Let's Fix: Sony D-15 High End Discman

[@slotfox]

Hey sjm4306: Have an old D-150 from 1990, always kept an eye on it but somewhen I got the problems described: player stopped to play after 30 seconds, couldn´t change tracks anymore etc. Broght it to a "specialist" some 15 years ago, paid him to repair but he left it with the problems and I forgot about it. I have no clue about those players and how they work exactly but today I saw your video, found the old player, opened it, found the mentioned middle gear seized and ..... repaired it. It runs again and still sounds as 1990! You made my day! Thanks a lot for your video! 👌🏻

[@sjm4306]

I love hearing success stories like this!

[@Sammmmmmmm617]

We need more Walkman/Discman videos lol. I'm in love with them

[@tnarch]

Your video just now helped me fix one i bought with defective gear. I had one with serious skipping issues, but found another one for 20 euros and i took the risk buying it. It seemed to work but had no movement to its laser. I figured out that the middle gear was stuck and it broke into pieces when i pressed it a little. The same gear from the one i had from before was perfect, i cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol, and after lybricating it i placed it with care to the new one. Now it works perfectly, and i have one as spare... :-)

[@adamh8433]

Thanks for this video! My D25 would also power on, but wouldn't play. Sure enough, the same plastic cog was seized. I was able to get to the frozen cog by removing just the power supply board/battery compartment. The C clip was easy to remove, but much harder to reinstall, but in the end 'Success'. My D25 is playing again!!

[@sjm4306]

I love a good success story!

[@StereoMike06]

A big thank you! Dusted off my D-25 and was real bummed the sled would not move. Cleaned and lubed the track but no go, did not think to check the reducer gear which was the culprit! Man that tiny plastic ring was a pain to get back on as I did not want to remove any boards! All is working perfect now and forgot how good this old player sounds even with 300 ohm HD-650's

[@sjm4306]

Happy to hear your d25 sings yet again!

[@chrissdavey]

It’s always a great moment when you get it to power up for the first time!

[@sjm4306]

Never gets old!

[@perzi6019]

Thanks for the guide. I just restored my D-250. It was enough to remove the power board to get access to the stuck gear.

[@AptosStation]

I have been going through old stuff today and came across my Sony D-15, which I believe I have not played in 25 years. It appears to be fine except for the frozen gear described in your video. Mine is in beautiful shape and has never been out of the house. I have all the manuals and accessories. AC Adapter , RM-DM1K Wireless Remote Control CPA-1 Car Cassette Adapter Carrying Case with Strap Add on BP-100 Rechargeable Battery Thank you for posting your video. I will follow your instructions to free up the frozen gear.

[@georgeneofytou7270]

He does not show you how to free up the gear and replace it. Poor show for anyone with this specific issue

[@sjm4306]

Couldn't risk disintigrating the fragile gear to get the close up footage especially given how finicky it is and at the time I made this video there were no aftermarket replacements available (luckily there are now). In either case the service manual (easily googleable) shows exactly how to remove the gear. Lastly, you are free to make your own repair video showing exactly what you want, that'd be far more helpful than complaining about a five year old video on a rare device.

[@dustinzilbauer7582]

I owned the Sony D-25, which was released a year after this unit, in 1989. I worked a summer job that year to buy it for $300. It was nearly identical to your unit. I think the main difference was a 4X oversampling digital filter. The build quality of these discmans was unmatched for the time. The sound quality was very good but it lacked any kind of bass boost and the sound quality of earbuds for the time period tended to be very tinny with very little low-end at all, but they went VERY loud and sounded great hooked up to a home audio system.

[@AttilaTheHun333333]

Thank You so much for making this video and for sharing your knowledge. I bought this exact same discman and it had the same problem. I’m really happy with it. I also want to build a battery with your video to it. Thank You again!

