Tír Na HiFi

Since acquiring my top loading Tag McLaren DVD32R DVD/CD Transport a couple of years ago I have been waiting for the very expensive transport mechanism to fail as the player was being very picky at what CDs it would play, I would often have to take the disc out, clean it, turn off the player and sometimes I would be OK and it would play. DVDs have worked flawlessly on the machine since I bought it.

So unreliable was the machine for CD Playback I have nearly all my entire CD collection on my Ipod Classic as it was easier to use this as my music player through my Tag AV32R Pre/Processor.

Last week I got very frustrated when I couldn't get a CD-R to play so I decided to give the tiny and delicate laser mechanism a clean with a cotton wool bud and some isopropyl alcohol, this was very easy as being a top loader its just staring at you when you open the door.

Low and behold, it has accepted every CD I have thrown at it for a whole 7 days, it hasn't refused once, why has it taken me so long to give this a try? I have had CD lens cleaners in my player but they have made no difference.

Anyway, I must have played more CDs in a week on the player than I have in the past 2 years, I know the Ipod in lossless is very good but it doesn't match the Tag McLaren when it comes to sound quality by a long way!

Andy

Andy S wrote:... I decided to give the tiny and delicate laser mechanism a clean with a cotton wool bud and some isopropyl alcohol...

I presume you get isopropyl alcohol from a chemist? It's something I must do before I develop the shakes.

You can ask your chemistry teacher at school to make you up a batch. After significant interrogation, he might oblige by giving you a small test-tube of the stuff on the sly.

My experience, anyway.

Ivor

Yes, it costs about €10.00 for a 500ml bottle, I use a 50:50 water/alcohol solution for cleaning CDs, very effective!

Regards.

Andy

You could start by practising on your ear-drums. It steadies the hands, and improves the sound in the process.












Disclaimer: Tirnahifi.org does not advocate the use of cotton buds within the ear, covered in alcohol or otherwise. The fact that I'm convinced the entire cotton-bud industry has grown up around in-ear usage is neither here nor there.

Diapason wrote:You can ask your chemistry teacher at school ...

Sorry, have we met?

Diapason wrote:You could start by practising on your ear-drums. It steadies the hands, and improves the sound in the process.












Disclaimer: Tirnahifi.org does not advocate the use of cotton buds within the ear, covered in alcohol or otherwise. The fact that I'm convinced the entire cotton-bud industry has grown up around in-ear usage is neither here nor there.

my sister-in-law tried to clean both ears at the same time when in a rush to go out,suffered mirror confusion, pushed both in and burst both eardrums!!

Ouch!!!

my sister-in-law tried to clean both ears at the same time when in a rush to go out,suffered mirror confusion, pushed both in and burst both eardrums!!

mmm - yes that qualifies for a place in this thread alright!!

FWIW, be really careful cleaning the lens. Apart from possible damage by solvent (and I know isopropanol is a weak solvent) there is a bigger risk of damaging the suspension of the lens assembly... not saying you shouldn't do it, but I'd only do it in Andys' position where the thing wasn't working right. If its ok, leave it alone....


Fran

mmmmm there must be a sister award for the Darwin's, let's call them the "shadenfreude awards"

the injury isn't life threatening enough for it not to be funny!!