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New intergraded amplifer or advice for repair

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TheGiantHogweed View Drop Down
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    Posted: 29 June 2021 at 11:29pm

Hi.


I’ve got an integrated amplifier that I’ve had for about 10 years (Pioneer A-209R).

Given it’s life and cost of £140, I think it is fair enough if it is starting to have problems now. The frustrating thing is that I just can’t find any budget integrated amplifiers by well known brands these days.

For many years after I got my A-209R, there were loads of these style of amplifiers about that were available for a very similar price. Now about the cheapest one I can find by a well known brand is the Yamaha RS202D which is already over £100 more than mine and has a load of extra features I don’t need. The ones that are more like mine seem to only be in the premium range and cost £300 - £500 or even more. About the only reasonably priced amplifier I can find that from the look of it doesn’t look cheap and nasty is this one by Auna: https://www.auna-multimedia.co.uk/?cl=details&cnid=fdbc3fa21f8f8861a71f768f41687cc8&anid=21f45064c44a1a10a4178c526759c01c&varselid[0]=f96e345fdc19cbd4cf15256c251a39a0#productReviews

I have seen Auna products before, but I never notice any professionals reviewing their equipment. I don’t know if they cut costs somewhere as their stuff is a lot cheaper than the equivalent performance of the same product by other brands. The main thing that worries me about this is the lack of a direct button. Without this turned on on my pioneer, I hear quite lot of high pitched squeaks and buzzing at times. It really helps deliver a much more clean sound.

Due to the lack of options for new ones, I sent mine to get looked at and cleaned / repaired. This cost £50. I sent it to them twice as the first soon after the first time, the issue came back. This was after they had just given it a thorough clean. I described the issue as well as I possibly could and they couldn’t find it when I sent it in again, probably because it is so inconsistent.



Onto describing the problem. I’m thinking it isn’t going to be possible to fix, but I may as well ask what it may be here.

The right channel is randomly either reducing significantly in volume ever now and then (only when powering the amplifier on or switching a/b speakers) or that channel is noticeably thinner sounding than the left.

The huge volume drop on the right channel can virtually always be solved by powering the amplifier off and quite aggressively flicking the volume dial from minimum to maximum multiple times. This doesn't fell good to be doing and it will probably damage it in time. Sometimes the a/b selector or power switch can also solve the issue.

I have had these inconsistent issues for months with my amplifier. The other one is that the right channel seems to sound thinner. This is the same on a or b speakers and it is nothing to do with my inputs. Not noticeable with treble, but it certainly lacks a bit punch and impact on the right channel.This again isn't always there, but can't be fixed by the same method as previously mentioned.

I had this issue just before I sent it to be repaired, but it seemed me giving it a blow out helped – temporarily. This problem is here at the moment, but a lot of the time it is only noticeable with certain types of music with a lot of deeper bass and even then it can be hard as you can’t tell directions very well. It just has been sounding odd a lot of the time when I sit in the centre of my speakers and it hasn’t sounded totally balanced most of the time in the past few months. It could well be possible that this problem goes if I give it another blowout – but this really shouldn’t be a fix as it isn’t dusty in my room. Maybe movement fixes it temporarily and that is why the engineers couldn’t find a fault? I asked them to look if there was spare parts, but I think it is too old.

I don’t know about these sorts of things, but my guess would be that one of the few things that could be the problem is the volume pot. But then the power switch and speaker selector also randomly can cause the right speaker to lose volume suddenly.



Basically, my options are to have some advice on what I could possibly try myself to fix it, or options on what to buy as a replacement. My budget would be up to around £200 I think. It is just so strange that the problem is so inconsistent as sometimes the amplifier can be perfect.


A few features that I wouldn't mind missing would be things like the bass, treble, loudness, and a headphone socket. I would want direct (unless amps are already like that if they don't have any EQ)


Things I would need are the other things the A-209R has. A remote, plenty of inputs and 2 speaker outputs.

I preferably would like a lower power amplifier. It is only for a very small room and the output of my DAC (SMSL M3) is fixed and very loud. If the amplifier is incredibly powerful, I likely won't have the ability to control the volume precisely at lower volumes, especially with the remote.



Would much appreciate some help!


Have included a picture of the inside of the amplifier if it helps.


http://www.wetherby.me/wiki/pub/Sandbox/RandomImages/P1150341.JPG


(full size image in this link)



Edited by TheGiantHogweed - 29 June 2021 at 11:33pm
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kedwardsleisure View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 July 2021 at 12:42pm
I've got the same amp on my PC speakers, got it on ebay for a tenner and gave the guy £20 as I felt embarrassed.

Probably the speaker relays need changing.

Kevin

North Staffordshire

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TheGiantHogweed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TheGiantHogweed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 July 2021 at 4:13pm
Thanks for the reply. It seems to have been ok for over a month, but i feel the issues will come back.

If you have the same one, I may as well ask you if it also gets very warm for you? I know electronic devices can, but this is like a radiator on top literally if it is turned on doing nothing. It seems overkill that they say to leave 600mm of space above it, but i certainly wouldn't stack another unit on it. I also have the yamaha AS300 (though not actually mine, but in my house) and that is far more powerful and i can't feel any heat off that at all.

It consumes 35 watts from testing it when not being used for anything, but I still don't know what generates this much heat. The underside of it (under the transformer) is nearly too hot to touch for more than a few seconds. I don't expect it to be a problem as it has always been like this for the 10 years I've had it. But it can't be the most efficient energy wise! 
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kedwardsleisure View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 July 2021 at 6:03pm
it gets hot if it's left on for more than a couple of hours, but I can't feel around it, as it's part of a stacking system.
35W doesn't sound like much, I suspect they run with a high idle current which might reduce the THD figure
Kevin

North Staffordshire

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