[@kingtiger4444]

HI, I got a non working D150 today to keep as spare parts for my working D150. I had a look inside to see if I could fix it ,after a few minutes I knew it wasn't the laser so I had a look online and found your video..... fixed! thanks

[@JasonMcFly]

I've had a lot of vintage Discmans, the older ones all do that thing where you can still hear audio when the volume is all the way down. Weird and kinda cool imo. It's not your headphones, haha. You should get some nice audiophile headphones if you don't already have some. The vintage Discmans are well regarded for their sound. I have a few that don't work or partially work. Your videos are inspiring me to crack 'em open and have a look!

[@heavyunhealthy614]

Many thanks for the amazing video! Started to fix my D-150, and sure enough the problem lies into the notorious middle cog. I managed to remove the c-clip intact but the cog crumbled. Just ordered a replacement, fingers crossed!

[@heavyunhealthy614]

Well, just dropped by to state that I successfully restored my D-150! Many thanx for the video man!

[@Mike-nf6nf]

I just got in a D-15 this week. It lights up but the laser is in the far position and doesn't move back. I'm going to remove the old grease and apply some white lithium grease later today. Thanks for the video footage of the D-15's interior!

[@sjm4306]

Your welcome, and good luck getting your D-15 back up and running!

[@Mike-nf6nf]

@@sjm4306 I just got it opened up and cleaned off the worm gear of its old grease. Applying white lithium grease and 3-in-One oil to it shortly. Does the small power supply PCB come out easily for you? I'm having trouble getting it out after removing the 2 small silver screws holding it in.

[@Mike-nf6nf]

I got it to play a CD! But it doesn't always spin up the disc. There's some glitchiness, possibly from playing it upside down. I'm not sure what keeps the disc motor from not moving sometimes. Maybe it needs a tiny drop of oil? It sounds NICE, as you know already. The DAC is a Burr Brown PCM60P.

[@sjm4306]

I was able to wiggle the power board out (though I don't remember specifically how). The motor not spinning isn't due to anything mechanical, it's the laser not detecting the disc. If it plays upside down but not rightside up and skips a lot then that's a hint that the caps have gone bad or the calibration gains in the laser/motor servo circuits need to be tweaked. Additionally I found my lid detect switch was quite dirty and needed to be cleaned or it wouldn't turn on half the time because it thought the lid was open.

[@Mike-nf6nf]

@@sjm4306 It's working a lot better today! I can use it upright and the CDs spin. Maybe the first disc had issues with it. The only problem now is the constant noise. I can't tell if it's from the CD scraping against the player, or the plastic piece underneath the lid which rotates and clamps the disc in place. Should I apply lithium grease or another lubricant to the inside of the rotating plastic clamp?

[@joaotiagomendonca4245]

Post more videos like this i love this kind of content !!! Thanks guy !!!

[@sjm4306]

Thanks, I'll try and find more broken stuff to fix.

[@coltonmanthei2655]

Agreed

[@retrodonut1185]

The discman I couldn't obtain as a kid growing up haha, I can just remember the skipping of cds when your parents go over a bump in the back of the car.

[@sjm4306]

I remember having cargo pants with big side pockets to hold my cd player on one side and a couple of cds and spare batteries on the other. Man those were the days.

[@retrodonut1185]

sjm4306 ha! Yes the cargo pants with zip shorts option

[@sjm4306]

I had two pairs of those zip pants and wore them till they started getting holes.

[@voenixrising]

Oh great...now I want one of these to add to my collection!

[@Shamus71]

Back in the day I had one of these, a D9, D25 and a D555.. wish I kept that one around.

[@sjm4306]

Yeah, at the very least the D555 would've been a keeper for sure.

[@RobiticDuck]

His voice is so soothing

[@HEPATCA]

I believe the D9 and D15 use the same wall transformer, 9VDC @ 1A. Center pin NEGATIVE which is kindof unusual. Also note that most coaxial power plugs have a smooth inner bore, but the discman jack used two springs on the inside to grip with the center conductor pin. That's why your power connection is a bit temperamental.

