Philips CD204 this is a damn serious CD player ladies and gentlemen. Compared side by side it is identical in every detail to a CD104 & CD304. Same mechanism, same chips, same schematics what else more would you expect?.
If you have one collecting dust somewhere - Use it. If you can buy one - DO IT now.
If you don’t know-GOOGLE it!
In this whole player absolutely NOTHING IS MADE OF CHEAP PLASTIC. Not even tray, tracking mechanism, or chassis!
The strongest point of Philips CD204 is in its optic mechanism, the built is brutally insane, insulting to every modern players,it is probably one the best
Philips mechanism ever made, all cast metal, brushless motor, magnetic field swingarm - everything is top notch during 80s era.
I rated the CDM1 more than any of CDM1 MK2, and more than CDM2,later VAM1250 is damn fragile as a shit! 2nd best is CDM4 variant in my opinion which Naim widely use them in their CDS/I series!
The CD204 or CDx04 series designed with an intension to stay with you forever, everything is outclassing the technologies at that time which is also never been beaten by modern popular streaming technology .For serious audiophile folks, with a proper CDP is still the easiest way to enjoy music with analogue alike sounding.
The DC regulators all sit on the gigantic heatsink. Probably the biggest heatsink on any CD player ever done as the TDA chipset demands more current than usual DACs as if you feel this CDP is biased into class A mode, no worry it runs rather warm to touch but the temp is stable and will not burn your finger. Many examples has pass>30years and still going stronger!
Question 1: How to Check Laser diode with your naked eye !
Answer:You can easily check if the laser does not work, CDP models with drawer,
you will see a small red dot on the lens ‘surface after the tray is closed.
Check for it in a dark room. Never watch from the top, always from the sides.
For top loaders, you´ll have to bridge the contact normally bridged by the lid.
The red dot lasts for about 5 seconds, this is the time when the player checks if a new CD was inserted.
You can also use your smartphone´s camera, it displays the full ultraviolet spectrum.
If the dot is not there or faint, the diode is very likely a dead device
Question 2: CDM-0/1 mechanism has difficulties in playing a black Chinese CDs/Burnt CDs. Could it be adjusted somehow?
Answer:
The CDM-1 should play CD-R / CD-RW without problems. however. It doesn't make sense to increase the laser power because
the optical laser power is regulated, adjusting may shift the power band either
to new low or worst high floor(baseline).Do NOT attempt to adjust anything !!!
The
problem is more likely to be with the Aged Philips capacitors on the attached
boards(Look under the laser unit and you will see the "notorius"
3x33uf blue Philips axial capacitors. Replace them with new good quility and
you are good to go).
They
are known to give problems. Replace with new caps of the same ( or similar )
values.
If your CD-Rs are easily
read by other modern CD-Players, I would suggest to - clean the lens & check the laser focus by adjusting the Motor
Spindle height mm so that the CD will be not too close to the optical pick up
must be fine-tuned sui sui one! If need help call a sifu!
(mechanical worn due the spindle height variation -magnetic
cap worn out is also a common reason the
CDM1 becomes picky with discs but can be fixed easily -need Allen key & Digital
meter!).
You must always remember hard the
facts in your tiny brain- it is very, very rare for those Philips optical units
to fail, Height setting of the CD turntable check would be next best thing to
consider!
When well aligned, CDM-1 will read most of CD-Rs, apart from some rare brands and reflection surface colors (strangely, it reads black CD-Rs better than some aqua color types). It will, however, be an exception, not a rule, that it can read rewritable.
A well aligned CDM-1, I mean three adjustments: laser current, spindle height adjustment and radial motor offset(need a scope). But you can also set it accurately even without one. Move the trim pot to the middle position and then turn it either way while a CD is playing and adjust it for the transport to be "happy" i.e. for silent radial motor operation.
Modern Players mostly supplied with these cheap plastic Optic mechanism Bunch of them in today market.
Go back to Basic. Dig the soul out from music!
