Emm Labs TSDx can’t read discs - what a way to end the year

Terrible.

Emma wanted to listen to music and dance. We get to the room, dang transport don’t read discs all of a sudden. I tried sacd layer and still nothing.

“No disc” it says.

I can’t get to the laser assembly to clean it. Dang thing has an esoteric drive. Can’t open the unit as it is fortified like Fort Knox.

Emailed the dealer, the US distributor and then ultimately Emm in Canada.

They are not open till Jan 6.

What a way to end the year. Boo...
Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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Comments

  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,149
    Ouch! Unfortunate timing with the holidays. Hopefully one of them will see the email and at least get in touch before the 6th. Fingers crossed they get it turned around quickly.
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  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 936
    Well that sucks. Time for an alternate source. Happy New Year!
  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    If only there was another way to listen to music... :|

    With Love,
    Mrbiron <3
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,572
    Ouch! Unfortunate timing with the holidays. Hopefully one of them will see the email and at least get in touch before the 6th. Fingers crossed they get it turned around quickly.

    Dealer escalated me to distributor and he has been helpful. Sent me his contact at emm. So it’s going to be a waiting game.

    I’m hoping for a not so big bill
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,572
    mrbiron wrote: »
    If only there was another way to listen to music... :|

    With Love,
    Mrbiron <3

    2 things:
    1. Yes, alternate was tidal. We found her music through there Descendants, a Disney made for TV movie with songs.

    2. Don’t with love me mrbiron, you burned my Strads. An elephant never forgets. Especially the asian variety.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,572
    Wardsweb wrote: »
    Well that sucks. Time for an alternate source. Happy New Year!

    The emm dac is a stand-alone so I’m still chugging along.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited December 2019
    Sorry to hear about your troubles. Hope it's fixed expeditiously. I've been in your shoes several times.

    I have two 31 year old (mfg 1988) Yamaha CDX-1110U CD players in storage which are still running perfectly. You can borrow one to hold you over until the Esoteric is fixed. :)

    Today's high-end disc transports are from the devil. That's one of the reasons I went disc-less. >:)
    Post edited by DarqueKnight on
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    Did you check the drive for crayons? >:);)
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    edited December 2019
    Did you check the drive for crayons? >:);)

    John you have a good point. Back when my kids were little, I found a penny inside my CD player, which had settled on top of the PCB, creating a short circuit.

    All right kids, who put the penny in there? Not me! They all responded. :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Joey_V wrote: »
    mrbiron wrote: »
    If only there was another way to listen to music... :|

    With Love,
    Mrbiron <3

    2 things:
    1. Yes, alternate was tidal. We found her music through there Descendants, a Disney made for TV movie with songs.

    2. Don’t with love me mrbiron, you burned my Strads. An elephant never forgets. Especially the asian variety.

    That’s water under the bridge...besides, you don’t own them anymore. ;)
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,572
    Contacted Emm

    They said try cd cleaner

    Bought from Amazon and waited a week for delivery.

    Nada. No worky.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,583
    edited January 2020
    Does the CD sit in the tray face up or face down? IF face down I would have popped to top and tried 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip before I ordered something. I guess I should say IF you could see the Laser eye, heck it could be inside of a bank vault of an enclosure.
    Personally I think that is a cop out on Emm Labs.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,917
    edited January 2020
    mrbiron wrote: »
    If only there was another way to listen to music... :|

    With Love,
    Mrbiron <3

    12180738084_955068c903_c.jpg8trackin2 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Does the CD sit in the tray face up or face down? IF face down I would have popped to top and tried 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip before I ordered something. I guess I should say IF you could see the Laser eye, heck it could be inside of a bank vault of an enclosure.
    Personally I think that is a cop out on Emm Labs.

    Sounded like the top was not readily poppable.
    Joey_V wrote: »
    Terrible.
    ...
    I can’t get to the laser assembly to clean it. Dang thing has an esoteric drive. Can’t open the unit as it is fortified like Fort Knox.
    ...

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    IIRC, you went with Emm labs > PS Audio? Might want to take advantage of the generous PSA trade-in program and go back with what worked before? Good luck with the repair!
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,684
    Sounds like Emm Labs tech support gave you the audiophile equivalent of “try turning it off and back on”.

    Try hitting it with a hammer next, Joey.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,917
    Upstatemax wrote: »
    Sounds like Emm Labs tech support gave you the audiophile equivalent of “try turning it off and back on”.

