Need Help Troubleshooting CD Player

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Rich

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Wondering if you guys can help me troubleshoot an issue with my CD player. I have a Wadia 781i (bought a few years ago from Jeff Dorgay, no less) and it has played flawlessly until recently. I usually left it on all the time, as recommended by Wadia. But I went through a period when I wasn't using it for a few months and turned the power off. Recently, when I turned it back on and tried to play a cd, no sound. Everything appears normal. The cd spins and the timer countdown shows that it is playing. But there is no output, either through the main outputs or the outputs connected to my headphone amp. I checked all the settings, and it should be playing music. I switched it out with my backup cd player, using all the same cords, and the backup player plays just fine. So it is definitely a problem with the Wadia, theoretically with the output stage. I checked the slow blow fuse and it appears to be fine. Anyway, if it was a fuse I would expect there would be no power to the player at all, which is not the case. So I am kind of bewildered as to what the problem might be. I haven't opened it up yet. Before I get in touch with a dealer and/or Wadia customer service, I figured I would throw it out there and see if any of you might have any ideas on it. Thoughts and/or suggestions?
 
Hola Rich... I think, it is a power supply issue. One regulated stage of the unit might not be working and perhaps there is a missing bias voltage for the analogue section. You should try to give Wadia a call regarding your problem. I know the feeling when we have a bad component in our system. You could inspect inside for an open fuse. Use the same fuse value. Sorry about it!
Regards from Costa Rica!
 
Rich, one thing that will help with diagnosis when you call Wadia: connect the digital out of your Wadia (sounds obscene, doesn't it?) to the digital in of your backup player (if you have those with your players), and see if you get sound.
 
Bernard, no I haven't had a chance to try it yet but I am going to. I am also going to hook up a source to the Wadia's other inputs and see if I can get any output from those (which should help determine if it is a problem at the disc interface vs. output stage or power supply). I just need to find some time to work on it in the next few days. Thanks for your suggestions. Once I do these tests, I will call Wadia with all my information and see what they say. If I get really adventuresome, I may just open it up and take a look inside.
 
Rich, one thing that will help with diagnosis when you call Wadia: connect the digital out of your Wadia (sounds obscene, doesn't it?) to the digital in of your backup player (if you have those with your players), and see if you get sound.

Ok, I finally got an inexpensive external DAC to test this. It's a Schiit Bifrost - actually a decent little DAC for the money. At any rate, I ran the test and I do get music just fine through the digital output of the Wadia, but I get nothing through either of the analog outputs. So it looks like the problem is in the analog output stage or the output power supply.

I have been trying to get in touch with Wadia customer support by phone and email, but have had no luck so far. I'm a little concerned, too, as I have been reading some pretty negative things online about their customer support since they got bought out (gee, sound familiar?). And Steve Huntley with GNSC is not an option as he quit that business a few years ago. So what now? Any suggestions or recommendations for qualified repair techs?
 
Rich,

Stupid thought but sometimes, on rare occasions, my Cary locks up.

I simply pull the AC plug, reinsert, the circuits reset and all is good.

Can't you get a recommend from Wadia as to who can work on the unit?

Gordon
 
Rich,

Stupid thought but sometimes, on rare occasions, my Cary locks up.

I simply pull the AC plug, reinsert, the circuits reset and all is good.

Can't you get a recommend from Wadia as to who can work on the unit?

Gordon

Thanks, Gordon. I have turned it off and back on several times. Unplugged and even moved it downstairs to test in the back up system. The problem remains. So far, I haven't been able to speak to a live person at Wadia. Will keep trying.
 
I think Wadia is owned by the same company that owns ARC, so it's surprising that the support is poor.

Have you opened it up to see if there's anything obviously wrong?
 
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I think Wadia is owned by the same company that owns ARC, so it's surprising that the support is poor.

Have you opened it up to see if there's anything obviously wrong?

No, I haven't but I have considered it. I'm not much of an electronics DIY type person, so not sure if it is worth the effort.
 
