Quiet sound from Hi Fi
Discussion
Folks some technical input required!
I've dug an old Technics Hi Fi system out of a cupboard as a friend may want to borrow it this weekend for a party. I've got out the amp, CD player and the graphic equalizer and I've got a signal going through it, but I need to have the volume cranked right up on the amp to hear only a very low volume signal coming out through the speakers.
It sounds like the amp is in 'mute' mode, if you know what I mean, but it's not as I checked that and when I put that on it goes, well, mute and even lower in volume.
Any ideas what it might be? Or would the general opinion be that the amp isn't right anymore?
One other thing, I get the same level of volume if I try headphones directly in to the amp too.
I've dug an old Technics Hi Fi system out of a cupboard as a friend may want to borrow it this weekend for a party. I've got out the amp, CD player and the graphic equalizer and I've got a signal going through it, but I need to have the volume cranked right up on the amp to hear only a very low volume signal coming out through the speakers.
It sounds like the amp is in 'mute' mode, if you know what I mean, but it's not as I checked that and when I put that on it goes, well, mute and even lower in volume.
Any ideas what it might be? Or would the general opinion be that the amp isn't right anymore?
One other thing, I get the same level of volume if I try headphones directly in to the amp too.
No, it's definately into the CD input. I've event tried it on the Aux input and used that from the amp, but I get the same thing. It's weird, it was fine when it was stored away.
I'm getting the sound out of the speakers, but only at very low volume, when the amp is cranked right up to the maximum. Very weird.
I'm getting the sound out of the speakers, but only at very low volume, when the amp is cranked right up to the maximum. Very weird.
Check the CD doesn't have a mute - some technics ones do.
To test amp, run another signal in, or just ground the inner phono to outer with your finger, should get that lovely "bad earth" noise. If you don't, fiddle with it till it works, or declare it knackered and buy something nice new and shiny with good justification.
To test amp, run another signal in, or just ground the inner phono to outer with your finger, should get that lovely "bad earth" noise. If you don't, fiddle with it till it works, or declare it knackered and buy something nice new and shiny with good justification.
Have you tried the headphone output (if it has one) as this will confirm everything upto the power amp stage (unless the headphone circuit is driven by the power amp via resisitors as some are/were)? Have you another pair of speakers to try incase the damp has got to them and (partly) shorted out the coils? Another possiblity is that there is a strand of speaker wire shorting across the speaker terminals (like driving with your handbrake on ).
There are many possibilities, but some may require opening the amp to check/fix, at least some of the above might get you started.
There are many possibilities, but some may require opening the amp to check/fix, at least some of the above might get you started.
bogwoppit said:
I would imagine opening an amp might be dangerous, I expect there are some big capacitors in there?
Yes, I wouldn't recommend it unless qualified, merely suggesting that my intial checks might pin down the fault without having to open it up, but beyond that may require it.Swaping the left and rights shouldn't reduce volume, only reverse the stereo image.
Agree with the removal of the graphic eq as well.
Edited by OldSkoolRS on Friday 4th September 09:30
I'd added the GE in after I'd already tried it without and had the same result, so I think I can rule that out as the cause. I gave it up as a bad try last night. However, I'll try the same CD player and speakers with my other amp later and see if that works. If it does, then I'm thinking that the amp itself might not have liked being in the cupboard for the past year or so. Bit of a shame as it's a half decent one too.
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