If you get a chance to pick up one of these Pioneer 6 disc changers that take magazines, you might need to take a look at this video. Its not that difficult to get these these players up and running again. Enjoy the video!
I used to work in a hifi shop in the mid 90s I used to calibrate these exact same machines on a analog scope the eye pattern can only be seen on analog scopes. It is true the tracking servos get out of adjustment, partly due to dried out slide rails, dried out electrolytics and weak lasers. The most common problem however was failing spindle motors that become carbonised and start sending noise spikes back into the circuit causing multiple problems. If I recall the lasers peak to peak should be no more than 1.5vpp on the scope, on most pioneers.
Thank you for sharing that! Its nice to actually get feedback from someone more technically savvy. I've given up on every buying these players. I did find a Sansui brand CD changer that worked flawlessly. It must have a more modern laser because it was basically the same model, just Sansui branded. Pioneer had a neat idea, but the execution left more to be desired. I can't believe they even used this mechanism for car stereos. I don't see those things functioning past a year. Thanks for watching!
I fix CD players for a living. On the positive side, you actually use multimeter rather than just arbitrarily turn the laser power adjustment pot. That is much better than most people offering advice do and you should be applauded for doing so. This would be semi-legitimate way of adjusting laser power with no laser power meter. ;-) However, this does not fix the problem but creates new one: the player is likely to fail soon, if adjustment is too great. What the problem is, is that the tracking servo needs adjusting, not the laser power. You can see couple of white potentiometers on the top left side of the main board and these are the ones that need adjusting instead. There could be up to 3 more on that board (I have never seen that Pioneer inside, for I only work on high end machines). The problem with adjusting these pots (which are: tracking gain, tracking offset, focus gain, focus offset, EFM and PLL) is that if you do not know what you are doing, you are likely to render the player unusable. With 85-90% certainty. Its like adjusting screws on a car carburettor without having knowledge what they do. It is not going to run again without a proper service. Sadly, one needs a Service Manual and / or a lot of experience to do it. Your fix would only be recommended, if you have a party coming this weekend and the player has failed and needs to be fixed immediately and will only be used for few hours afterwards. Then it is time to do a proper servo alignment. For service manual, go to hifiengine.com and see if one is available there. Service Manual has all the info on how to do it professionally. I hope it helps.
Unfortunately this fix comes with the idea that an average person trying to find a quick fix to squeeze out a couple more years out of a used CD player that is +20 years old without having to buy specialized tools for the task. Of course if there is a better way I am all about it. Perhaps maybe there is a video you can recommend that shows the proper way of fixing CD player lasers. Please let me know
@@joelsdiy9469 This is not a fix for an extra 2 years. If you turn it too much, it will be a fix for less than 2 weeks, and then the player will really be dead. But, if you use a ohm-meter, and say you have a 4.7k pot that is half way (2.3k & 2.4k) if you move it to 2.5 & 2.2k and it works, then it indeed might be a temporary fix (depending on the machine and its servo). If you want to adjust the servo properly, you need a Service Manual, multimeter and understanding what they say in the manual. You then should be OK. I have close to 200 videos on my channel dedicated to fixing CD players but not a single one showing the procedure, because holding a camera and looking into viewfinder and doing adjustments at the same time is just too much. But maybe I get my tripod out one day.
Needing some help please ..... mine will start playing the selected cd tray but all it sounds like is a bunch of static. The lap counter runs so I assume it is reading the cd.......thoughts as to why it’s doing this ?
Yep laser lens was detached on my pdz74t.a bit of superglue on the edge and a cotton bud or q-tip in states! To push in and 'Hay Presto' it now works after 10+years of storage.old dj trick is to blast with a hair dryer when bringing kit in from the cold van.That works for cold storage as well
Thanks for the tips! I did it this way as a temporary fix. Unfortunately these lasers were not of the best quality and they kind of not age well. I would recommend buying CD players from the early 2000s. They were pretty solid and might last a lot longer for continual use! Thanks for watching.
Absolutely, but it requires the steadiest of hands, I need to get a better camera to show such angles. I also have a cleaning cd that works well! Thanks for watching.