[@sjm4306]

Ah that explains it, I'll have to see if I can source the same plug from the original adapter or design something custom to more reliably work than what I currently use.

[@punarny1]

Fantasic video. I have a D250 and bought a LIPO off Ali Express which works great but my sled is stuck too. Just going to remove the back and see if some penetrating lube will work instead of tackling that dreaded C clip.

[@sjm4306]

Just be careful that whatever lube you use is plastic safe and doesn't contain petroleum products as the gears are notoriously brittle/sensitive to crumbling.

[@punarny1]

Thank you. I got it working 😊. Your video was key thanks for posting 👌🏻. I moved the gear with my finger to start with, it was stiff then sprayed WD40 on and almost instantly the gears started moving. Give it a few more drops and sorted. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@sjm4306]

I like hearing happy endings to repairs

[@ceciljowers3795]

I have a wireless remote for mine along with a base and flexable mount for it to fit in my car. I think I have a battery also. My d15 shows signs of a lot of use. It turns on now but I think I need to recap and clean the mechanism.

[@janczajka6749]

Thanks to Your video I have managed to get my D-150 to work, thanks! The middle gear was stuck, just like in yours, I lost the C clip though... Ordered the smallest ones off AliExpress, hope they'll fit. However, mine has a problem with volume control potentiometer, makes cracking noise when moved and heavy distortion when on minimum. Once I get the c clips and some proper grease I'll open it again and try to remove the top PCB to gain access to volume control. In the meantime I'd like to make a custom battery, but with the ability to charge through the player. Do you think some Li-Po battery with built in protection would be enough to safely put it there, or do I have to design some additional circuits? On the side note, mine also seems to have been opened before, but it lacks the additional small PCB yours have... Wonder what it might be for. Side note 2 - it's loud! I'll have to invest in some higher impedance headphones, since my Brainwavz HM5 are almost too loud on minimum volume. Sounds great though.

[@sjm4306]

For the lipo if you'd like to both charge and use it while in the battery compartment things get a little complicated. First of course you'd need to integrate a lipo charging circuit inside the battery to handle safely charging the lipo. Additionally you'll need a sort of changeover circuit to detect charging to disconnect the battery and connect it through the charger module. Likewise when it's not charging it should disconnect the charger module and instead directly connect the battery. The reason why this is necessary is most lipo charger modules aren't bidirectional so the battery output and charger input terminals are separate and cant be shorted together.

[@JimmyEng]

I lost my c-clip as well. If your AliExpress order worked, would me mind putting the details of the item/part I should order?

[@fernandoeacastro]

Love your channel. Awesome work.

[@sjm4306]

Thanks, glad you enjoy it!

[@tengoretrotengoretro2882]

@sjm4306 Great video! I was curious, there is a c-shaped piece of metal that partially blocks the middle gear (and fully blocks the front of the worm gear). You didn't show the actually pulling off of the gear. How did you do it with the c-shaped piece of metal partially blocking the middle gear? Did you bend or remove that piece of metal before pulling the gear off?

[@sjm4306]

Thanks, iirc I somehow removed the metal piece non-destructively (I dont remember having to bend anything so it was probably just clipped on).

[@hwntwww]

I wish I cd do this stuff- I love these discmen.

[@matthewwhiting6191]

just bought one of these accidentally in not working/for parts condition where the seller said it sometimes played. i hope its this simple

[@yiorgossalonikidis844]

great video thank you. I just found my old Sony D-15 in a box that has not been used for 30 years. I realized that it will not power up with just any DC 9v adaptor. Seemed to worked with a SONY DC 9v 60Hz 10W 600mA (might have been the original) It powers up and recognizes the tracks but will not play (no sound) so I am guessing it has the same issue as yours with the seized gear. I am afraid fixing it might be beyond my abilities any suggestions for Toronto/Canada? I think it will be worth spending a few $ to get it working as they dont seem to make them that solid any more. Thank you

[@sjm4306]

I'm in the states so unfortunately cant really directly help, but I'm subbed to a fellow youtuber who I'm pretty sure is in Canada, 12Voltvids. He does similar repair videos and does commissioned repairs for viewers so it's worth reaching out to him to see if he can help.