    Try hitting it with a hammer next, Joey.

    ... but... ya gotta admit... both of those troubleshooting approaches often work.

    B)
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,583
    edited January 2020

    Sounded like the top was not readily poppable.
    Joey_V wrote: »
    Terrible.
    ...
    I can’t get to the laser assembly to clean it. Dang thing has an esoteric drive. Can’t open the unit as it is fortified like Fort Knox.
    ...



    DOH! spot on Doc ....

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,953
    Joey_V wrote: »
    Contacted Emm

    They said try cd cleaner

    Bought from Amazon and waited a week for delivery.

    Nada. No worky.

    If I contacted the manufacturer of my $17k transport and told them it was longer reading discs, and their solution was telling me to buy a CD lens cleaner as a fix I would be livid.

    It would be going back to them to be repaired under warranty and then I would sell it, and never have any products from that company in my system ever again.
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,903
    if this problem comes up a lot and a dirty lens is the problem then it only makes sense to have the customer try it first as it is the fastest and least expensive way of fixing the problem.

    sure they could tell you to just send it in but there is no free (warranty) ride. prices will go up to pay for these warranty repairs.
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
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    Puritan PSM156
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,953
    edited January 2020
    It's a MSPR $17k product!

    This is like buying a $70k Mercedes and then after a few months it develops a rough idle and dies at stoplights and the dealership says "Before we can look at it for you, you have to try running a bottle of fuel injector cleaner through it". What???
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,903
    if nine times out of ten that is the problem then yes. let's say they are backed up in service then you are out of a car for a while, then you want a loaner. if they don't offer loaners then you say I spent $70k for this car when all it might have been is you buying cheap gas.

    think of this, you start to get a cold and you run to the emergency room and wonder why insurance costs keep going up. yet I pay all this money for coverage so i'm going to the er.
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
    Puritan PSM156
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,953
    edited January 2020
    Completely disagree, sorry. It's a $17k transport, the manufacturer should be bending over backwards for the customer.
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,555
    I personally am willing to jump through a few hoops to avoid shipping audio gear. I hate shipping - it’s always a crap-shoot, and can create problems far greater than the one you are trying to fix.
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  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,903
    edited January 2020
    Joey_V wrote: »
    Ouch! Unfortunate timing with the holidays. Hopefully one of them will see the email and at least get in touch before the 6th. Fingers crossed they get it turned around quickly.

    Dealer escalated me to distributor and he has been helpful. Sent me his contact at emm. So it’s going to be a waiting game.

    I’m hoping for a not so big bill

    @clipdat, before we continue going back and forth this may not be a warranty issue.

    joey is the unit still under warranty?
    if not then they are trying to save joey money.
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
    Puritan PSM156
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,663
    edited January 2020
    Joey_V wrote: »
    Terrible.

    Emma wanted to listen to music and dance. We get to the room, dang transport don’t read discs all of a sudden. I tried sacd layer and still nothing.

    “No disc” it says.

    I can’t get to the laser assembly to clean it. Dang thing has an esoteric drive. Can’t open the unit as it is fortified like Fort Knox.

    Emailed the dealer, the US distributor and then ultimately Emm in Canada.

    They are not open till Jan 6.

    What a way to end the year. Boo...

    It looks like the enclosure cover is attached with screws on the bottom sides. Once that is off the transport is visible. From what I can see in the attached pic removing the silver disc should enable access to the optical pickup. Use denatured alcohol and a Q-tip to clean the lens. Use very light pressure when cleaning it. If removal of the silver disc does not permit access take some good close up pics of the transport area and I should be able to tell you how to remove the entire top cover.

    lt8lsofbfwf8.jpg
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,953
    Yeah or, you know, the manufacturer could stand behind their $17k transport and fix it themselves.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,663
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Yeah or, you know, the manufacturer could stand behind their $17k transport and fix it themselves.

    I don't see any evidence that they wouldn't. Their suggestion to try a lens cleaner first is a good idea as a specks of dust or a film build up can cause a non-read issue, although I've found those brush cleaning discs pretty worthless.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Yeah or, you know, the manufacturer could stand behind their $17k transport and fix it themselves.

    The real question is why spend $17K on a CD transport.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,953
    Obligatory "Have you ever listened to music with a $17k transport?! You don't know what you don't know!" comment.
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,903
    this is actually not a $17k transport as there is a distributor and dealer, they have to get their cut :D
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
    Puritan PSM156