Quote:
Originally Posted by tjarmstrong
I know this is an old thread but wanted to say thanks to accudude for the details posted above. I don't have Esoteric field service support available in my area so I finally decided to bust open my K-03 and this info was very helpful in allowing me to quickly locate the bad belt.
Unfortunately I'm unable to get oem replacement belts. According to the service center, TAP Electronics in CA, Esoteric does not allow the sale of parts to customers. They suggested I send it in for repair. I mentioned I already had the belt removed and I really don't want to ship an 80lb unit to get a $3 belt installed. lol. I pleaded with them a bit to just send me a belt but they said to take it up with Esoteric. Overall they've been good to deal with, I guess their hands are tied.
The belts are a wear item on these transports so it seems a bit ridiculous to me that customers can't get access to parts when the unit is out of warranty. I suppose they have their reasons but I will keep this in mind the next time I'm in the market for an Esoteric product.
Anyway, no big deal for now. The belts look to be pretty standard so I just ordered a few online. Hope this info helps somebody else that runs into this issue.
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Just to follow up with this issue. My CD tray is back up and working.
To get the tray fully functional again, I ended up needing two belts. One that drives the tray in/out and one that lifts the CD up/down. Both belts appear to be the same size.
Since I had no luck getting replacements from TEAC/Esoteric or the repair center (TAS), I ended up order these online. Model PRB SCQ2.5. (square belts) were about a perfect match. The circumference appears ~10-15% smaller than the originals but this is expected since the old belts have worn/stretched. These can be ordered from Ebay/electronic repair shops online.
The belt that lifts the CD is fairly easy to get at and can be accessed from the top. The other one is more difficult to get at as you have to remove and access it from the bottom and remove a circuit board along with several wire harnesses. I would only recommend doing this if you are fairly comfortable working on electronics. I could do it again in less than 1 hour. I ordered a set of spare belts for next time.
Total cost was $11 (2 belts w/ shipping).