Problem With My Beloved Marantz Sr7500

[slider17]

It's been nearly 2 months of testing, fiddling, testing, fiddling etc etc with my 1 year old marantz receiver. The problem started with the left front speaker outputting a below than normal sound, compared to my other speakers in my 5.1 setup.

i did a standard pink noise test through the setup menu, and could immediately distinguish that the front left spearker was considerably quiter than its right brother. its like the volume had been turned down. yet the dB levels were exactly the same across the 2 speakers. I just couldnt figure it out.

so i decided to switch the cables around to test a theory of mine.

and lo and behold, i was proved right. it wasnt the speakers at fault it must be the receiver. the 'low volume' problem had switched from the left speaker to the right speaker, after i reversed the speaker interconnects at the back of the receiver.

so i decided to take the amp to a local marantz service center to be looked at.

after 2 weeks of waiting, i gave them a call to inquire about my problem.

the technician said there was nothing wrong with the amp!

i decided to into the tech's workshop and see what he had done to the machine.

after 30 mins a explaining and arguing, i gave in, and took the amp back to my place, to see if it had been 'fixed'.

well, after plugging it all back together again, i fired up the pink noise test.

and to my surprise all the speakers were working correctly, including the front left.

so i then decided to play an audio cd. i plugged in teh coax cable into the back of the receiver, pressed play on my marantz cd7300 cd player, and everything was rosy, if only for 3 secs!!

the sound pretty much immediately cut out on the front left channel, and only the right channel was working fine!! i couldnt believe it!! $120 bucks wasted!

i switched off the cd player. tried the pink noise test again, and i was back at square one! left channel is quiter than everything else!!

i really dont know what do next!!! i'm tring to avoid the need to purchase a whole new receiver.....

the tech dude, commented that it could be a DSP problem???

Can someone please give me some advice as to what my possible options are now......

cheers

slider17

[Maverick]

I would be suspecting a cold solder joint on the speaker terminal which is why it came good when moved.

[slider17]

i dont follow what u are saying. could u elaborate please.

[ozcal]

i dont follow what u are saying. could u elaborate please.

I think what Mav is saying is that you have a bad solder joint ,sometimes refered to as a dry joint which causes intermittent poor quality connection which in your case results in a reduction in output due to increased resistance in the joint when it gets warm and contact area of the component and the solder is reduced due to expansion ,or something like that .Movement of the Amp could result in a temporary improvment in contact removing the fault ,butonly temporarily.It can be a difficult fault to isolate butany compotent engineer should be able to resolve the issue given enough time to trace the faulty joint.

Gordon

[Maverick]

I think what Mav is saying is that you have a bad solder joint ,sometimes refered to as a dry joint which causes intermittent poor quality connection which in your case results in a reduction in output due to increased resistance in the joint when it gets warm and contact area of the component and the solder is reduced due to expansion ,or something like that .Movement of the Amp could result in a temporary improvment in contact removing the fault ,butonly temporarily.It can be a difficult fault to isolate butany compotent engineer should be able to resolve the issue given enough time to trace the faulty joint.

Gordon

Thanks Gordon, I could not have said it any better myself. In the trade we refer to this condition as a cold solder joint or dry joint.

[Paul Hughes]

Slider,

Take it back to the repairer and tell them to fix it - end of. You've paid them to do a job and it hasn't been done properly. I had issues with the DSP circuit board on my Marantz receiver late last year - it cost me $360 and took 3 return visits and 4 months to get it fixed. This was very frustrating for both myself and the repairer - but in the end they fixed it - if they've agreed to doing a job, they have to see it through or give you your money back. If it's not the solder joints, then it might be related to the DSP circuit board --> http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=27775

Cheers

Paul

[ozcal]

Slider,

Take it back to the repairer and tell them to fix it - end of. You've paid them to do a job and it hasn't been done properly. I had issues with the DSP circuit board on my Marantz receiver late last year - it cost me $360 and took 3 return visits and 4 months to get it fixed. This was very frustrating for both myself and the repairer - but in the end they fixed it - if they've agreed to doing a job, they have to see it through or give you your money back. If it's not the solder joints, then it might be related to the DSP circuit board --> http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=27775

Cheers

Paul

How about this one.One of my cats peed on my poweramp ,I didn't realise and swithched they system on , result: one ch dead on amp and one set of drive units fried.Put the amp in for repair ,waited a couple of weeks and connected it back up on it's return ,result: amp immediately went dc on the other ch and destroyed another bass unit on the speakers I was temporarly using as mains.Contacted the repairer to get them to pay for the bass unit as the amp obviously wasn't fixed or tested properly and was told "once a product leaves our hands we can't be responsible for what happens and there is no way we are paying for the drive unit.

