Posted by Steve L.

July 17, 2013 - 07:23 pm

Hi Brian, Congratulations on fixing the door issues! I suppose that it's conceivable that slide/drive lubrication could be affecting tracking but it doesn't seem likely to me. It is typical that skipping is seen first at the inner tracks. That's because the CD rotates faster there than at the outer tracks. This is due to the constant linear velocity at which the system operates. Faster rotation makes it more of a challenge for the tracking servo system to deal with CDs which happen not to be centered as well as others. There are quite a few things which can degrade the tracking. It could be as simple as the offset or gain adjustments in the tracking servo. Problems in the tracking pickup diodes or electronics could cause it too. I guess at this point it would be best to seek assistance from someone who is knowledgeable about troubleshooting and aligning CD players, as you mentioned earlier. By the way, my own CDP-101 has recently developed the same symptoms, so I have it slated for repair as soon as I can get to it. Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of another project, so that might be weeks away. I've pressed a CDP-200 into service in its place, for the time being. I can post what I find out about the CDP-101 here, if it's of interest.

Posted by Brian S.

July 17, 2013 - 12:18 pm

Steve, Thank you for the great advice. I have cleaned and regreased the door slides and the door is working well again. The tracking problems are one of the reasons I retired the unit. I have to have the "auto shock" switch on in order to track a disk successfully. Occasionally, a whole disk will play with no skips, but usually, the unit has problems tracking the first 2 or 3 tracks and will bounce around a lot. After that (track 3 and up), it usually plays perfectly. it seems the issue is related to tracking the inner part of the disk. I cleaned the laser lens, but I still have the problems. Could this be a lube issue, too? Thanks again and all the best, Brian

Posted by Steve L.

July 14, 2013 - 12:20 pm

Hi Brian, I appreciate your kind message. To answer your question: yes, the grease used in the drawer mechanics has been known to get stiff with age. Ideally, the drawer assembly should be cleaned and regreased, though some half-way measures could do a lot of good. Since the unit was under water, I would definitely clean the laser pickup lens. Depending on the total running time that the unit has seen, it is not necessarily the case that the servo amps have to be replaced. The IC204 amp could sure use a larger heatsink, though. It need not be as intricate as the one described in the article, to help a lot. Finding someone to do the adjustments on the tracking related circuits might very well fix the tracking issues. Congratulations on digging out this historic machine. It's wonderful that it still works, albeit with quirks. Bringing it up to full performance would be great. Keep us posted on how it goes.

Posted by Brian S

July 14, 2013 - 11:14 am

Finding your page inspired me to dig out my old 101--I bought mine the week it arrived in my local audio store--it was the only one they received from Sony and they were hoping to demo it. This unit eventually developed skipping problems, so I boxed it up for 20 years. It was soaked in a basement flood, but i could not bear to junk it. I brought it up yesterday and opened it up. Apart from a little rust on the inside bottom of the case, due to water, it looked fine. I powered it up. The CD door refused to budge. I tried several times, but it seemed to be locked up. After about 10 minutes, the arm that holds the CDs moved and the door opened. I grabbed the very first CD I ever bought (I got it a month or two before the player) and popped it in--wow! I had forgotten how good this old girl sounded! Tracking is still a bit 'iffy' with skips, etc. and the door hangs sometimes, but things improve as the unit warms up. I assume I will need to replace the servo amps to get full service restored (which is beyond my capabilities, but I'll see if I can find someone in the area who can help me). Are there any parts I should grease in order to ensure drawer performance, etc.? I'm listening to the 101 right now and, if it wasn't for your page, it would still be sitting in the basement. Thank you!

Posted by Hi Max,

March 19, 2012 - 01:17 pm

Yes, the heatsink for the CDP-200 is easier and will definitely increase service life. I am pleased to report that I haven't had any problems with the caps in either the CDP-101 or the CDP-200. I totally agree that attempting to replace the caps in these units, en masse, would be a nightmare! Let us know how it goes with the CDP-200.

Posted by Max H

March 19, 2012 - 12:37 pm

Spent half weekend listening to my newly rebuilt EICO 3070, connected to my Sony CDP-200. Now that I've read this article, I will add the heat sinks - it's a quick project and sure can't hurt. Have you experienced capacitor failures in the older Sony CD players? I know that Trinitrons of this vintage sometimes need new electrolytics. New capacitors in my CDP-200 would be a nightmare, it's so complex!