QuestionHi Kevin,
I have a JVC magazine CD player at home. After the first couple of songs it starts to skip. Can it be that the lazer is dirty? Should I take the cover off and look for that lens and clean it with alcohol and a Q tip? Or will this hurt it or make no difference?
AnswerDear Don,
I never recommend that anyone but a qualified technician open up a laser device--even for cleaning. Yes, you can do what you suggest, but unplug the unit first. That way you won't accidentally activate the laser and potentially cause your eyes damage--it only takes a second or so for a laser to really mess up your eye.
There are mostly likely two causes for your problem. First, as you've guessed, the laser lens may be dirty. You can try and clean it on your own, as we mentioned above, or get a CD player lens cleaner at Best Buy/Circuit City and follow its instructions. Mine's a Maxell and cost about $10.
If that doesn't do the trick, then the drive belt that connects the motor to the CD tray may be out of adjustment. It may also be stretched out of shape. If your player's 5+ years old, and you use it 1-2 hours/day, then it just may need replacing. This has to be done by a qualified repair technician.
There's a slight chance that the laser is out of alignment, but this is rare. If cleaning doesn't work, when you have the drive belt checked, the technician will also check the laser alignment.
Don, I do not any longer recommend the purchase of CD players or changers. I recommend DVD players--even for audio only applications--because the electronics are more advanced (you can play MP3 files for instance) and because they're cheaper. Also, IMHO, there's no appreciable difference in sound reproduction or quality between a DVD player and a CD player.
If the cost of the repair of your JVC changer is $100 or more, consider replacing it with a DVD changer. There are a ton out there that cost $100 or less.
Good luck. And thanks for choosing allexperts.com!
Kindest regards,
Kevin
