Levinson No 39 fussy about cds

Very old CD player- it's telling you it's had its day. The drive mechanism does wear out

great machine way back when 

BTW- few companies support products more than 5 year after its discontinued

starting back in 2005, the record labels began watermarking CDs to prevent so-called piracy? This plays (no pun) a big part on the newer CD vs. older cd player front.

Thanks for the leads...I think I'll start with the cleaning...dusty and salty here on the coast.  However, I suspect it's the encoding given how selective the problem is...still plays 99.99% of my catalog without fail.

Mark

Harman is never any help :(

what are the (2) authorized ML repair centers?

Keep me posted & Happy Listening!

dorrman8-

update?

Thanks for checking in.  Have not yet cleaned the lens...will post when I have a result

mark

TY- Mark.

Yes, I do have a ML390S which was upgraded from a ML39, so the transport was not changed, not part of the upgrade i.e. still the original ML39.
The unit I'd purched in 1996, and lo and behold it started to play up as YOU, OP described.
So what was wrong?
The LASER was on its way out, getting to 'weak' to read double layer SACD/CDs AND on its way out, also starting to touch and mark/scratch many of my CDs. BAD!

One additional thing I found out of late, after the successful laser replacement, that the small 'plastic spider centering hub' which was originally used on the motor spindle of the ML39 had gotten 'tired' too, and split in half.

Newer Philips transport versions seem to have replaced this rather fragile centering hub with either a solid plastic or Alu part.

So it is of interest to have this also addressed when a new laser unit is fitted.

Laser unit life seems to peter out after 15-20 years, so mine lasted short of 26 years... 

I hope this helps, and I do hope you'll find a reasonable repair arrangement!
Mine sounds as good as new after the laser replacement and now might outlive me?!? 🙄
M. 🇿🇦 

Thanks Justmetoo...

Since my post four years ago, I've cleaned the no 39 and lubricated the rails with a specially designed industrial lubricant.  To no avail.  The player continues to play reliably, except of course for the 3 or 4 cds that it won't play.  So I haven't gone and invested in a new laser, new hub or new player.  I will have to check out prices...however, I'm inclined to invest in a newer machine with upgraded decoding including MQA.  I use the no 39 as much for streaming these days as I do CD playback.  

Curious where you went for the new laser?  

Mark

I had that new laser installed here in SA, by a now freelance techie who was the Madrigal service technician at the local distributor in Johannesburg. 
They also did my 39 to 390S upgrade back in 2001 / 2.
Those where the days! ;-/

Surely not much help to you that is, sorry. :-(

BTW, just yesterday I experienced, now with this newish laser, the very same issue you described!! 
Showing 'ERROR 7' on the display!?! 

I enquired with the technician, his answer:
"The meaning of this message seems only to be known to the software designer (at the time)" !!! Ouch. 

I have a suspicion it means the CD's content info can not be read properly (or at all). 

This info resides very close to the CDs centre hole, so on this newish CD, without any marks or scratches (I checked), I only moved my finger along the centre hole area in a circular motion - and it was accepted again! 

Maybe some 'immaterial' specs of dust plus, my now suspicion, a slightly misaligned (closer to the inside) info track causing these problems? 
A type of 'watermark' as was also mentioned earlier in the thread, nothing that I could detect with the naked eye... (wearing my good glases! :) 
M. 🇿🇦 

Nasty to behold for me, as I KNOW this error. 

Following a few inputs:
Yesterday AGAIN I have had to open my unit. 
The reason, showing this exact error on your YT clip!
There are only four Philips screws with serated washers that hold the transport mechanism in place. 
Once you removed these, you can gently lift out the mechanism (with the drawer closed!). 
You now can get at 4 more smaller Philips (coss slit) screws to remove the 'bridge' holding the counter pressure (top) disc. 
You now can get at, can inspect, that centering hub. 
If it is broken you pretty much will find the second half somewhere laying around in the bottom! 
If not, and it is broken you know it needs a replacement. 
This is a good start point:
https://encosystems.net/product/standard-cd-pro-centering-hub/

Now, more interesting yet, with the lifted out mechanism you would find some heavily degraded square foam patch below the center hub point (of the mounted mechanism). 
You need to remove this crumbling mess as bits and pieces can interfere with any the loaded CD!
I had a tiny piece stuck (hardly visible) close to the centre hole/the clamping area of one failing CD.
The clamping pressure then is not sufficient to press the CD flat onto the motor spindle hub, the CD will slightly wobble, causing scratches on the outer third of such CD.
(I have plenty of just such ones)!

That foam square about 1"x1" and was obviously meant to prevent the dropping transport unit, during loading, touching the bottom enclosure.
(Best explanation I could come up with...) 

So, find some more durable replacement, just in case there really needs to be some buffer, preventing such ever to occur. 

Now check the center motor hub to be clean of any debris.
(I needed a hand vacuum to remove all the crumble plastic foam debris!) 

Make SURE none of your CDs have this gunk as described stuck to the bottom clamping surround area! A quick finger wipe will do. 

Lastly, before testing your reassembled unit, MAKE SURE, to place the interted lid on the unit - this to cut out any outside stray light! 

The transport will NOT load/read a CD if enough stray light is detected! 

I do hope you hub is still in fine shape though.

If all fails, I managed to glue mine together (two pieces) and using strong/thin sewing thread soaked *gently* with Henkel Patex Repair Extreme, Extreme Resistance (its slow setting), winding a few turns followed by a simple knot (the glue will prevent it's undoing) around the bottom center hub outer sleeve, and let it set before refitting. 

This glue thread application (if needed) is VERY finicky, but certainly will add to piece of mind for when the centre hub was broken and repaired by those only very tiny gluing areas available. 
Best of luck, and please kinly let us know of your findings. 
M. 🇿🇦