How common is "whirring" noise in DVD players?

[tbessie]

I just switched to a new DVD player (Integra/Onkyo DSR-7.3 all-in-one system), and I can *always* hear the disk spinning noise from a few feet away with the sound off on the speakers. In some spots on some disks, the noise gets loud enough for me to hear 10-15 feet away.

What causes this, and is this pretty typical for most players? Are there any players that produce virtually NO sound, even when listening a foot away, say? I *know* motors exist that are virtually soundless.

The sound I'm hearing is a bit like something light -- like a piece of paper or a feather -- brushing against something as it spins around. As far as I know, nothing is actually TOUCHING the disk (the lens is not touching the disk -- correct?), so I wonder what causes this kind of noise.

- Tim

[freestyler]

All discs do it? DVD-Rs and Originals?

I've not noticed this on my Apex AD-500W.

[tbessie]

All the disks I've tried have, although it's only been 3 or 4 (both home-made and original). It sounds like the motor and/or the head moving around. Next week I'll go to the store I got it from and bring a DVD is particularly noisey in the drive, and try it in their floor model to see if it's this particular unit or the model in general.

- Tim

[lordsmurf]

Very.

I'd say at least half of all players or recorders do it.

Obnoxious, I agree.