Pioneer amplifier: noise when turning up the volume | dead left channels

u235vu239

I bought this pioneer amplifier (SA-408, similar to the SA-410, I guess), but it has two big problems:

1. when I turn up or down the volume, it makes this really nasty noise

2. it seems that it can't reproduce the left channel, as the whole "RCA lefts" seem to be dead (only the "RCA rights" can reproduce any sound)


Can someone tell me what I can do?
Thanks in advanced

ohskigod

does the nast noise come out the "dead" left channel?

all I got is, it sounds like..at the least... the volume pot is filthy. get some deoxit, or some kind of electrical contact cleaner and clean that bad boy.

spray behind the knob (unit unplugged) generously and then turn the knob back and forth as far as it will go either way at least 20 times. turn it on, hopefully it wont do the noise, or it will decrease. you can then see if it solves the dead channel issue. which might, or not be related. I'd start at the cleaning the volume pot before going anywhere else.

u235vu239

ohskigod wrote:

does the nast noise come out the "dead" left channel?

all I got is, it sounds like..at the least... the volume pot is filthy. get some deoxit, or some kind of electrical contact cleaner and clean that bad boy.

spray behind the knob (unit unplugged) generously and then turn the knob back and forth as far as it will go either way at least 20 times. turn it on, hopefully it wont do the noise, or it will decrease. you can then see if it solves the dead channel issue. which might, or not be related. I'd start at the cleaning the volume pot before going anywhere else.

No, the the nast noise doesn't come out of the "dead" left channel.
Thanks for your help.

ohskigod

if not, try the deoxit trick on the balance knob too. dont laugh, I had that same problem with a Denon PRA 1000 pre. when it was really dirty, nothing out of the left channel, but it did fuzz and sputter a little when you touched it. deoxit anyway, it cant hurt

ohskigod

check if that thing has got fuses too. I had an old sansui that had fuses inside the unit, only accesible popping off the top. If you do this, unit must be unplugged.

u235vu239

ohskigod wrote:

if not, try the deoxit trick on the balance knob too. dont laugh, I had that same problem with a Denon PRA 1000 pre. when it was really dirty, nothing out of the left channel, but it did fuzz and sputter a little when you touched it. deoxit anyway, it cant hurt

When I plug both right and left rca's to the amplifier and touch the ends that were suppose to be plugged into the cd player, only the right one makes that contact noise. The left one has no reaction. Could it still be a dirty knob?



Thanks for your help

heiney9

u235vu239 wrote:

When I plug both right and left rca's to the amplifier and touch the ends that were suppose to be plugged into the cd player, only the right one makes that contact noise. The left one has no reaction. Could it still be a dirty knob?



Thanks for your help

Man...that's asking for trouble. Leaving those ends unattached while having the unit on is a bad idea, that's how things get eff'd up. I know what you mean by contact noise. Again as has been suggested check for blown fuses. The procedure you decribe can lead to blown fuses. Beyond the DeOxit and checking for blown fuses you may have to get it serviced.

FWIW

H9