[Recycledbits]

OK, I know this piece of gear is getting a touch old ( I bought it early in 2000 ) but if I can avoid a costly repair or replacement...I'd like to spend the $ on speakers instead.


The issue is a crackling/hiss/pop coming from the speakers, primarily the left front, although at times it has expanded to include my center and even right channel.


It has no external correlation. If I switch speaker cables around, the problem follows the jack on the receiver (ie it is not the speaker or speaker wire). The problem does not change with input (happens whether I'm using optical, coax or any one of the switchable inputs...or even if I select an input that has nothing attached).


The problem does not follow the volume control - there is no change in the hiss/pop as I tune the volume up and down.


The problem does not follow any "listening mode" - happens on direct, dd5.1, stereo, whatever.


The only relation it seems to have on the input source is that either that channel is played more loudly when it's "popping" or the other channels are reduced - I'm not sure which.



History on the problem...


First noticed around a year after I got the receiver. It started to get more frequent around 6 months later. I procrastinated on getting it looked at until the warranty was about up. Since I couldn't find my receipt, I had my authorized retailer send me another copy and I took it in to a shop. They couldn't duplicate the problem after having the unit powered on for 4-5 days.


I took it home and didn't notice the problem again for about 6 months. Then it came back. I unplugged the receiver and all inputs and let it sit for a day and the problem was gone again for a month.


Any thoughts?


Thanks


T

 

[garciab]

Make sure your connections are tight and secure. I once watched Finding Nemo, and at the beginning, I was getting crackling through the center channel on loud passages. It went away after about five minutes, and the rest of the movie played fine. I suspected a bad disc, so imagine my surprise when I find that my speaker wires were barely touching the double banana connector, after some how becoming loose enough to back out! Yikes! If your connections are snug on both ends, I suspect it will be something like failing solder joints at the receiver's speaker connections, which shouldn't be expensive to fix. Just my thoughts.

 

[Recycledbits]

Maybe I'll pull the receiver off the rack tonight and double check those solder joints. Not a bad thought at all. I'm positive it's not the speakers or the cabling.


I strongly suspect it's something far deeper into the guts of the receiver though - bad chip / capacitor....


The main reason I think this is because the cracking/popping happens regardless of sound (or lack thereof) being sent to the speakers - I can be anywhere from muted to full volume and the crackling does not change volume/intensity/frequency.


A poor ground or bad solder joint leading to a poor ground is as good a thought as anything.


T