[@yiorgossalonikidis844]

@@sjm4306 will do thank you

[@onyx2002]

Great Video,, I have a sony D-35 /D-350 that spins up , but skips badly and/or won't read the disc at all unless held at a 45 degree angle or upside down. I purchased a new spindle motor on the advice I got from forums etc.. But now reconsidering based on your success with replacing capacitors. Luckily i havn't started yet, and found the service manual and schematics. I am proficient in soldering etc.. Question -> is the motor able to spin easier upside down or at an angle thus not requiring the extra buffer from the capacitors.. that seems to make sense ? Could you elaborate .. Any advice greatly appreciated as I absolutley love these vintage Discman ... Thanks

[@sjm4306]

It's almost 100% not the motor, but the caps. The problem is bad caps decrease in capacitance and the compensator circuits for laser tracking are dependent on those caps to function properly. The reason why it works at an angle or upside down is you are changing the effect of gravity, which is changing the nominal starting point for the compensators so that they become within working range with the bad caps in the circuit. To properly fix this you really do need to swap out all caps and give the board a good clean in case any electrolyte leaked out.

[@nomsg7942]

love the content! do u do repair submissions for the d-15? turns on and spins but laser cant seem to find the track, just hear it “hunting”. 🙏🏽 thanks for ur content

[@mypeeps1965]

Cant wait for the update video for the battery and the wireless.....way too much fun..Love it!

[@sjm4306]

I've started modeling the 3d printed part for the lipo replacement battery so hope to have a prototype within a week or so.

[@jjyst5]

another good fix. wondering if you have any idea where to get a replacement middle gear. thanks.

[@sjm4306]

Last I checked there were sellers on aliexpress and ebay who sold replacement gears for a range of discman models. They weren't cheap from what I remember but given it's an obsolete/niche part that's to be expected.

[@ceciljowers3795]

I just saw replacement gears on Ebay for about 20 bucks.

[@sjm4306]

That's certainly good to hear but still very expensive. I've got an sla resin 3d printer, I wonder if there's a tough enough resin I could print my own with?

[@tooshort418]

I just bought one for 20 bucks 🤪 seems to power on and seems to acknowledge CDs but it doesn't actually play then, with a screechy noise coming when headphones are used. Any idea where I can look to?

[@sjm4306]

Bad electrolytic caps 100%, swap them all with new ones

[@tooshort418]

@@sjm4306 also noticed the middle gear for the laser, like the one you replaced in the video is looking quite green in the center, leakage maybe?

[@sjm4306]

That would be the lubricating grease they added.

[@devinbrines]

Hi, a capacitor broke off of the circuit board of my Discman. Connected to the capacitor was also a small black piece which allowed the capacitor to connect to the circuit board. Together the black piece and capacitor broke off clean from the board. Do you know if it's possible to repair the unit, perhaps by glueing or soldering the black piece back to the circuit board? Or by another means? Thanks.

[@sjm4306]

The black piece is only a plastic base and not required for the cap to function properly. If the cap broke off it's likely it leaked and corroded the metal legs that connected it to the pcb. To fix it you should first clean the spot around the cap with some isopropyl alcohol, and then you can solder a new cap on (with the same voltage and capacitance rating as the original one, and make sure to match the polarity, the negative/positive sides should be marked on the pcb silkscreen).

[@LogicWheels]

Hi, I bought this D-15 back in 1986 and still have it, together with the original power adapter. Of course the battery is dead so I am wondering if you ever made that 3D battery design to contain a LiPo with charge circuit? Would love to get it as I don't have the old battery as an example anymore.

