I sent you a PM on this.
Basically, I did post technical help for the CDX but found members were fixing their systems and then asking for places to download ISOs of the library to rip off games. I'm a hardcore purist, with 2/3rds of the original Sega CD library, I got majorly pissed and took the info down. Unintended consequences of trying to help the community.
Anyhow, back to your CDX, you should not have to adjust the pot from a new NOS 10 pin laser. You've seen the ebay seller that everyone uses (Danyalbi ...may be spelling that incorrectly), so I would buy one for $18 and you should be good. Once the pot on this laser is adjusted, it's a real big problem to get it right again. Took me months with several different condition CDs!
If the laser doesn't fix it, it is going to be something else. For one of my repaired units, it was careful, minute measured adjustments of a couple of the pots on the main topmost CD motherboard that got it working again.
One of my others had multiple problems: someone had gotten into it and royally screwed it up. The ribbon cable was disconnected from the topmost CD motherboard, they had lost the small spring that pushes the CD track into the toothed gear, the "new" laser had a broken off pot connection, the copper shielding had a rips along the solder tabs, a cap on the powerboard was bad. Now it's my main unit until I get nutty enough to buy another broken one.
Anyhoo, probably said too much here; I hope this helps the purists that actually collect and cherish the Sega CD hardware and retail pressed games.
One more tip. Be sure to clean the laser rod that it travels on and put some new white lithium grease on it. Some of my games would randomly crash on one of my repaired units, but has been perfect with the new grease. You can get it at any hardware store or ebay.
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