What should I do bearing in mind that the repairer works through the company I but all my gear from.

Gordon

[Paul Hughes]

How about this one.One of my cats peed on my poweramp ,I didn't realise and swithched they system on , result: one ch dead on amp and one set of drive units fried.Put the amp in for repair ,waited a couple of weeks and connected it back up on it's return ,result: amp immediately went dc on the other ch and destroyed another bass unit on the speakers I was temporarly using as mains.Contacted the repairer to get them to pay for the bass unit as the amp obviously wasn't fixed or tested properly and was told "once a product leaves our hands we can't be responsible for what happens and there is no way we are paying for the drive unit.

What should I do bearing in mind that the repairer works through the company I but all my gear from.

Gordon

Yeah, think I remember reading about this one a while ago.

The point I'm making is that authorised repairers should be in the position to 1. assess the extent of the repairs that need to be made 2. advise the likelihood of it being fixed, and 3. offer a warranty on the work they carry out.

In my case (as I had no warranty on the AVR) I made sure that I was covered by warranty on the repair. Unlike with yours , it was fairly cut and dry situation - AVR not working properly - take it back until it is fixed. (Note that the 3 month warranty period was also extended each time it came back).

I agree that had any of my components been damaged then it would be very unlikelty that their warranty would extend this far. But then I would have thought that if you'd bought all your gear from this company that the repairer works through this would put you in a much better bargaining position.

Cheers

Paul

[ozcal]

Yeah, think I remember reading about this one a while ago.

The point I'm making is that authorised repairers should be in the position to 1. assess the extent of the repairs that need to be made 2. advise the likelihood of it being fixed, and 3. offer a warranty on the work they carry out.

In my case (as I had no warranty on the AVR) I made sure that I was covered by warranty on the repair. Unlike with yours , it was fairly cut and dry situation - AVR not working properly - take it back until it is fixed. (Note that the 3 month warranty period was also extended each time it came back).

I agree that had any of my components been damaged then it would be very unlikelty that their warranty would extend this far. But then I would have thought that if you'd bought all your gear from this company that the repairer works through this would put you in a much better bargaining position.

Cheers

Paul

And it is still going on.The speakers that were damaged by the amp the second time were bought second hand but my point here is that if you send something off for repair and work is carried out ,you expect them to test the unit properly before returning it to you.Am I to believe that after having repaired the unit is was tested and just happened to go dc the first time it was connected at my house , possible but I would have thought unlikely.

Well the amp was sent for repair a second time and tested first on an old pair of midi system speakers on it's return ,worked fine the first day ,for about 7 hours, however the minute it was turned on the next day it I could hear a buzzing and crackling coming from the originally damaged ch ,back to the repairers again.After waiting for 4 weeks I had to contact the repairer and was told no fault found.The amp is now being run by the retailer but as ,after 4 months , my Tannoys should be reapired shortly I am loathed to connect the two together incase the amp goes dc again.The Tannoy drive units cost $700 a pair at cost price so I don't want to have to replace these ever again..

I realise , having worked in repairs admin ,that fixing equipment is not always plain sailing but this whole experience has become a rediculous nightmare.I mean we are not talking rocket science here

Gordon

[betty boop]

And it is still going on.The speakers that were damaged by the amp the second time were bought second hand but my point here is that if you send something off for repair and work is carried out ,you expect them to test the unit properly before returning it to you.Am I to believe that after having repaired the unit is was tested and just happened to go dc the first time it was connected at my house , possible but I would have thought unlikely.

Well the amp was sent for repair a second time and tested first on an old pair of midi system speakers on it's return ,worked fine the first day ,for about 7 hours, however the minute it was turned on the next day it I could hear a buzzing and crackling coming from the originally damaged ch ,back to the repairers again.After waiting for 4 weeks I had to contact the repairer and was told no fault found.The amp is now being run by the retailer but as ,after 4 months , my Tannoys should be reapired shortly I am loathed to connect the two together incase the amp goes dc again.The Tannoy drive units cost $700 a pair at cost price so I don't want to have to replace these ever again..