[@LogicWheels]

Never mind, found the links in your other video about the D-15. Great stuff. Thanks!

[@benchiang8235]

Are the battery adapter same for this model and D-9? If so it's gonna be cool to use the adapter of the other one too!

[@kmare]

Prices gone up like crazy - just paid $160 for non working D25 on ebay (Nov 2021); Mint D35 paid about $200 (Aug 2021)

[@sjm4306]

Yeah I haven't bought any vintage audio hw in quite awhile due to prices jumping. An already expensive hobby has turned even less affordable.

[@coltonmanthei2655]

Yass! This is the best! More! Seriously though this an awesome video, very interesting, keep it up

[@nomsg7942]

great video! i jus found one at a thrift store, however it needs a replacement laser, would anyone know what that part number would be called? which laser?

[@sjm4306]

If I had to guess, the laser is more likely fine but it's the caps in the focus/tracking circuit that have gone bad, thus preventing the laser from seeing the disc.

[@nomsg7942]

@@sjm4306 so it turns on, spins the disc, and i can see and hear the laser head hunting, but also, i tried what u did on thr D-8 video, where u pushed the laser all the way back to see if itll go back to the beginning, and it didnt go back to beginning.

[@nomsg7942]

@@sjm4306 my 2 repair guys i usually go to both think its the laser, but i have a feeling they are just being lazy cuz they didnt even bother opening the unit. ill gladly pay u to have u take a look if u have the time and are willing! 🙏🏽

[@sjm4306]

ah that hints that the gear is stuck just like mine which is preventing the laser from moving (which is obviously necessary for it to read the disc). This can go one of two ways, a simple job of removing the middle gear/cleaning/relubricating or worst case the gear is so fragile with age it cracks and a replacement gear will cost ~$30 ordered from china.

[@nomsg7942]

@@sjm4306 with ur guidance, i mustered enough courage to open up the unit, and discovered indeed it is that gear! and its definite old and the teeth is really brittle, would u happen to have a link to product page of that gear? or what its called so i can purchase online? thanks so much! i cant believe both my guys that i usually go to both misdiagnosed the issue as the pickup lazer.. smh, regardless.. i really appreciate ur help!

[@gennijames2338]

Just found my own d-15 and it had the same exact sticky issue with the gears, problem is the middle gear was so rotted it fell apart. Not giving up yet, since that seems to be the only issue now, but I have no idea where to buy a gear this specific.

[@sjm4306]

I saw one seller on aliexpress selling replacement gears for discmans, wasnt cheap from what I remember (iirc $15-20 a gear) but that may be your only source.

[@ceciljowers3795]

@@sjm4306 I have a Sony d15 that skips at times. I also have the ac power supply, the remote control with the sensor, the case, and base for mounting it in a car. I may still have an extra battery for it if I did not throw it away.

[@sjm4306]

Could be the caps are aging and getting just out of tolerance with what the servos need to work properly

[@nomsg7942]

hey Genni! same issue here, were u able to find the part?

[@sjm4306]

Here's a site Colin from this does not compute found that still sells the gears www.chinahao.com/product/527971137581/

[@SpockThePain]

I found my old D-25 and it would only play the first 30 seconds of track 1. I tried to clean the nylon gears and broke the center gear trying to remove it. Getting another gear must be almost impossible. The spindle is stiff too. It might still be usable for parts though.

[@sjm4306]

Oof, that sucks. A better alternative to scrapping another dead discman just for the gear would if someone with a good gear made a mold of it in silicone and then could cast replacements in a tough resin. Alternatively it may be possible to CAD model it and 3d print it in nylon like material using an industrial sla printer.

[@SpockThePain]

@@sjm4306 I was an idiot for underestimating how fragile these gears would be. First I'm attempting to glue it together where it is cracked. But the teeth are buggered too I think. If that doesn't work I have a saved search on ebay for a non working D-25 (are there compatible models?) Eventually I might get one. I was looking at a custom gear making comoany but I saw a comment they estimated to someone 1500 for a custom gear!

