Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

RE: -1:

When you start treating your hifi equipment like a $100k computer
system, you have gone off the deep end!  What's next - diagnostics
for your pre-amp? 

Like the proverbial first scratch on your new car, accept the
inevitable breakdown.  If you succumb to worrying about it and
wondering about component burn-in schedules, you won't be enjoying
your equipment very much. 

Simple common sense dictates:

	1. Buy from the best manufacturer you can afford.
	2. Buy through a reputable dealer (street or mail order).
	3. Get an extended warranty for it, if available.  I bought
	   3- and 5- year extended parts + labor warranties for
	   my new equipment for around $50 a shot.  Assuming that
	   the issuing companies are in business 3 years from now,
	   it is a good deal.  One trip to the repair shop = 
	   breakeven, more or less.
	4. Treat your equipment right.  If you like to demonstrate 
	   the superior loading mechanism of your CD deck by 
	   playing ring toss with your CDs from across the room, all 
	   bets are off!


A good analogy exists with cars.  99.99% of the prevention of repair
problems starts with the brand and model that you buy.  (It's better
to buy a Toyota and forget about it than to buy an AMC and worry
about it.) 

jdr

    As .1 says the industry has found that power/temperature cycling
    induces infancy failures sooner than steadystate operation.  The
    general concensus around here is that once past infancy, continuous
    power on gives a more trouble free product (with the exception
    of wear out components like tubes, bearings, lamps, LEDs.   I always
    put a new device (of my own design and construction) thru an overnite
    power on followed by a 555 timer/relay controlled 1hr on-1 hr off
    cycle for 2 additional days.  From then on my components stay on
    all the time.  I feel I must do the first 2 steps to protect my
    system from catastropic failure more likely in infancy - especially
    near time 0.  The final step is done because the stuff sounds better
    after 24 hours or so of warm up - so its easier to leave it on.
    
    Walt

    
    Correct John, but...
    
    Since I plan on voiding the warrenty as soon as possible by replacing
    some of the Caps, I'd like to be sure the unit is reasonable good
    before I do so.  If it breaks within the first week, then I have
    lost nothing.  However, if I tear it apart on day 1 and it breaks
    on day 3 then I'm out of luck.  
    
    Seems like I'll cycle it for a day.  (can I borrow your 555 timer?)
    
    						.dave.

    Re: .4         Give me a couple days to find it.  I've moved 3 times
    since last I used it - you know how unused things migrate into hard
    to find places during moves.  Worst case - I can put together a
    new one (I'll need it this fall anyway) in a couple days, I have
    the parts laying around I think.
    
    Lets see, you're in the Mill ?   
    
    Walt

    I disagree with .2s suggestion of buying an extended warranty on two
    grounds. First of all, these are nothing but overpriced insurance
    policies. The rule of insurance is that if you can afford to absorb the
    loss yourself, pass on the insurance. The insurance company prices
    their policy at what they expect it to cost to reimburse you for the
    duration of the policy, plus a profit for themselves. Pocket the profit
    and pay for your own repairs. If you have good equipment, there
    shouldn't be any problems beyond the manufacturers warranty anyway. If
    you are buying junk, put the extra money into a better unit. 
    
    Many of these extended warranties duplicate the existing warranty from
    the manufacturer. I once bought an appliance (microwave), and the
    salesman offered me an extended 5 year warranty for about $100. The
    basic warranty was 1 year, and the microwave tube had a 7 year
    warranty. I asked the guy what else was going to break in the thing,
    and why would I need this service on 'such a fine product' as he was
    trying to sell me. He shut up real quick. 
    
    Second, Dave intends to modify his unit, which will invalidate any
    warranty pretty quickly anyway. I'd stick to serious abuse for a week
    or two, to weed out the manufacturing flaws. 

    Re: .5
    
    Gee Reg, I didn't know that you owned an AMC.  Sorry 'bout that.
    (Didn't I hear you mentioning that you were going to install Interlink
    4 cables on the distributor this weekend?)
    
    Re: -1
    
    You may be right.  I might have blown it.
    
    The extended insurance policy (as you accurately termed it) didn't
    duplicate my manufacturer's warranties (no I didn't buy "junk", unless
    you consider Nakamichi junk). 
    
    With my house and auto insurance I follow the rule of thumb you stated.
    But, the price of an additional parts + labor for 5 years on my CD
    player (a Denon) was $75.  It seemed like that was a good tradeoff --
    maybe in retrospect TOO good.  The greatest danger I face is probably
    not that my CD player won't have to go into the shop at least once
    between 1987 and 1992.  It's that the insurance company will "go away"
    overnight..  If so, I'll kick myself and vow never again to buy the
    warranty, no matter what the price.
    
    Oh well.  That's life in the big city.     

    Is your CD NAK? I thought you had a DENON. Your last note mentions
    both. I also thought you were going to mod the unit, thus what good is
    the warranty? 
    
    FYI the 2 NAK CD players are made by Kyocera, just like the amp you
    just got. I think they are the 'low' and 'mid' of the three that
    Kyocera makes. The 'high' is a fine unit, but $1600. It was the best I
    had listened to, till I went back to the same place and heard the PS.
    It isn't THAT much better, but it IS half the price. 

    
    Yes, I'm in the Mill.  (live in Nashua)..
    
    						.dave.

    Dave,    I looked all over the place this past weekend for the unit
    I have (had) and couldnt locate it. I guess I loaned it to someone
    a 2-3 years ago and forgot who.      Since I will need one myself
    this fall, to burn in my the preamp I have under construction, I
    began a new one yesterday.  I have most of the parts (except a case
    and supply transformer) but it will probably take me a few days
    to get it together and burn it in.   How soon do you need it ?

    Walt

    
    I won't need it till treismans has a sale again.  OR
    
    If anybody knows where I can get a Magnavox 2041 for under 175 please
    let me know. 

    Walt - many thanks for this opportunity.  Perhaps I could get a
    copy of the schematics and parts list? - or are they in your head.
    
    						.dave.
    
    

    RE: .9:
    
    Bob, we have some confusion!
    
    Yes, I did buy a Denon CD player.  BUT, I also bought a Nakamichi
    cassette deck.  I got the extended warranty (= insurance policy) on
    both.  In my reply I used my Nak in haste as an example.  That was
    confusion #1.  Sorry.
    
    Also, I never said that I was going to modify my units.  (Unless
    I accessed this file in a crazed stupor.)  You are probably confusing
    me with the writer of the original topic note.  That was confusion
    #2.
    
    jdr

    Re: .12

    
    The layout was in my head.  Last nite I put the primary components
    together to test my memory - it still works.   I will be glad to
    send you a sketch if you want to do one yourself.
    
    As for burning it in:   I will do it the low stress way, run it
    for several days strait. The parts count is low and most of the
    parts are way over suited to the job (not to mention that most
    had a previous life) so the burn-in is just to see if I screwed
    anything up putting it together (process induced failure).
     
    Walt

    I figure that the main benefit of CD deck burn-in is getting your
    ears used to it.  How else can you tell if the caps modifications
    are doing any good?
    

    
    On invitation, I will compare an unmodified unit (mine) to a modified
    unit.  This will be done after I have burned in my ears and my unit.
    
    						.dave.
    
    ps - Consumers is out of stock.  any other suggestions <170?