HELP! Receiver went from Stereo to Mono

[jimbo42]

I have a 10 year old Technics AV Receiver, Model SA-EX510. It has worked well for many years. However, last Friday I went to hook up a Multi-play CD Player --- and immediately lost Stereo sound. Now, only one speaker works at a time, and only one headphone produces sound.
Is the sign of an amplifier that just died? Or, something simplier? Does anyone know if I can get it repaired at a reasonable cost? Could you experts "guesstimate" a repair cost?
Can you recommend a reliable shop in the New England area?
Thanks for any help.
Jim

[Feanor]

I have a 10 year old Technics AV Receiver, Model SA-EX510. It has worked well for many years. However, last Friday I went to hook up a Multi-play CD Player --- and immediately lost Stereo sound. Now, only one speaker works at a time, and only one headphone produces sound.
Is the sign of an amplifier that just died? Or, something simplier? Does anyone know if I can get it repaired at a reasonable cost? Could you experts "guesstimate" a repair cost?
Can you recommend a reliable shop in the New England area?
Thanks for any help.
Jim

Sorry to hear of your problem, Jim.

The obvious question is: does your Technics still deliver both channels and a stereo signal from other sources such as the radio tuner? If so the problem is more likely with the CD player. Also, you say that only one speaker works "at a time": what exactly do you mean? What do you do to get the one speaker to play and then the other?

[basite]

Sorry to hear that...

before you run of to a repair shop, are you sure you hooked everything up alright? is the balance set straight? and is it with every source? or just with the cdp?

you're sure none of the wires came loose while hooking it up?

check all that and report back here, if your amp died, it could get costy to get it repaired. Maybe it could cost more than the the unit's worth, so if it's dead, you might want to check for a new receiver too, yes, it might cost slightly more than a repair, but it might last longer and sound better...

btw, you said you 'almost immediately' lost one channel, so when you turned the unit on again, it worked fine for a moment, and then you lost the channel, right?
did anything sound weird before the channel went out? or any other things that it usually doesn't do?



Good luck,
& Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[markw]

Does FM play on one channel also?

If FM plays in stereo, then it's either the new unit, the interconnect, or that particular input jack. Try another input.

If the FM doesn't play in stereo, it's most likely the receiver or something with the speakers. Try a headphone.

If the headphone works on one channel on FM, now you can get worked up.

Economically, it doesn't make sense to repair it.

It's time to go shopping.

[jimbo42]

First, Thanks! to all of you who responded, and so quickly. Like you, I don't want to miss a note. :6:

I bought a new Onkyo TX-SR304 AV Receiver ($170 Circuit City). Everything was plugged into the Onkyo and works fine. But, I prefer the Technics (saves me $170) and the Remote works for the Receiver and the 2nd Technics Multi CD Player.

Anyway, I lost the Stereo effect a few seconds after I plugged the used SL-MC7 that I just bought off Ebay.
Testing
- when I moved the wires from the Left speaker to the Right speaker, and the Right wires to the Left speaker - I hear sound only from 1 speaker (yes, I turned the balance knob)
- when I pluggged in the headphones I only hear music from one speaker
- when I switched to FM I only hear from one speaker
- when I switched wires around it made no difference
- I think I tried every configuration possible

That's when I went out and bought the Onkyo Receiver. I believe I've proven that the problem is the Technics Receiver, but I'm only a amateur. If I missed something please help me out.
A made a few phone calls and it seems everyone wants $50 just to put it on the bench so they can tell me that I'm only getting Mono & the unit needs to be repaired in order to produce Stereo. But, that $50 does not count towards the repair. If anyone knows what a typical repair would average, I may just keep the Onkyo as planned - and shelve the Technics.
Comments?

[basite]

But, that $50 does not count towards the repair. If anyone knows what a typical repair would average, I may just keep the Onkyo as planned - and shelve the Technics.
Comments?


If you're pretty sure the problem is in the receiver, and I think you are:

shelve the technics. repairs will cost you more than the receiver's actual worth, let alone that it won't guarantee you that the technics will work fine after that for the time being.

[audio_dude]

A repair is going to cost you mucho cash.

I would recommend you just keep the onkyo for now.

If you're the DIY type, or just good with your hands, open the beast up (the technics) and see if there's a loose wire anywhere, or something else. If you find one, solder it, or get a technically inclined friend you help you out.

Sorry to hear about it though. I had something similar happen to my old one...

[Feanor]

First, Thanks! to all of you who responded, and so quickly. Like you, I don't want to miss a note.

I bought a new Onkyo TX-SR304 AV Receiver ($170 Circuit City). Everything was plugged into the Onkyo and works fine. But, I prefer the Technics (saves me $170) and the Remote works for the Receiver and the 2nd Technics Multi CD Player.
....
A made a few phone calls and it seems everyone wants $50 just to put it on the bench so they can tell me that I'm only getting Mono & the unit needs to be repaired in order to produce Stereo. But, that $50 does not count towards the repair. If anyone knows what a typical repair would average, I may just keep the Onkyo as planned - and shelve the Technics.
Comments?

Jimbo, I agree with others that the Technics is pitch. Chance are 90+% that the repair will cost you $100+. And that's assuming it can be repaired at all; parts for for a 10 year old receiver can be impossible to find.

The irony is that it would be easier to find parts for a 35 years old receiver. Components of that vintage used almost entirely discrete components that are still made today or for which workable substitutes can be found. Equipment made after the late 70's contained more and more ICs, (integrated circuits, i.e. chips), and proprietary parts that became obsolete and unavailable after a very few years. Many lower cost components today contain "surface mounted" rather than plug-in ICs, (as do computer mother boards), and even if the IC were available it would impossible remove & replace it.

[jimbo42]

Thanks again, everyone. I'm positive that the problem is the Technics receiver because everything else works just fine. I did take the cover off, blew out a tiny amount of dust, and looked for loose wires. But, everything seems to be in order. I re-assembled the unit and nothing changed.
The Onkyo has a nice sweet sound to it, the price is reasonable --- so it is all good. Meanwhile, the Technics is on the shelf.
Have a great day.

[bfalls]

Agreed it's the receiver. Since the headphones have only one channel it's probably in the preamp section and independent of source or amplifier. Have you tried using contact cleaner on the volume or balance control. Sometime poteniometers get carbon build-up, especially when sittng in the same position for a long time. It could be a dead section in a pot. I would say moreso the volume since they're usually two pots on one shaft.

Sorry to hear about the loss, but good opportunity for an upgrade. Always a silver lining.