Hi All,
My first post. I’m looking for advice/solutions for my RCD-855 CD-player, I bought it used as an interim player, but just love the sound and want to keep it.
Problem is, it skips on pretty much ANY scratch or blemish, on ANY CD.
I’ve tried to address the issue, cleaning lens, checking for any stickiness, also looked at the little ball-bearing assembly in the CD clamp. No dice.
I can’t see any thing else to try, apart from new/used laser assembly.
I’ve seen a new laser from Ali-express (£48) - alternatively, take one out of another suitable donor.
Thanks in advance for any guidance
It’s a nice sounding budget player, the RCD-855. I have one that still gets used from time to time. IIRC it used the Philips CDM4/11 which, although unavailable new for many years now (lots of fakes still around though), was widely used in a variety of machines, many of which can be picked up for almost nothing with the mech still working. Any reasonably competent tech should be able to swap them over for you. Hopefully that might fix the player…
I think its a 4/19 mech.
I can’t really add anything over and above what I offered on your previous thread.
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Ah yes, thanks, a CDM4/19
What do you all think that is causing the ultra sensitivity? Laser on it’s way out? Draw/ clamp mechanism? Something else?
Also, is it worth a punt on the Ali- express laser mech?
It could be any of those issues, causing your issue. It may just need calibrating, simple job. Best to find a “for spares” CD player on any sales site and blag the mech. Obviously check that the fault with the donor item isnt the mech! There are usually many Marantz or Philips players being sold due to a broken draw mechanism (the crappy plastic drive cog crumbles away). These are ideal donor units. Just Google the model to check it uses the CDM4/9 laser unit.
9 times out of 10 its failing small electrolytic caps on the servo board, dont junk it yet as the lasers them selves are robust
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is there a simple test for that?
You’ll have to take it somewhere, I picked that info from another forum who services old cd players. It’s pretty common at this age.
IIRC there is only one axial electrolytic on the servo board, poss a 4.7ụf.
If you are confident with a soldering iron, just swap it out.