[@benchiang8235]

Maybe you could find a replacement optical block and then duplicate all the gears ? The easiest way that came up to my mind since people don't usually sell gear separately.

[@DerekADempsey]

I just bought a Sony D9 online with no charger. I tried to use a 9v charger that’s used for boss guitar pedals, it’s giving me spin, but no disc-read or backlight. There’s also a static interference in the headphones. Do I need a certain type of 9v charger? Thanks.

[@sjm4306]

Sounds more like the capacitors inside went bad.

[@DerekADempsey]

@@sjm4306 are the fixable or worth fixing?

[@sjm4306]

Yep, just need to desolder the old electrolytic caps and solder new ones with the same values.

[@AnykaCalin]

Hi there , I have an issue with my d-15 , seams like the problem is there’s no red light into the laser , other then that everything works well , laser moving back and forth even up and down trying to read the disc , any idea what could be wrong with it. I really appreciate if you can give me the advice. Thanks in advance .

[@sjm4306]

Sounds like the laser is very weak or completely dead. The wavelength is neat infrared so you should be able to see an little reddish purple light from the lens (dont look directly into it of course, but from an obtuse angle). The problem is getting a replacement will now be next to impossible other than scavenging from another working discman with the same laser.

[@sethwilliams6374]

I have D-15 in pristine condition. not a scratch. owned since new in '88. have all parts and original box. But, same issue - plays about 20 seconds of 1st track and stops reading. you can hear it hunting, but does not reengage. would be great to get it running. thoughts?

[@sjm4306]

It's very highly likely the middle gear in the laser sled drive mechanism is seized like on just about every other discman from the era I've fixed. There is also a chance that it could be bad capacitors.

[@aerotraveldji]

Well, I learned something!

[@tnarch]

Good evening, how is the sound quality compared to newer desktop cd players? Is it worth to give money for this or for a newer model? Thx!!

[@sjm4306]

A more modern high end cd deck will tend to have better reliability and more outputs including opticial/coax digital out. In terms of analog audio out though these vintage high end portable cd players are really good, with insanely low noise floor and they sound great when paired with a good set of headphones or a good amp and speakers. It really depends if you want something small or something large. In comparison to more modern portable cd players though (anything made late 90's and on) there's no comparison in terms of quality.

[@tnarch]

@@sjm4306 thanks a lot my friend for the answer!

[@Whisper119.]

Hey, I just lost my c clip :( Do I just have a paper weight now or is there something I can do to keep the gear from falling out of place?

[@Whisper119.]

Or any cheap discman models that I can source the clip from?

[@sjm4306]

I'm sure they sell tiny replacement c clip kits with a bunch of different sizes available. Worst case though you probably could cut a primative one out of thin plastic using a pin and exacto knife.

[@Whisper119.]

Thank you. Im gonna try to make one and if I can’t then I’ll take a look online. Your fix worked on my D-25, I just lost the dang clip. Thank you for your video, it’s helped resurrect something I had no idea I’d be able to get to work again

[@ceciljowers3795]

I took apart my Sony D15 and the middle gear was stuck and crumbling. It was broke in half with little effort. Also had 2 broken teeth. I saw on here a chinese source but looked at the site and got lost looking. If it is there is is not easily found. Anyone know a part number for it. I think the big gear was 33 teeth and the smaller was 17 though with my eyes I could be mistaken.

[@TitoMariategui]

Same thing happened to me with my d-25, the plastic gear broke so easily when I tried to remove it. Did you buy a new replacement gear already? if you can recommend me a seller, I'd appreciate it!

[@tnarch]

good evening and thx for the fix .... i have the same disc player, in excellent condition, however it skips ... it has tracking issues and jumps all the time. is there any kind of fix for that?

