Ticking noise in Audio Research Reference CD7

Thanks Hans for all your help with the CD7. Highly appreciated.

Now this spinning noise (other than the ticking noise that is as it has been before) is almost constant, unless someone here has a better idea, I'd have to take this unit for a repair, hopefully somewhere where I don't have to break my piggy to be able to afford it...
Must admit it's slightly disappointing to have such a high end component fall apart on you so quickly.

All have a good musical weekend.

Amuseb, I checked the on-line manual. As an owner of the ARC CD-8, a $10,000 piece of gear, I would need to have my head examined if I fiddled with the Phillips transport -- or anything else in the CDP innards for that matter. Maybe for someone with experience and training, repairing the CD-7 is a "no brainer." But for me -- if I had concerns, back to the factory the CDP goes. I'm not even sure the problem with your CDP is a job for an ARC service center.

Amuseb, I rarely if ever have posted negative comments on A'gon, but I can't help but being surprised this OP has gone on so long. Unless you have experience and training, and after having checked the Phillips manual, I am puzzled why you want to fiddle with the CD-7. It's an expensive piece of gear that still commands respect in the audio world. I gather that Euro repair costs are expensive. Sorry to hear that. But there's an expression used in the States that goes, "cheap can be expensive."

Sorry to harp here, but I realize that I answered your OP about dropping a 6550 tube into the CD-7 power supply. Again, I am surprised. As I said in your other OP, I used to own the upgraded CD-7. The upgrade calls for a 5881 tube in the power supply. Why would you drop the wrong tube into the player unless you checked first with the factory??? Maybe the Euro upgrade is different if your country line current is 220v???? Or maybe the fcatory said ok. If so, my apologies in advance.

I have an idea. If the Phillips transport can be easily pulled without messing with mechanical or electronic connections, perhaps it would make sense to either order a new transport and drop it in, or if that is too expensive, just send the transport back to the ARC factory in the States or maybe the Phillips factory in Europe.

Sorry to wax on and on here, but I have great respect and pride for the American workmanship that goes into making ARC products. As I said above, it's a shame to fiddle with a fine instrument like the CD-7 if you are not trained and experienced.

I sincerely apologize if I am coming off judgmental and negative. I mean no disrespect. I just love ARC gear -- that's all.

Cheers

bifwynne, thanks for your feedback...

I don't think that taking off the cover screws with a Philips screwdriver then doing the same with 4 screws of the plate and then to the 4 Torx screws of the transport plastic cover is calling for substantial engineering background. I have not fiddled with anything further nor I had in mind to do so.

And yes, I'm disappointed that such a unit after a few thousands of hours falls apart.

And yes, I'm also disappointed that I have to pay for the power supply upgrade which is a design failure of ARC, as explained to me personally by Calvin.

And yest, the costs of repair out of warranty in France, where I live, are outrageous and I think this is another failure of ARC to not be able to control the behavior of the people who represent them over seas. This isn't what I'd expect from a market leader towards its customers.

And the worst part of the failure, more even than the cost, is having to send the unit somewhere for repair which takes a long turn around time and in the meantime I just can't listen to music.

Bottom line, I love how the CD7 sounds but I think some aspects here, both commercial and technical, cold have been handled in a more customer friendly manner.

Sorry for being grumpy at your beloved manufacturer but this is what I'm feeling.

Enjoy the music.

Sorry, forgot the 6550 matter...

This idea came to me from people who have actually done it. I'm by no means an expert who would have come with such a thought from scratch.
Your posts on my other thread indeed put the doubt in my mind and I'm verifying if indeed this is possible to do.

Again, I had no intention of bypassing the instructions coming from the big leader.

Cheers.

PS
I'm married to an American lady hence know and respect all that is American workmanship, culture, etc (maybe excluding the food...).

Amuseb, sorry if I came off as the "Ugly American." Sorry also about your trouble.

My experience in the States is that the ARC organization has bent over backwards to provide excellent service and support. Check my thread where I passed along a situation where my amp, still under warranty, had a blown bias resister. ARC sent the local authorized service rep to my home that night and fixed the amp in 45 minutes. My cost -- zero! I tipped the tech for his coutersy. Some service, huh??

I suggest that you call Cal back and tell him what's going on. I know he'll do what he can to help out. Unfortunately, your problem is that you live across the pond so to speak and that complcates everything and makes even the ordinary cost $$$$.

Please report back how you make out. Tell Cal that Bruce sends his regards and ask if the timing has changed regarding when ARC will start doing the Ref 5 SE upgrade. LOL

Cheers and good luck.