Problems with the Mark Levinson 390s CD player - a possible design flaw?

Some time ago I noticed a strange phenomenon with my ML390s player: the volume level was erratic, jumping up and down and not restricted to a particular channel. This seemed to last about forty minutes or so. Afterwards, when I played another disc all was fine.

Since that time the player has behaved itself - until yesterday. It happened again: volume levels jumping up and down, but I have now found the reason why. It happens when I play a disc which has video track playable on a computer.

For some reason when the disc is scanned, the video content upsets the purely audio tracks. Is this to be expected, or is the Levinson especially fussy? I think there a couple of Members here who use the same model of player. Have you noticed the same phenomena?

I should add that if I play the same discs on 'lesser' players, there are no problems.

Hi Barry,
I've only had one issue with my 390, and it was nothing with the symptoms you describe.
I'm not sure if I have any discs that match the one causing your problem.
How would I identify them ? If I've got one I'm happy to give it a spin and advise.
As previously posted, I mostly use mine as a DAC now with an Audiolab 6000 as transport.

Hi David,

The discs that give problems are those which have a video track, usually showing a live performance or a mini-documentary on the making of the disc.

Two examples are: The Rolling Stones 'Totally Stripped', and The Beatles 'Rubber Soul', which has a track 'Rubber Soul Mini-Documentary'.

I think the addition of video tracks is becoming more common with reissues and remasters.

Cheers
Barry

Lots of older players have issues with CDs that don't conform to Red Book standard.

Mainly because non standard CDs didn't exist when they were designed. ML almost certainly bought everything in from Sanyo or Matsushita and just stuck it in their case, same as every non-Japanese company that offered a CD player. Until the Chinese came on the scene.

Thanks Martin. Have you noticed the same effect?

The laser mechanism is a Philips CDM-12 (industrial version), and the DAC uses AD1853 multi-bit sigma/delta devices.

I don't understand how the digital video information can interfere/corrupt the digital audio information.

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Originally Posted by Barry

Thanks Martin. Have you noticed the same effect?

The laser mechanism is a Philips CDM-12 (industrial version), and the DAC uses AD1853 multi-bit sigma/delta devices.

I don't understand how the digital video information can interfere/corrupt the digital audio information.

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Yes got a few vintage players which won't read the handful of 'non-cd cds' I've got.

I don't know what it is specifically they don't like about them though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barry

Hi David,

The discs that give problems are those which have a video track

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Sorry then, I don't think I have any in that format that I can test. Hopefully not a major concern for you, but if so maybe hook up another transport to play those discs ?
I'm sure you'll already be aware but it's nice n easy to toggle between the built in 390 transport and another.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Macca

ML almost certainly bought everything in from Sanyo or Matsushita and just stuck it in their case

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Bit harsh Macca :)
They're beautiful machines. Anything "bought in" will at bare minimum be incorporated using the highest quality braided string and free range, organic chewing gum !

I think they are ones where you can watch the video in a PC but still play the music in a CD player. You can usually identify them by having a small separate section on the outside with a "gap" between the two sections.

Odd behaviour as I think they have all the information needed to play in a CD player but there must be something different about how the ML works compared to most.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stranraer

Bit harsh Macca :)
They're beautiful machines. Anything "bought in" will at bare minimum be incorporated using the highest quality braided string and free range, organic chewing gum !

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Maybe - I like ML gear. I like the looks, I like the build quality. But they bought in their transport and DAC from OEM just like all the non-Japanese companies did - except Philips.