[@sjm4306]

Relubricate the sled rails/gears and check caps for leakage

[@tnarch]

@@sjm4306 thx for the answer! However i have lubricated it and i dont see any issues with the cups. Everything seems correct… i tried to gently adjust the pots but no luck. I have read that the mirror of the lence may be dirty but i have no idea what it is and how to get there…

[@sjm4306]

It could still be the caps even if they haven't visibly leaked, they can dry out drastically decreasing their capacitance

[@tnarch]

@@sjm4306 thx !! I will check it!!

[@ceciljowers3795]

What kind of lubricant did you use on the gears and mechanism?

[@sjm4306]

I used white lithium grease, but probably a light machine oil would be better

[@id_you_tube]

Hi @sjm4306. I have a very nice d25. Unfortunately the gear cracked when I tried to pull it off. The other 2 gears move freely . Slider was lubed and works great. Where can one get a replacement middle gear. I assume buy another d25 on eBay selling for parts? Thanks...

[@sjm4306]

There used to be a few sellers on ebay and aliexpress who sold aftermarket replacements for around $30 a piece (not cheap but still better than scavenging from another discman) but haven't checked in awhile.

[@id_you_tube]

Hi @sjm4306 I finally got a replacement gear from a Chinese source. The gear looks good. Someone else asked how you get past that metal C ring in front of the gear. You said it popped out. I can’t get it to budge. Do you remember any more details on how you got the metal c ring off without damaging or bending it? There’s no way to get the gear in there without removing the metal c ring.

[@sjm4306]

Turn the clip so the gap is towards you and use something kinda sharp like a needle/pin/small screwdriver to carefully pry at the gaps near the botton of the clip. I'd suggest putting some cloth/bluetack on the clip's bottom to catch the clip when you get it off so it doesn't ping off. To reattach you'll need some small needlenose pliers to squeeze from the top and force the clip into the groove of the metal shaft.

[@id_you_tube]

@@sjm4306 Hi sjm. Thanks for the response. I got the clip off (it is going to be crazy hard to get it back on). I have the gear in place and i rotated it a few times and the sled moves. How do you get the little o washer back on? Does it slide back on or do you put it on like a washer into a screw?. I tried several times with tweezers and almost lost it a few times. It is insanely small.

[@sjm4306]

Try using something like a pair of tweezers and the eraser end of a pencil. Use the tweezer to position the clip and the eraser to apply pressure forcing it onto the metal shaft. You may have to slightly spread open one end of the split on the clip to get it started. It's trial and error in the end but just go slow and be careful and it'll get back into place eventually. Good luck!

[@ericbaier]

621 "Um's" & "Ah's". New record.

[@sjm4306]

... damn I swore I was over 9,000 ...

[@therealseanmay]

just got sent a d-25 by my aunt but the disc does not spin up, I suspect a faulty or dirty laser

[@sjm4306]

Check the laser sled can move along the rail first. More than half of these old discmans I've fixed had stuck laser heads but the laser itself works just fine.

[@ianhaydock5988]

I have the sled drive problem with a D-250 and the cog on the sled drive motor is broken. Anyone know where to get spares please?

[@sjm4306]

Ebay and aliexpress have spare gears for these models.

[@ianhaydock5988]

@@sjm4306 thanks for that!

[@MrGateKing]

You think a 3d printed battery cover would work alright for one of these? Someone is offering me one of these for about the same price you paid for yours. I might have one soon.

[@sjm4306]

Given the size of the original battery cover, a 3d printed cover may have some flex to it but should work fine.

[@johnlomasney7632]

wish i could do a service like that ?.

[@jd_99]

Question: How do you actually get teh clip off?

[@sjm4306]

A pair of tiny screw drivers or pins, lots of patience and just watch out for it pinging off.

[@jd_99]

@@sjm4306 Hmmm OK, there didn't look like much to get any kind of hold against... I'll probably try doing it in a bag or something. Thanks

[@jeffl7864]

Did you ever make the battery?