Very well explained, and described; but I if I buy C 516BEE CD Player (June 2015) at As Is, can there be a chance for me to completely repair it? Or maybe it is simply that the lens of the laser requires cleaning - in the case of most CD Players that don't function correctly that are sold on ebay? Also, you have not said anything about being careful of the lens of the laser assembly; or maybe I had not payed attention. Furthermore, in most cases it is better to get oneself a singe disc CD Player; except for a changer CD Player that has a round revolving tray that when opened. For example there is such a version of a CD Player from Sony; called a "5 CD Changer" Sony CDP-CE215 (1998), maybe first manufactured in 1997. I have the Sony CE215 CD Player, and it works very well. Anyway, a very good lecture besides the helpful, and clear technical demonstration on adjusting a laser assembly of a CD Player.🎼🎵
I don't remember if I mentioned this in the video, but I have not been able to find replacement lenses for these CD changers. I am not sure at the moment if there is a permanent fix other than to salvage a working CD lens from another CD changer of the same or similar model. Thank you for watching!
Yeah you don't have much to loose at this point. If I we you, get yourself a multi-player from the early 2000's; those actually have a very good laser (even the cheap ones). Best of luck!
I have a Pioneer 6 disc changer that, for some reason decides to put little grease spots on the CDs from whatever mechanism moves the CD and keeps it in place before playback. This causes certain tracks to skip and stick. Every time I take a CD out, I have to clean it to get rid of the 2-3 little grease spots that have been left on the CD. I do not know what's causing this, nor how to get to whatever is causing it. Any ideas? My mate has one like this player and his does almost the exact same thing.
If you're able to, open the case and try to figure out the mechanism. You might be able to find the clump of grease that is staining your CDs. Once you find it, clean it up with 99% IPA.
I have a pioneer 25 disc changer that skips quite frequently. Some cds play fine. Others do not. Even brand new cds skip. Do you believe that I need to try this with my player? Thanks
I have a Pioneer M601 and it wouldn’t play the disc so following your instructions, Zimzalabim it plays, but not cd 5. How can I adjust every cd so that they all play?
I'm sorry to hear this. I would try not to put anything on top of your CD player because that can sometimes prevent it from playing all your discs properly. This style of CD player is very inconsistent, but the CD laser adjustment should do the trick help you get some play out of it. I know that this doesn't necessarily answer your questions but I was not able to solve this problem either. Sorry.
There’s another screw used for the height or reading and one for the tracking or skipping. I don’t know which is which but if you turn one vvvvveeeeerrrrryyyyy slightly it will either cause the cd to run slower or skip. Through the process of eliminating you’ll find the right one.
Be aware that Pioneer CD players had an issue where the lens drops out of optical pickup into the case , it can be carefully glued back into place but remember you are dealing with sensitive optics so do "not use glues that give of volatile fumes when drying" that can cloud the lens , the lens must cleaned before doing this ,, he uses a tiny amount of a non volatile white glue applied with pointed applicator to inside of the housing the lens fits into , credit given for 12voltvids for his example of this issue .. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-M7PIKUwYmDo.html ,
Thanks for sharing! I don't think that this example had that problem as I saw the lens on the CD assembly. These CD players are hard to find completely functional. As a matter of fact, I've only found one that was functional in the last 5 years and it was from 1996, a later model. Sansui made one with a better laser and it works flawlessly. Thanks for watching!
i get a click like sound when playing my cds. i got the pioneer pd-m 450. i thought it was the disc but then on new cds it is same. it like skips a milli fraction while playing
Make sure the tray is installed correctly. These lasers are lousy and the Pioneers are kind of notorious for a failing laser. I've adjusted the laser to help with reading the discs, but its a temporary fix. My advice is to get a newer multi-disc player. Yamaha made a pretty good one in the 2000s, that doubles as a 5-disc DVD player that is also capable of playing SUPER CDs. I've gotten rid of all my Pioneers because they are all really unreliable. Probably the worst component Pioneer has every put out. Thanks for watching!
Sorry to hear this, but the laser has to be adjusted very gently. The pot intensity increases with a very micro turn, you really have to try this at your own risk.
