Kenwood A-97 intergrated amplifier - Help!

I haven't posted here before and this is where google led me when i typed "hifi help" into the search so please excuse me if this post is innaproprate. In which case directions to a suitable forum would be very helpfull.

Anyways, A few years a ago, a late friend of mine who was a hifi enthusiast left me his very nice kenwood system. I've had much joy with the system and foundit to be very good.

I have however had problems with it recently. After turning it on, it shuts it's self back down seconds later and displays the words "protect" across the lcd. I've looked up in the manual and it tells me this is a simple problem cause by poor speaker connections earthing and to dis and reconnect them. This I did on more than one occation. No avail. I tried it with no speaker connection. No luck. I dis, and reconnected the whole system. Still no luck. Finaly i tried the amplifer as a standalone with no connection (aside from power) and it still displays "protect"

Is there a quick fix to this? or is the solution more taxing, and if so will i need it fix by a pro?

Bearing in mind this system is about 8years old now, is it even worth getting it fixed?

Any help would be very usefull

Thanks

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Originally Posted by lomis666

I haven't posted here before and this is where google led me when i typed "hifi help" into the search so please excuse me if this post is innaproprate. In which case directions to a suitable forum would be very helpfull.

Anyways, A few years a ago, a late friend of mine who was a hifi enthusiast left me his very nice kenwood system. I've had much joy with the system and foundit to be very good.

I have however had problems with it recently. After turning it on, it shuts it's self back down seconds later and displays the words "protect" across the lcd. I've looked up in the manual and it tells me this is a simple problem cause by poor speaker connections earthing and to dis and reconnect them. This I did on more than one occation. No avail. I tried it with no speaker connection. No luck. I dis, and reconnected the whole system. Still no luck. Finaly i tried the amplifer as a standalone with no connection (aside from power) and it still displays "protect"

Is there a quick fix to this? or is the solution more taxing, and if so will i need it fix by a pro?

Bearing in mind this system is about 8years old now, is it even worth getting it fixed?

Any help would be very usefull

Thanks

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You may want to post this in general section and ask specifically for 'woodman' to input.
But it sounds like an internal problem that shuts it off for some reason: a short, transistor short, etc. You may want to take the cover off while unplugged and see if anything is obvious, any part is discolored, smells of being burned.
Check your phonebook and see if there are any hi-fi repair shops, call them and see what they can do and how much.

A second option would be to call up Kenwood and see what they have to say. They can probably give you the address of an authorized service agent where you can send it for repair. I would get them to give me an estimate. If its to pricey then forego the repair and buy another one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by poneal

A second option would be to call up Kenwood and see what they have to say. They can probably give you the address of an authorized service agent where you can send it for repair. I would get them to give me an estimate. If its to pricey then forego the repair and buy another one.

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Great:) Missed that one:)

I've had the cover off it, aside from a little dust, i can't see anything that seems to be obvious. I've called up kenwood who've put me in touch with an athorised repair centre, although they are gonna charge me £45 ($80) just to look at it and give me a quote. This would then be deducted off the final price should i decide to get it repaared. This said if it's anyything easy or obviuos i'd do it myself and spare the expense.

I'll post a message to 'woodman' first and see f i get any response, otherwise the reapir shop it is.

Thanks for your input.

My research has failed to turn up the exact age of your amp, but I believe it to be quite a bit older than 8 years ... I think it comes from the late 1980s, around 1987 or 1988. But that's not the most important factor in your quandry. What IS the most important is what could be ailing the unit today, which I suspect is a failed output transistor. If that is indeed the case, all of the output devices should be replaced, rather than just the one that has failed. It would also be good practice to replace the driver transistors as well. What all of this adds up to is a repair bill that I don't think it would be a wise move for you to pursue. I think it's time for a replacement - but I don't recommend that you replace it with another Kenwood. Your best choice IMO, would be a Yamaha.

Hope this helps you