The CD Changer broke.

Jstas

CRAPTASTIC!

Damn thing has power and will accept and eject the CD cartridge but the head unit no longer recognizes it. Grabbed another one off of eBay already so hopefully it will be here soon. This isn't a cost I really needed now but I think if I don't have my CD Changer, I'd lose my mind. I spent 20 minutes without it this morning and did not enjoy any second of it. So hopefully the new one shows up soon. It's a factory refurb from Kenwood so it should be OK. Not like thise used one I got from some asian guy in Colorado that flakes out all the time.

PoweredByDodge

hey - i know that asian guy. he's not actually asian. nor is he a guy. but that's a story for another time.

... head unit won't recognize it? are u sure that fat blue "do all" cable that goes to it isn't kinked somewhere?

Jstas

Dude, it worked yesterday, didn't work today. That doesn't sound like a kinked cable. If it was kinked, I don't think it would have power either.

PoweredByDodge

well there are something like 9 wires in that cable, that's why i asked, might be one wire in there - well either way you'll find out when this guy sends you another one - hopefully all will be well.

Jstas

I don't see how it would have gotten kinked either. It is run right down a channel on teh right side of the truck and cuts across the front at the base of the firewall and up to the head unit. Nobody was messing around insidethe truck or on any body panels literally, I was listening to it the night before, came out this morning and nothing. I have no idea what could have happened.

MacLeod

Its karma baby. This is what you get for stating several months ago that your system was finally complete and you wouldnt be purchasing anything else. The Upgrade Gods dont like to hear things like that, sinner!

PoweredByDodge

... was it very cold over night? and then warmer in the morning... like a "night frost" on a summer day? -- i'm just thinking maybe condensation on the laser lens deal. once it starts to fog up - you can get little dust bunnies sticking to it. my little boom box cd player did that to me when i left it in the garage over winter. of course that's a piece of **** boom box, but its worth taking your changer apart once you get the new one in order to see if u can do a simple fix on the old one.

MacLeod

It could just be age. If he's had this thing for many years it may have just died of old age.

Jstas

Nah, it's not that simple. The head unit did not recognize that the changer was even attached to the system.

Here's the deal.

I had a KRC-C510 cd changer. It was 8 years old and it quit working. The armature motor fried and it wouldn't move anymore. Had to take the chassis apart to get the CD cartridge out. Had to buy a new one. Couldn't find one I liked for less than $200 beans. Went with a used eXcelon CX87 changer. It's a nice changer and you aren't going to find nicer specs unless you go with something very high end that has a seperate DAC.

Well, I had to go used because I'm dead broke now and couldn't afford over 300 beans for a new CX87. So I found the used one in AS-IS condition for 115 shipped to my door. Figured it woudl at least tide me over until I could get a decent example. I plugged it in, it worked for about 10 minutes and cut out. Wouldn't recognize discs. So I fiddled with it for a few hours and it started working again. Worked for a week or so and cut out again. Wouldn't recgonize discs. That went on for 3 days and it started working again. It's been doing that off and on since January. I couldn't really complain because I got it dirt freakin cheap.

Yesterday, it didn't do that. The head unit just acted as if no accessories were hooked up. So I pulled the cartridge incase it might get stuck. Went out to the truck this morning and hit the Source button just for **** and giggles. It saw the changer again. So I said "Hey, might as well!" and shoved the cartridge back in. Toby Keith started playing loud and clear as if nothing was wrong. Now, I hadn't even put the truck in drive and it was already starting to skip. I whacked it good in frustration and it started playing normally. It got through 4 songs on the Toby Keith cd and died again and won't regocnize that there are discs in the changer. it doesn't sound liek the armature is moving anymore either.

The one I got is a factory refurb so it should be in good mechanical working order. I'm going to wait for it to come in and see how it goes. This isn't a simple dirty lens problem though. Something is up with this unit.

PoweredByDodge

?? would the regular plain ol ken-ferd 710 work with your deck? cuz that was on sale many a times on crutchfield for like 169

the stupid dvd 710 they got now is more money but anywho - i think ikesound.com and some other online guys still got 710's for like 125 - 150 bucks brand new.

Jstas

I already have a CX87 which is a better changer heading my way.