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, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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Comments

  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,126
    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: 899
    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: 8,505
    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, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    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, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    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, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    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: 25,034
    Did you check the drive for crayons? >:);)
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  • 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:
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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: 8,505
    Contacted Emm

    They said try cd cleaner

    Bought from Amazon and waited a week for delivery.

    Nada. No worky.
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    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: 32,926
    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!
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
    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: 32,926
    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: 24,474
    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: 12,558
    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: 4,862
    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
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    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: 4,862
    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: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    edited January 2020
    Completely disagree, sorry. It's a $17k transport, the manufacturer should be bending over backwards for the customer.
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    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: 4,862
    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: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    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

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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    Yeah or, you know, the manufacturer could stand behind their $17k transport and fix it themselves.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    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.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    Obligatory "Have you ever listened to music with a $17k transport?! You don't know what you don't know!" comment.
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,862
    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: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156