Vintage Asylum

Classic gear from yesteryear; vintage audio standing the test of time.

Return to Vintage Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Noise in amp question

172.2.113.57
Posted on March 3, 2015 at 18:08:50
Tadlo
Audiophile

Posts: 1925
Location: midwest
Joined: March 8, 2003
 Last week I won a Rotel RA-985BX on ebay. It arrived today and it sounds great. But after a few hours of play it started making noise. The noise sounds sort of like the static you get between FM stations. It is moderately loud and the level is constant no matter how high the volume control is set. It remains no matter where the input selector is set. Only the mute eliminates the noise. I turned off the amp for about 15 minutes, and when I turned in back on the noise was gone for about a half hour and then returned. Now I am wondering whether to try to return the amp or get it fixed. It was an $800 amp around the turn of the century and I only paid $145 for it. Any advice about whether it is worth sinking money into it to get it fixed would be appreciated.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: Noise in amp question, posted on March 4, 2015 at 10:16:34
REL54
Audiophile

Posts: 1944
Location: Virginia Coast
Joined: January 3, 2003
 Since it takes a while for the problem to occur I would suspect that whichever component is the problem is having heat related issues. A cap, resistor, or even a solder joint getting hot and then causing the problem.

Since the volume control doesn't affect the level of the static, check components downstream from the volume control.

Wishing you luck in your search.

Oh, by the way, if you happen to have one of the modern multi-meters that includes a laser or infrared thermometer, you can use that to check for "hot" components.

roN

 

RE: Noise in amp question, posted on March 4, 2015 at 11:39:04
satellite65
Audiophile

Posts: 484
Location: Illinois, NE
Joined: December 13, 2004
 Is the noise on both channels?

 

RE: Noise in amp question, posted on March 4, 2015 at 12:33:51
Tadlo
Audiophile

Posts: 1925
Location: midwest
Joined: March 8, 2003
 Both channels but louder in left channel.

 

Correction, noise is only in left channel nt, posted on March 4, 2015 at 18:57:48
Tadlo
Audiophile

Posts: 1925
Location: midwest
Joined: March 8, 2003
 .

 

RE: Correction, noise is only in left channel nt, posted on March 5, 2015 at 05:58:09
satellite65
Audiophile

Posts: 484
Location: Illinois, NE
Joined: December 13, 2004
 I would let it heat up to where it gets noisy and spray individual components with freeze spray.Noise should go away when you hit the bad part.

 

RE: Correction, noise is only in left channel nt, posted on March 6, 2015 at 09:06:24
Tadlo
Audiophile

Posts: 1925
Location: midwest
Joined: March 8, 2003
 Thanks for the tip; I may try that when I get the time. Meanwhile, will I do any harm to the integrated amp if I use the only power amp and let the defective pre-amp idle?

 

RE: Correction, noise is only in left channel nt, posted on March 6, 2015 at 11:05:32
satellite65
Audiophile

Posts: 484
Location: Illinois, NE
Joined: December 13, 2004
 I would think that would be OK.

 

Page processed in 0.024 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]