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New member Username: Td12Post Number: 1 Registered: Jan-10 | Hello all. I would appreciate some help. I was out of town for two weeks. Upon my return, my stereo recevier audio no longer works. No audio from the speakers or the headphone. The digital display is still good. Is it time to buy a new receiver? Its 20 years old. Sony said to call a repair shop for an estimate. Thanks. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 833 Registered: Oct-07 | Junk it out. 20 yr old Sony is probably not worth fixing. Even if it's just a fuse, to have a pro do it will cost more than it's worth. Be REAL careful if you are a DIY guy. HT? New ones are inexpensive and available. Stereo? More limited choices but still a few gems available. Do you USE the tuner? If not, then you don't need a receiver. Phono? I don't think ANY modern HT receiver has this input. As for integrated amps, phono is still out there. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3603 Registered: Feb-07 | I agree with Leo. Trash it. After 20 years, it owes you nothing. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 14471 Registered: May-04 | . Allow the receiver to sit unplugged from the AC for a day and then, if you want to try, remove the top cover of the unit. It's possible Sony had speaker fuses mounted internally which only protected the amplifier outputs and would still allow the display to operate. Be very careful about where you place your hands and pull any speaker fuse if they are present. Check them with a continuity meter as fuses can appear good when they are blown at one end. If you have any qualms about this, do not get your hands inside an electronic device unless you are certain you can do so without receiving a shock. Remove any rings and touch the receiver with only one hand and the other in your pocket is the rule. If you are the least bit uneasy about this but you can identify speaker fuses, any shop should replace fuses for little to no cost. Always replace a fuse with another of equal value. Fuses blow for a reason and putting in a higher value fuse will possibly cause damage the original fuse protected. Which brings us to why the receiver might have had a problem if no one was using it for two weeks. Would anyone have had access to the receiver that might have wanted their music a bit loud? As to replacement, if you're happy with the Sony and it can be revived for the cost of a fuse, then repair it. Realize though Sony did not build high end merchandise in their mass market line twenty years ago. However, there are virtually no new stereo receivers that are any better as the receiver market has shifted to home theater. Harman Kardon still builds a few stereo receivers and they would be better than a twenty year old Sony IMO. Best Buy sells their house brand Insignia stereo receiver for under $100 and, if you've been happy with the Sony, it might suit your needs. Otherwise, if you have a local shop that sells NAD, Rotel or Cambridge, give a listen to an integrated amplifier from one of those companies. If you need a tuner, it's possible the Sony can still serve that function and feed a signal to the integrated amp. You might also consider using your computer as a tuner via internet radio. . |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 835 Registered: Oct-07 | If you need the tuner and want to upgrade the amp / preamp portion, you may consider the trip out for a new NAD / Rotel or Cambridge as Jan suggests. However, for a tuner, you can find something reasonable which is easily better than the tuner part of a 20 year old Sony receiver over at Audiogon. Any budget yet? The curve is pretty steep at the low end and you can get better value for a few dollars more. If you GOTTA have the all-in-one convenience of a receiver, in addition to those mentioned above, a Premium solution is available from Outlaw. http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html current price is 699, and is available from time-2-time in 'b' stock for lots less. Time to get out of the house and go for a listen....... |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 836 Registered: Oct-07 | PS:: I'll bet, without looking, that any fuse in the Sony will NOT have a fuse holder and will be soldered in. Making replacement a bear, unless you want to 'bridge' it.....or spend the bucks.....or have the expertise. |
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New member Username: Td12Post Number: 2 Registered: Jan-10 | Thanks for the responses. The receiver started working but then stopped, started, stopped, started... I just spent some time at stores and on the internet. My old model was a Sony STR-GX4ES. I have old speakers - Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble and EPI 100. The Pioneer VSX 1019 AH-K seems to get some very nice reviews. I want to use my IPOD as the main source for music. Magnolia recommended the Marantz SR5004. |
