So if your new laser reads the TOC there must be something else slightly amiss for the discs to not play.
Same for a Marantz ...
Hi folks, same issue ... with a Marantz SA-17S1. I've bought it few weeks ago with a dead laser head for £200.
I was never able to read the only SACD I own, but was able to read some CDs. And when it reads CDs ... ouch! I never heared such a sound, so needless say, it will be repaired.
Same issue: worn KHM230AAA. I've ordered two from 2 sellers from AliExpress, and still waiting their delivery. If this doesn't work (and I feel they will not
), several ways:
1. I've measured trimpots values of laser head, and tried to adjust, with no avail (but I have original value written, so, still can adjust backwards). I will do the same, just in case.
2. I've dismantled blue cap, and cleaned bottom of the lens - it was dirty. Helped a bit. But I hope the ones I receive are clean - not always obvious with things from China.
3. My guess is that since laser works always at the same position once focused, mirrors may be burnt, and more probably, photodiodes too. That one may be exchanged with new one on a defective one when I receive it (yes, I'm almost sure they won't work when I receive them)
Funny thing: if I start CD by hand, it is often able to read TOC. And once TOC is read, CD is always readable, even when stopped.
3 things to try. First, there are two service bulletins with that head + CXD1881R:
a. Marantz added a 1k resistor between pin 1 and pin 5 of optical, you could check with your Sony. Mine had that resistor, factory fitted.
b. They modded RF current, from 2mA to 5mA, by soldering a 330R resistor in parallel of the one in laser head directly. It may help. To know how to proceed, search for 'Marantz sa-17s1 service bulletin', on vintageshifi's website
c. If everything else fails, KHM234 is very close but not 100% identical. A try could be to build a small adapter to go from 230 to 234 (pins 5-9 are wired differently), and probably, replace CXD1881R by a CXD1882R - this will be last resort test when everything fails. However, it is much more easy to find KHM234 heads than 230
Hi folks, same issue ... with a Marantz SA-17S1. I've bought it few weeks ago with a dead laser head for £200.
I was never able to read the only SACD I own, but was able to read some CDs. And when it reads CDs ... ouch! I never heared such a sound, so needless say, it will be repaired.
Same issue: worn KHM230AAA. I've ordered two from 2 sellers from AliExpress, and still waiting their delivery. If this doesn't work (and I feel they will not
), several ways:1. I've measured trimpots values of laser head, and tried to adjust, with no avail (but I have original value written, so, still can adjust backwards). I will do the same, just in case.
2. I've dismantled blue cap, and cleaned bottom of the lens - it was dirty. Helped a bit. But I hope the ones I receive are clean - not always obvious with things from China.
3. My guess is that since laser works always at the same position once focused, mirrors may be burnt, and more probably, photodiodes too. That one may be exchanged with new one on a defective one when I receive it (yes, I'm almost sure they won't work when I receive them
)Funny thing: if I start CD by hand, it is often able to read TOC. And once TOC is read, CD is always readable, even when stopped.
3 things to try. First, there are two service bulletins with that head + CXD1881R:
a. Marantz added a 1k resistor between pin 1 and pin 5 of optical, you could check with your Sony. Mine had that resistor, factory fitted.
b. They modded RF current, from 2mA to 5mA, by soldering a 330R resistor in parallel of the one in laser head directly. It may help. To know how to proceed, search for 'Marantz sa-17s1 service bulletin', on vintageshifi's website
c. If everything else fails, KHM234 is very close but not 100% identical. A try could be to build a small adapter to go from 230 to 234 (pins 5-9 are wired differently), and probably, replace CXD1881R by a CXD1882R - this will be last resort test when everything fails. However, it is much more easy to find KHM234 heads than 230
A quick update from my side.
Unfortunately, I never got the laser assembly to read hybrid SACDs, so have given up on that particular drive.
Luckily, I paid through PayPal, and when going through them, the seller listed in my previous post, suddenly seems willing to help solving the issue.
They sent me another laser assembly w. drive, which they claim was fully tested at their workshop and confirmed to be functional.
I inspected the assembly before installing it, only to find out, that the laser head collides with the spindle before reaching the end-stop. The spindle is set too low.
This means that nothing has been tested!
The seller asked me to move the new laser head to the 1st supplied drive, which I did and is now installed.
My Sony machine is now better with hybrid SACDs, but most takes a looong time to start playing. The spindle motor frantically changes speed, while the laser tries to read the content. TOC is always read now, however.
To sum up, do not purchase replace laser assemblies from musi24.de. They are reselling cheap copy drives from China, at a much higher price.
You might as well try your luck with Aliexpress.
Unfortunately, I never got the laser assembly to read hybrid SACDs, so have given up on that particular drive.
Luckily, I paid through PayPal, and when going through them, the seller listed in my previous post, suddenly seems willing to help solving the issue.
They sent me another laser assembly w. drive, which they claim was fully tested at their workshop and confirmed to be functional.
I inspected the assembly before installing it, only to find out, that the laser head collides with the spindle before reaching the end-stop. The spindle is set too low.
This means that nothing has been tested!
The seller asked me to move the new laser head to the 1st supplied drive, which I did and is now installed.
My Sony machine is now better with hybrid SACDs, but most takes a looong time to start playing. The spindle motor frantically changes speed, while the laser tries to read the content. TOC is always read now, however.
To sum up, do not purchase replace laser assemblies from musi24.de. They are reselling cheap copy drives from China, at a much higher price.
You might as well try your luck with Aliexpress.
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