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Esoteric Grandioso K1 "Disc Error"

Recently I am getting random Disc Error on my Esoteric Grandioso CD/SACD player. It can play songs but suddenly it stop and show “Disc Error”.   I try different CD and some disc are almost completely new. Sometime it can play for 2, 3 hours without any problem.  But sometime it happen a few times in a listening session (2-3 hours) and it hangs up.   If this happen, I need to open the tray then replay the disc again. But occasionally I can’t even open the tray, it seem like the belt lose it’s strength.    I need to turn off the player,  wait for 30 seconds or a minute then power on again to open the tray.

 

I owned 2 Esoteric CDP before (X-03SE and K-03X), each of them I use almost 5 years without any problem. And this K1 is only 3 years old, I‘m disappointed about this. A friend told me maybe there are some mechanical parts problem on the transport system, it can’t read the disc properly and sometime unable to open the tray.    I will call Esoteric’s distributor next week but want to know if anybody has similar experience, what reason to cause these problems? Thanks.






mmbl622
jafant's avatar
jafant
20,529 posts
 
mmbl622
Thank You for the consultation and follow up to my query.
Happy Listening!
mmbl622 OP
58 posts
 

Esoteric local distributor collect my K1 in early Oct. One week later their service center told me my K1 work normal.  They use about 9 to 10 x CD to test my CDP but without any disc error problem (include SACD). And the tray can open without any problem.  They ask me to give them my own CD to test, then I gave them 5 x CD which has read disc problem. Another week gone, their service center told me my K1 also has no problem to play my own CD.   I feel so surprise about this. Because this is a 3 years old 2nd hand player, I bought this from the original owner about 10 months ago. Esoteric’s distributor told me normally this CDP lens can be used 9000 to 10000 hours if use it correctly. I don’t know how often the original user use it, but I don’t think it use for many thousand hours. Also I really don’t understand why the problem only happen in my home. Because I don’t want the problem happen again when it return to me, finally I ask the service center to replace the new lens and belts for me.  Because it is not in warranty period, I paid about USD 490 for this service (checking, replace new lens and belts, collect it from my home and deliver back to me…).

 

I receive my CDP on 27 Oct and I play about 15 x CD until now, so far I don’t have the same problem. And it seem like it sounds better than before. One of my friend said it is normal because of the new lens.  But I’m still confuse why my K1 has reading disc problem only in my home, but no problem in Esoteirc’ distributor’s service center.   Because more than 50% chance I will get disc error. My friend said maybe there are two reasons:

 

1) The lens is nearly out of work, that’s’ why sometime it work but sometime it out of work. (PS: But I wonder why it has no problem to play 20 x CD at Esoteirc’ distributor’s service center).

 

2) When a CDP (also per-amp) is failure, sometime the problem will be gone if plug out the power cable for a few hours or one day then connect with the player again. This is because some electricity problem on the circuit board.  If this is the case, then I really pay big money……………

 

Any input?


jafant's avatar
jafant
20,529 posts
 
mmbl622

Good to read the update on your K1 player. Enjoy the music.

Happy Listening!
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