Sony SCD-XA777ES Optical Pickup Block Replacement (with photos)

You want to hear something funny?

Let me first say that my XA777ES is in my bedroom system. It's been sitting in the same spot for probably four years. Never moved. So I pulled the player, dusted up the player and the shelf and put the XA777 in my work area. Like Geoff, I left a CD in the player so I got a power cable to fire it up and remove the disc. While it was powered up I thought I would check the unit with SACD's one more time before I operate. Guess what? Every single SACD I feed the player worked!!!!!! WTF!!!!!

The only thing I can think is that when I moved the unit maybe I did something to the optical block? It's not like I tossed or threw the unit on the bench but maybe something got knocked lose when I set the player down? I dont' know....

Any who, I still took the player apart all the way down to the optical block. Pretty straight foward thanks to Geoff's awesome tutorial. Since I had access to the lens I gave it a quick pass with a foam swab. Put everything back together and fired her up. Again, every single SACD I put in plays fine.

So, I think I'm going to sit on the new block until the old one actaully fails someday. Hey, for 40 bucks I least I have a back-up now and I learned how to actually make the rapair myself....

 

what a great result!

 

Another post of thanks, Geoff.

I just taking my unit apart and cleaned the lens. This fixed the problem, at least so far.

I also have the replacement on order but was eager to take things apart.

 

bump.

 

Geoff,
Thanks for the great posting. I also bought a part from ebay from a dealer in China and removed the solder bridge and installed today. Unfortunately, mine gives an error message of "TOC ERROR *". I tried removing the solder more cleanly but no change. I put back my old pick up and it works as usual. It reads some and doesn't read others. Any ideas? I ordered this part from the following link. Would highly appreciate if you could share your opinion.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/17066600319...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1005wt_1194

Regards
HahnSoo

 

Do you have the TOC Error with every disc? Just with hybrid SACDs? Or just with a problematic hybrid SACD that you use for testing?

In my case, replacing the laser pickup fixed most SACD playback problems, but there are still a couple of hybrid SACDs which give a TOC error.

Another idea is that a laser alignment procedure might be necessary with the new pickup (not the case for mine). I think ihis procedure is explained somewhere in this thread.

 

It shows the error message on every disk. I'll try the alignment method you mentioned. Thanks a lot.

 

bump

 

My pickup was replaced by Sony about 8 years ago. The unit works fine since, but for the last 18 months I've had it in storage and only use the 5400 that I bought just before they became hard to find.

 

Did you manage to fix it?

 

Hi,
I found this site today and would like to say a big thank you for the fantastic tutorial.
Iv been having a lot of trouble lately with my XB940 not recognising hybrids.
Like another poster i too have had the lid off before quickly coming to the conclusion that the task would be too much.
I'm in the UK and this company provided my part

http://www.chsinteractive.co.uk/search.html?query=25010GA

My unit is the kh220AAA not the 230 and costs £90. Iv been quoted another £60 for fitting it by a local store so it makes perfect sense to do it myself if i can.

I reckon iv now got the confidence to give it a go so thanks again.

BTW what method do you use to ground yourself ?

Cheers

Andy

 

When I worked on my XA777ES, the local Radio Shack was out of grounding straps, so I took some metal picture-hanging wire, wrapped it around my wrist, then tied the other end to the case of the player.

I'm not sure if it was correct, but I didn't have any problems anyway!

Doug

 

Thanks Doug

Iv done an eBay search and it seems you can get proper ones very cheaply around $3. A simple band with a crocodile clip on the end of the wire.

There are much much more expensive ones advertised. Seems you wire yourself up via the bracelet then plug the other end into the mains......hmmmmm ]

Its the croc for me!

 

Yes - the mains.

 

As a new member ,I was jumping through the pages,when I saw this page.
I would like to attach its service manual for further allingments for testing and settings but unfortunately I failed several times( I don't know why).I can mail it to whom it will be usefull if asked to my email below.
[email protected].
I hope it would be of some help you you.
Cheers.

 

I managed to find the made in Japan optical pickup only for my XA333ES. You can tell it's made in Japan as the protection pot is covered with red sealing paint. The Chinese made ones don't have them. I changed the laser, cleaned the dusty grease and put it all back. Can someone suggest where to buy that white grease originally found on the mechanism?

 

No one??

 

Try eBay, look for Moly-Kote EM-30L. A little goes a very long way.

 

Well, the original optical block in my player finally stopped reading any and all SACD's. Pulled out the block I bought several months ago and swapped them out. Easy as changing a baby's diaper....

Geoff, I noticed that you have balanced connectors on your XA777ES. Was this mod done yourself or by another? Are you happy with the results? Is it truly balanced?

Thanks,
ken

 

The modifications were done many years ago by Ric Schultz (EVS) and it is a hand-made analog stage that is differentially balanced. I was very happy with the results.

I replaced this player with a Sony 5400 about 3 years ago.

 

Hi all.

I also found this thread while looking for solutions for my player not reading the Hybrid SACD anymore (not even seeying them as Hybrid SACD)...

Based on the pics (thanks) I cleaned the lens, took me 20 minutes (the longest was to take the player out of its furniture then back in).

The player is now working the way it should, recognizing the Hybrid SACD and playing them without a problem!

I'm ordering a KHM-230AAA anyway, in order to have it around if the genuine fails.

 

I had to replace the pickup on my XA9000. I don't understand why these have a limited life.

 

Excellent.

 

Go to a hobby shop and ask for some plastic compatible grease. Model trains and RC cars often have plastic gears, and you need to use a grease without lots of solvent additives. Labelle makes a wide range of lubricants for models, and should be easy to find.

 

Hi all,

Just wanted to share a bit information on my recent search for a replacement Laser Assembly for my Sony SCD-XA9000ES.

I was able to find a replacement KHM-230AAA transport on ebay, the item was Under $50 dollars and was sourced from China, shipped from Florida.

After installing the new Assembly I inserted a disc, right away something was wrong, the clamp would not fully hold on to the CD. After opening the player I noticed that the Spindle HUB on the new unit was of a smaller Diameter and also had four holes around the hub (used to access screws that held spindle motor to the assembly.

The original Spindle Hub is larger in Diameter and had no holes, plus the original has a silver metal ring a the center of the hub that is magnetic and helps clamp hold the CD.

Now the picture on ebay did show the correct Spindle Hub, but the unit shipped to me had the smaller one.

I solved this issue by just taking the New Laser and sled parts and transferring them to the old Assembly which contains the motor and spindle hub.

I don't know if I could have just pulled off the spindle hub from the original unit, I didn't want to risk breaking the original hub.

In the end my SCD-XA9000ES is up and running again with no issues and now recognizes any CD/SACD I feed it.

I hope this helps others that were in my need of a new KHM-230AAA, most of the official Sony sites price this item at over $200 dollars.

On another note, I did not have to make any adjustments to the new Laser assembly, it was plug and play.


Motospark.