No, I haven't but I have considered it. I'm not much of an electronics DIY type person, so not sure if it is worth the effort.
Why don't you open it up, take a picture, and post it here?


Hey, wait a minute! I'm asking RICH to take a picture and post it here! :ROFL:
 
I think Wadia is owned by the same company that owns ARC, so it's surprising that the support is poor.

Have you opened it up to see if there's anything obviously wrong?

If that is the case -- and you are desperate ... I would call ARC.... they just might be able to put you in touch with somebody .... just a thought......
 
Something else for you to consider:
Check the volume controls on your Wadia. When you switch off and on the Wadia (I have a Wadia 381i), the volume controls goes back to zero. I thought my analog stage was gone too, and panicked, till I realized and I turned up the volume haha!
 
Something else for you to consider:
Check the volume controls on your Wadia. When you switch off and on the Wadia (I have a Wadia 381i), the volume controls goes back to zero. I thought my analog stage was gone too, and panicked, till I realized and I turned up the volume haha!

Thanks for the thought, but that was the first thing that came to mind. I made sure the volume was at 100. No sound output. Hopefully, I will get some time and gumption soon to open up the case and see if there is anything obviously blown, or maybe some internal fuses.
 
Ok, I got the time and the gumption today and removed the cover. It looks absolutely pristine inside. Boards, components, solder joints all look perfect. Nothing obviously amiss. Output voltage switches set to factory default. No obvious internal fuses. I am all out of ideas. That's as far as I can troubleshoot, as I am not an electrical engineer. I did take some pictures, Bernard, but don't really see any point in posting them. Everything looks in mint condition.

So, I put the top cover back on and took it back up to the main system to test again. I hooked up the digital out to my new DAC and the balanced outs to a different input on the ARC Ref 3 preamp. Turned it on, raised the volume to 100, and played a CD. Same issue. Switching between inputs on the ARC, the CD played just fine from the digital output, but no sound from the analog outputs. Oh well, I give up.

On the bright side, I finally got an email reply back from Wadia/ARC tech support today. So I guess I'll be shipping the unit back to them for troubleshooting and repair.
 
Sounds to me like the system software may have locked-up or perhaps an output relay may be stuck in a mute condition. Are you able to do a factory reset?

Do you get zero output with both balanced and single ended?
 
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Sounds to me like the system software may have locked-up or perhaps an output relay may be stuck in a mute condition. Are you able to do a factory reset?

Do you get zero output with both balanced and single ended?

Correct. Zero output with both balanced and single ended. Everything else works fine. Platter spins, timer counts down, volume can be visually turned up and down. Music plays through digital out. But no sound through analog outs. It does sound like an output relay could be stuck in mute position. I have no clue. It uses a digital volume control. I don't know how to do a factory reset. The ARC tech didn't offer any ideas.
 
Sounds like the DAC chip has had The Bun, as my father would say

Or perhaps a fault in the output stage power supply?
 
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Rich, was it subject to any power outage situation by chance? Nothing silly like the remote's or boxes mute being on?

Since this Wadia is so software intensive, if I had to guess, I'd say it's a software glitch, versus a case of the output stage or PSU crapping out, to me. Not that this makes it any easier for you to attempt to repair it. Having said so, I would do some due diligence and search out a contact for a Wadia dealer familiar with this unit ... perhaps they'll know of any similar situations with this unit and/or could inform you of how to re-boot the computer back to factory default if its user servicable.

Have you tried playing around with different programmable options? Try a bunch of different ones. Especially any that deal with different algorithm settings the unit may offer. I have seen cases where making dramatic setting changes magically fixes what ails her. You could attempt some major setting alterations just for the halibut.
 
Thanks for the thoughts. I don't think it had a power surge. Nothing else was affected. Wadia recommends unplugging it for thirty seconds to reset the software if it locks up. I have done that numerous times. It is definitely not a mute issue. I have cycled through mute settings and volume settings to no avail. I will cycle through the algorithms and see if that has any affect. I could also try to get in touch with a dealer and see if they have any clue.
 

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