[@sjm4306]

Sure did kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmTMZmSuo9SFrq8

[@jayzhou2131]

hello, just curious, where did you get this

[@sjm4306]

Ebay

[@yulliam4571]

the pinion in the video that makes the laser go up and down, you know where I can get a replacement

[@sjm4306]

Unfortunately the only viable replacements would come from other broken discmans by this point. I don't know of any new-old stock sources or aftermarket replacements.

[@jonathanbailey6048]

Successfully determined my D-15 had a seized middle gear. Went to remove it and it was so brittle it snapped. Anyone have any idea on where to find a replacement (other than another unit smh..)

[@sjm4306]

There are replacements available on ebay ( ebay.us/wtKEnH ), kinda expensive though for a plastic gear but I guess it's a niche product so they get away with raising the prices quite a bit.

[@jonathanbailey6048]

@@sjm4306 just picked one up on eBay. Thanks for the tip. It was around 20 bucks with shipping but my D-15 was only 10 at a garage sale so all in 30 bucks? Not bad!

[@sjm4306]

Dude a D-15 for $10 is an absolute steal! Wait till you hear it sing!

[@jonathanbailey6048]

Update! -my replacement gear will arrive tomorrow. What silicone lubricant would you recommend for the post the gear sits in?

[@sjm4306]

You can use the kind made for electric razors/hair shavers. Let me know how it goes.

[@pootnannies]

it goes for like $135 for a busted unit currently on ebay. i wanted one of these but they've shot up in price.

[@sjm4306]

Prices for most things I like to collect have shot up like crazy in the past year.

[@id_you_tube]

I did manage to save the ring.

[@audioramplify]

How to get an o ring?

[@bryanuecker4335]

Bin looking for a original charger for this one, but cant find one, do you have any code or nr. on the charger your using?

[@sjm4306]

I believe the adapter is 9V (probably 500mA or more should be plenty). You'll have to double check polarity but pretty much any 2.5mm jack diameter adapter with those specs will work. For testing in this video I rigged up a lithium battery to a boost converter. Since making this video I 3d printed my own rechargeable internal battery.

[@bryanuecker4335]

@@sjm4306 I have a original 9v charger, but the plug does not fit and i cant find any specs on the D-15 what size i need. I will have to look in to your videos. Thanks.

[@sjm4306]

I think it was 2.5mm inner diameter x 5.5mm outer diameter, I can check when I get home

[@ceciljowers3795]

My original charger was 9v 600mA. It says AC-940. The diagram shows the center is negative on the jack.

[@davidhenderson9197]

I've just picked up a sony d-99 which won't spin/read the discs. I've freed off the middle gear but still no luck. Any ideas?

[@sjm4306]

The fact that it wont even try to spin the disc points to maybe a power supply problem. I'd check all capacitors and inspect for corrosion on the board.

[@davidhenderson9197]

@@sjm4306 thank you for the reply. 👍 There don't appear to be any corrosion on the board but I haven't checked the caps. Where did you get the replacement caps from?

[@sjm4306]

I have a random collection of caps I've ordered from digikey/mouser over the years on top of ones I've desoldered and tested from stuff I've taken apart.

[@davidhenderson9197]

I so want to get this fixed. If I can't do it myself I'll try and find someone local who can 👍

[@michaelbaron7778]

Can you fix my D25 Sony discman? Same problem with sled.

[@sjm4306]

Sorry due to the rarity/expense of these discmans and how brittle the gears tend to be I'm hesitant to try fixing someone else's for fear I cant or worse would break it even more.

[@nataliapalomomacias7208]

Wow

[@fga1971-y7u]

I was wondering if you could fix my Sony d15? Let me know how I could pay for your service.

[@ceciljowers3795]

I found a source for the gear in China. It was not cheap. The shipping was more than the part.