I realise , having worked in repairs admin ,that fixing equipment is not always plain sailing but this whole experience has become a rediculous nightmare.I mean we are not talking rocket science here

Gordon

are you getting both fixed the same place gordon. jsut wonderign if worth takign in and checking in front of them. if it then goes boom at least they can see and hear the problem with their own eyes. I wonder if its not jsut driver damage but also xover damage in the speakers? that would explain the amp testing out fine in the shop but making strange noises at your play. could also jsut be the shop telling porkies. but any way good luck. bloody hell this has been dragged out. not good at all for you !

can house insurance cover in any way at all with the cost ?

[slider17]

And it is still going on.The speakers that were damaged by the amp the second time were bought second hand but my point here is that if you send something off for repair and work is carried out ,you expect them to test the unit properly before returning it to you.Am I to believe that after having repaired the unit is was tested and just happened to go dc the first time it was connected at my house , possible but I would have thought unlikely.

Well the amp was sent for repair a second time and tested first on an old pair of midi system speakers on it's return ,worked fine the first day ,for about 7 hours, however the minute it was turned on the next day it I could hear a buzzing and crackling coming from the originally damaged ch ,back to the repairers again.After waiting for 4 weeks I had to contact the repairer and was told no fault found.The amp is now being run by the retailer but as ,after 4 months , my Tannoys should be reapired shortly I am loathed to connect the two together incase the amp goes dc again.The Tannoy drive units cost $700 a pair at cost price so I don't want to have to replace these ever again..

I realise , having worked in repairs admin ,that fixing equipment is not always plain sailing but this whole experience has become a rediculous nightmare.I mean we are not talking rocket science here

Gordon

oh god! 4 months!!

i hope that my situation doesnt drag on for that long! It's been just over 1 month so far......

i think i'm gonna take mine back to the marantz service center (qualifi in victoria), and let them have another look at it. i'm tempted to bring my speakers and cables along for them to setup over there, but im pretty sure they wont allow me to do that.

slider17

[zeus1503559778]

Are you sure your Marantz amp isn't still under warranty?

I'm pretty sure that all Marantz AVR's have a 3 year warranty.

[ozcal]

are you getting both fixed the same place gordon. jsut wonderign if worth takign in and checking in front of them. if it then goes boom at least they can see and hear the problem with their own eyes. I wonder if its not jsut driver damage but also xover damage in the speakers? that would explain the amp testing out fine in the shop but making strange noises at your play. could also jsut be the shop telling porkies. but any way good luck. bloody hell this has been dragged out. not good at all for you !

can house insurance cover in any way at all with the cost ?

Hi Al , ,the parts for the speakers are coming from one retailer and the amp is at another.I will take the Tannoy crossover down to my speaker supplier but I have tested it myself and it seems to be ok.The amp has not been used with the same speakers twice since Chocolate first peed in it so I don't think the x-overs are the problem here.Every time the amp comes back I have used it with different speakers, which have worked fine on both the Rotel multi-channel amp and my old Marantz reciever for extended periods. I reckon I am going to have to cough up for a whole new amp board for the left channel of the Rotel just to make sure it's ok.

Oh and Al you should hear the bullshit I had to go through in order to get the Tannoy importer to actually order the drive units from Glasgow.

Oh well ,touch wood ,at least the projector is finally working well after almost 24 months of nonsense from Panasonic.

Gordon

Ps :Insurance is not applicable in cat pee incidents.:)0000

[betty boop]

Hi Al , ,the parts for the speakers are coming from one retailer and the amp is at another.I will take the Tannoy crossover down to my speaker supplier but I have tested it myself and it seems to be ok.The amp has not been used with the same speakers twice since Chocolate first peed in it so I don't think the x-overs are the problem here.Every time the amp comes back I have used it with different speakers, which have worked fine on both the Rotel multi-channel amp and my old Marantz reciever for extended periods. I reckon I am going to have to cough up for a whole new amp board for the left channel of the Rotel just to make sure it's ok.

Oh and Al you should hear the bullshit I had to go through in order to get the Tannoy importer to actually order the drive units from Glasgow.

Oh well ,touch wood ,at least the projector is finally working well after almost 24 months of nonsense from Panasonic.

Gordon

Ps :Insurance is not applicable in cat pee incidents.:)0000

yeah not a good run but fingers crossed for you good luck on all counts

[ozcal]

yeah not a good run but fingers crossed for you good luck on all counts

Thanks Al.

Gordon