My Yamaha Stereo Amp is dying.....

[kingrob]

So sad right now.

I have a 16 year old Yamaha Stereo Amplifier AX-590 and recently it started to make ''scratching noises'' through the speakers when you're using the tuner or cd player.

This amp was a beast in its days, 100 RMS for A & B speakers, can take a CD player, tuner, tape deck and turntable.

I give this baby as much love as my new Yamaha RX-V663 AV receiver in the living room & just can't stand the thought of my trusty AX-590 not being there anymore.

What can I do to feel better?

 

[Dolby]

You could buy a new one to make yourself feel better

How about a service though? I've never known scratching to big a big issue. Is it only on those inputs? Randomly? When adjusting volume?

 

[kingrob]

You could buy a new one to make yourself feel better

How about a service though? I've never known scratching to big a big issue. Is it only on those inputs? Randomly? When adjusting volume?

Yes, exactly what it's doing.

But can you still find people in South Africa with the knowledge to service amplifiers? It seems nowadays they only want to sell you a new one.

Guess I can buy a new one....my cd player has an optical input, but the amp has none.

Just a bit sentimental about my trusty old AX-590.

 

[AveshR]

what is it doing exactly when you mean scratching? like when you adjust the volume?..... if it's doing that you can buy a contact spray from a local radio spares shop like A1 Radio (in Durban) to service the volume dial.

 

[Nuro]

My brother also has an amp in the AX range, dunno about the exact model, but also about 16 years old. He had the same problem, and it turned out to be the input selector knob. It caused crackling on the one channel, and caused the other channel to drop out completly. He took it for a service to get sorted out.

EDIT: Looks like he has the AX-490.

 

[Dolby]

what is it doing exactly when you mean scratching? like when you adjust the volume?..... if it's doing that you can buy a contact spray from a local radio spares shop like A1 Radio (in Durban) to service the volume dial.

+1 yup - small fix.

You don't *need* a optical on the amp - do you think you'll hear a difference? Doubt it What CD player and speakers are they?

It sounds like you're justifying nuy a new toy when the old work with a small fix - which is also good

 

[placebo]

I swear by Yamaha amps.Had similar problems opened it up and cleaned the dust out which fixed the problem.Be gentle with the electronics when doing this time consuming task.

 

[kingrob]

Ok, will get the contact spray and fix my Yamaha.

Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated!

*I'm also a Yamaha fanatic. Tried Denon before, but always come back to Yamaha.

 

[gifs]

Go register on www.avforums.co.za and post a thread about your amp. Their are some very knowledgable guys who might be able to tell you how to fix it yourself or point you in the right direction.

 

[mobilescan]

I had the same problem with a vey old pioneer amp and used contact cleaner and it solved it

 

[ponder]

Have it serviced.

It's probably something small. You can replace the volume dials with newer & better stuff. ALPS comes to mind, Avnet Kopp is the local distributor.

I also love my old NAD 3020i which I got from cash converters many years back.
I still want to take it apart and upgrade the dials & capacitors one day to better stuff. Lots of hacks on the net for it.

 

[bekdik]

This kind of noise is normally caused by dust on the carbon track which causes a bad contact with the copper contacts.

I used to clean them with a glass syringe to inject a couple of drops of carbon tetrachloride into the potentiometer (volume control thingy) and then move the control from stop to stop for about 30 seconds.

NOTE: don't use a plastic syringe, carbon tetrachloride melts plastic! ONLY use Carbon tet in well ventilated room, unless you want asphyxiate yourself.

 

[AveshR]

Ok, will get the contact spray and fix my Yamaha.

Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated!

*I'm also a Yamaha fanatic. Tried Denon before, but always come back to Yamaha.

keep us posted on how it goes