CDS3 Transport Problem?

Posted by: PaulC on 27 January 2016

My Cds3 (2009 vintage with newer transport) has just started to misbehave. Tonight it Has been sounding as if the motor is spinning for no apparent reason when no disc was loaded, this is accompanied by the laser being lit. When a cd is loaded it seems to have trouble loading the TOC and then it will stutter during playback. No error code is shown (I do run it with the display off - if that makes any difference to error codes showing). I have just noted this behaviour tonight although my wife says she has heard the mechanism spinning before when no disc was loaded. The puck is the later magnetic one and not the earlier one with the rubber feet so I do not think that is the culprit though I will try a different puck tomorrow - for the moment it is powered off.

i fear this may mean the transport is failing although wonder if it may be a software issue.

Any thoughts?

Paul

Posted on: 28 January 2016 by Cdb

I too have a late vintage CDS3 with the more recent transport and fortunately it is working well. As you are in the UK I would just phone Naim customer support and see if there is anything you could try to get it running again. However having had a transport failure some years ago with a Meridian CD player, with similar symptoms, I think you are just going to have to send it in for diagnosis and repair. At least with your more recent model, it would be cheaper than having to have the additional modifications done with the older transport.

Posted on: 28 January 2016 by PaulC

Thanks,

Have already spoken to Naim and my CDS3 will be going back to Salisbury for diagnostics and repair.

Paul

Posted on: 28 January 2016 by ClaudeP

Your CDS3 is a wonderful piece of kit, hope it's gonna feel better soon. The Salisbury sorcerers should see to it.

Claude

Posted on: 28 January 2016 by AussieSteve

There is a CDS3 available near me for 225 Pounds, same problems. Is it worth buying?

Posted on: 28 January 2016 by ClaudeP

AussieSteve posted:
There is a CDS3 available near me for 225 Pounds, same problems. Is it worth buying?

What CD player are you using Steve?

Posted on: 28 January 2016 by AussieSteve

ClaudeP posted:
AussieSteve posted:
There is a CDS3 available near me for 225 Pounds, same problems. Is it worth buying?
What CD player are you using Steve?

a cd5xs mate. the cds3 does need a puck, leads, manual and remote. the cd mechanism is not working, i don't know exactly why.

Posted on: 30 January 2016 by PaulC

Apparently a new transport will be about £300-400. It would be more to replace an earlier transport.

I upgraded from a CD5x - just put that back in whilst the CDS3 gets mended - not a patch on the 3, even with the SL IC - although the latter does improve the sound significantly.

Posted on: 03 February 2016 by PaulC

Cds3 now all packed up and on its way back to Naim for diagnostics and repair. Meanwhile have put the SL I/C onto the NDS (in place of Highline) and will spend the next few weeks listening to that (CD5x just doesn't excite like the CDS3). Immediate improvement in detail and resolution with a more "upfront" presentation, but somehow less languid than the CDS3.

Paul

Posted on: 22 March 2016 by Christopher_M

How is it now, Paul?

Chris

Posted on: 23 March 2016 by PaulC

Still waiting for it to come from Naim Chris - will give my dealer a ring tomorrow.

Meanwhile I have recently acquired a 555 ps (non dr) to pair with it. To date I've put it on the NDS as a second power supply and ...... Wow! I didn't think the difference would be that obvious . Improved clarity and separation with inky blackness in the silences. It even seems to have calmed the digital "edge" that I mentioned previously.

Am I becoming converted???

Paul

Posted on: 23 March 2016 by Christopher_M

PaulC posted:
Still waiting for it to come from Naim Chris - will give my dealer a ring tomorrow.

Blimey, and it went off on the 3rd of Feb!

Was thinking of handing my CDS3 to my dealer on Tues, and then to Naim. It's nowhere near as tragic as yours was but it's started skipping on quite a few CDs and no amount of puck swapping makes any difference. Some of the discs have minor scratches but most are visually unmarked.

It's a flat fee apparently, whether it needs a new mech or not.

Chris

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by PaulC

Naim have said that the player is fine and that it looks like a problem with the PS. So that needs to go off to Naim now.

Anyone had a PS problem causing a glitch with their CDP before?

Paul

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by The Strat (Fender)

No never had a PSU problem. Sounds unlucky.

Regards,

Lindsay

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by Bob_B

PaulC posted:
Naim have said that the player is fine and that it looks like a problem with the PS. So that needs to go off to Naim now.
Anyone had a PS problem causing a glitch with their CDP before?
Paul

Yep - I've currently got an XPS playing up with a CDX. Occasional sound cut out leading to what sounded like skips. Turns out it is likely an XPS problem as it badly needs a re-cap. The unit is currently being serviced - the CDX powered without XPS is performing fine.

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by Christopher_M

Bob_B posted:
Yep - I've currently got an XPS playing up with a CDX. Occasional sound cut out leading to what sounded like skips. Turns out it is likely an XPS problem as it badly needs a re-cap. The unit is currently being serviced - the CDX powered without XPS is performing fine.

Oh. Those are the symptoms I've got with my CDS3/ XPS.

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by Bob_B

The XPS is about 15 years old and has never had a re-cap. I suspect that the problem might be due to reservoir capacitors degrading.

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by Christopher_M

Thanks Bob, mine's 11 years old.

Posted on: 30 March 2016 by hungryhalibut

Off to Sheffield with it!