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New member Username: Td12Post Number: 3 Registered: Jan-10 | Leo, I do listen to the radio and like the convenience of one component. The Outlaw receiver would be great, but I want a black receiver. I have a BDI unit and silver shows. I know this is not a great reason. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 838 Registered: Oct-07 | worked / didn't work / worked, eh? Turn vol all the way down. exercise every switch a bunch of times or check out what contact cleaner is and does. A contact might have just oxidized beyond use in the 2 weeks it sat idle. Exercise and a good diet may help. Check speaker wire at BOTH ends, while your at it. Have you cracked the cover yet for a look? Dusty inside? Carefully vacuum after unplugging and letting it sit for a day. Use non-metalic vacuum cleaner tip and don't bang around. I'm not a big fan of that air-spray stuff since it leaves residue. Others may differ. |
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Bronze Member Username: DerrtelPost Number: 13 Registered: Dec-09 | trash it and get a cambridge |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 14476 Registered: May-04 | . The ES series was advertised as Sony's "better", upscale line and the GX4ES was sightly better than its cousin in the mass market division. Most of the difference was cosmetic with gold plated this or that connectors and more geegaws thrown in. There wasn't much difference inside the two receivers beyond the additional features in the ES. You can certainly try cleaning the unit but as I remember the reciever the GX4ES used mostly electronic switching which won't respond to cleaning fluids or repeated operation. A safe bet is anything with a remote control uses electronic switching and you don't want to start squirting cleaning fluid inside such a unit. At this point, if you want to revive the Sony, it will require a trip to the shop and asking for that estimate. I suspect there will be power supply caps that need replacing and your labor charge will be at least $60-100 though the parts should be minimal cost. If the master control ic is failing, then there's no reason to repair this receiver. The receivers you mentioned are both home theater receivers with surround processing. Both can be run as stereo units by manually switching to two channel operation though I doubt the units will remain in stereo mode once they are powered down and might require manually switching back to stereo operation each time you power up the receiver. Do the shops not carry any stereo only, two channel recievers or are the sales people so poorly trained they don't know how to sell any more than two or three receivers? Or did you ask for a HT receiver? For the price of either of the receivers you've mentioned you could have a better sounding stereo integrated amp (one that won't be confusing and won't require constant fiddling with modes) from one of the companies mentioned above. Tuners are cheap these days especially if you buy used from Audiogon; http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/fsb.pl But none of the NAD, Rotel, or Cambridge integrateds are likely to have a direct plug in port for your iPod, you'll simply use the "aux" input. The iPod as it stands is considered a fairly mediocre source player when connected straight to a receiver. Depending on your needs and desires you might want to reconsider this decision. As a background music player the iPod is OK but if you do anything resembling actual listening the source will betray its low fi origins. If you have no problem with that or you've downloaded at high bit rates, then the iPod might work out. EPI 100's?! Tom, you need to go listen to some current audio gear. EPI was a value line back in the late '70's as a take off on the other Cambridge based speaker companies but they are now dated designs. Are you even certain the speakers still have intact foam surrrounds on their woofers? Go take the grills off and check, foam rot is always a problem with these speakers. If you prefer the East Coast sound of the EPI's and the CSW's, you can find a more up to date speaker with similar characteristics. You really should update your entire system from what you describe. A HK receiver and a pair of baby Magnepans could do well with a decent source player; http://www.harmanaudio.com/ http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMG It's your money and your system, Tom, but I'd do some comparison shopping and some listening at stores that don't only stock mass market HT stuff before I sprung for either of the two receivers you've listed. IMO, if you have to have a HT receiver, try an Onkyo or a Cambridge or budget priced NAD. http://www.audioadvisor.com/ If you're happy with two channel and can think more about how to use the iPod, then try to audition the other lines mentioned. . |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 840 Registered: Oct-07 | Well, Tom, you're all in. Electronic switching? Too bad, old fashioned relays or switches can be exercised and sometimes brought back to life. Cold solder? Cost more to find than it's worth. Being the MagFan, I've got to 2nd the Magnepan suggestion. Good idea, Jan. The MMG is 600$ factory direct only, with 60day trial. This is as good as it gets. You could later receive full credit of monies already paid and go for an upgrade. That offer is for 12 months. You won't send them back! Just make sure you have enough to space them out at least 3 feet from the back wall. After that, it's all gravy. You will eventually want a decent sub, and as a matter of opinion only, would recommend more good power, than more features, if that is the exchange. The Onkyo A-9555 is an integrated with good press and consumer reviews. The HK, at least the higher powered version should work fine, too. |