Pioneer Elite VSX-70 losing volume incrementally

Jimbo18 · April 2017

I just recommended that receiver from AC4less to a friend. We just set it up yesterday and it sounds good, but it doesn't hold the volume that we set it at.

If, for instance, we put it to -20db, after a minute, it reduces to -21, then again to maybe -23, and so forth. This continues until it's too low to hear. I ran the MCCAC but it did it before I ran it, and still does it afterwards.

Has anyone experienced this? I don't know if it's something in the settings, which I am unfamiliar with, or a problem with the refurbished unit.

Anyone have any clues?

Conradicles · April 2017

I have never seen this problem, but I hope your experience with AC4Less is better than mine.

msg · April 2017

Weird! You guys get anywhere with this yet?

Just did a quick search. Was surprised to see that others have had a similar problem.
https://www.google.com/search?&q=pioneer+receiver+volume+changes+by+itself

Have you done a factory reset yet?
I read something else about this happening after a unit hadn't been powered for a long time, and then fixed itself. The guy had been in touch with Pioneer and they were telling him it needed internals.

Bad volume encoder?
What's the exchange window? Might also mention it to A4L to see what they say, too?

Jimbo18 · April 2017

Scott, I just hooked it up on Friday night. When we saw what was happening, I did the software update on it, then ran the MCACC but it continued to have the same issue.

We only had his fronts, center and two subs hooked to it. He bought my RT800i's and a CS400 center, and we haven't even hooked up the surround speakers yet.

I emailed AC4L and they said it could be overheating and throttling down. Doesn't seem like it should do that at -20 db with just those speakers hooked up. I just finished emailing the details of what's hooked to it so haven't heard back yet.

I haven't tried a reset yet, hopefully I will get a chance to do that today. I feel bad because I suggested AC4L to him because of the great price on it.

mdaudioguy · April 2017

What's the return policy?
I once bought a refurbished AVR elsewhere and it was defective. I had to pay $50 to return it. They sent me a replacement that worked fine for about 5 minutes, then goes into protect mode. I wasn't sinking another $50 into it, so the whole deal was basically a loss... Hope it works out for you and your friend.

Jimbo18 · April 2017

mdaudioguy wrote: »

What's the return policy?
I once bought a refurbished AVR elsewhere and it was defective. I had to pay $50 to return it. They sent me a replacement that worked fine for about 5 minutes, then goes into protect mode. I wasn't sinking another $50 into it, so the whole deal was basically a loss... Hope it works out for you and your friend.

There is a 5% restock fee on refurbished units, and you pay for the shipping if you are just returning it, but if it's determined by them that it's defective, they will pay the return fee and there's no restock fee.

Any missing parts, i.e. remote, microphone, etc. will have an amount deducted from the refund.

Overall it's not bad, I guess, but it reads like they are sticklers for everything being exact, including packing materials, etc. I doubt my friend kept everything since he just moved all his furniture in.

msg · April 2017

Not your fault, though I wouldn't be able to help feeling the same, myself, so, yeah, I can understand your position.

I presume it is well ventilated? Not in a tight space? Just to satisfy A4L. I've never heard of an issue like that before, but that doesn't mean much; I don't have a lot of experience with many AVRs.

See what happens after the factory reset. I wonder whether there's anything to that length-of-time-in-powered-off possibility like I read about... Maybe unplug for a little while, go through the discharge process, and try again?

If it doesn't sort out, hopefully if you have to return it it can be an exchange and they won't bash you guys with fees. I think if it were me, I'd probably try to get it exchanged anyway, just for the peace of mind?

Any chance you can just change your number and just get a new friend? Or does he already know where you live? There's always Plan C.

Jimbo18 · April 2017

Yeah, it's well ventilated, on an open shelf at the moment. We did the reset, but it's still dropping. I had him unplug it, so we will see if that helps.

At the moment, I am thinking about your last suggestion. Any extra rooms at your place, Scott?

msg · April 2017

lol, any time!

msg · April 2017

Any change, or word back from A4L?

Jimbo18 · April 2017

msg wrote: »

Any change, or word back from A4L?

They gave us the okay to return it. After it gets there, they have to test to make sure it's actually bad, then they won't charge a restock fee.

If it's fixable, they may want to return it to us, rather than refund the money. Not sure till they check it out. If they don't ship it to him again, I am not sure what he's going to want to do about another AVR.

He didn't want to put too much money into his initial setup. I sold him a pair of RT800i's, a CS400 center and PSW350 sub and he has some Energy speakers for his surrounds. The VSX-70 from AC4L was only $200 but he might be worried about ordering from them again.

msg · April 2017

cool, at least you guys got the ball rolling on the return/exchange option.
From what I gathered, it could just be a bad "volume knob", but only that digital kind. too bad this was your buddy's first experience. probably not the first time you've thrown him under the bus, I'd venture.

Mikey081057 · April 2017

??? I had a defective Marantz SR5011 that I called them at 3:00 in the afternoon reboxed took it to fedex and had the replacement the next day? They do ship from my state, but it was very easy.

Jimbo18 · April 2017

msg wrote: »

cool, at least you guys got the ball rolling on the return/exchange option.
From what I gathered, it could just be a bad "volume knob", but only that digital kind. too bad this was your buddy's first experience. probably not the first time you've thrown him under the bus, I'd venture.

I tried to go out of my way for him. Gave him a good deal on the speakers, set up the TV and the system for him. Unfortunately, he was bragging about how good it sounds and now...........

Jimbo18 · April 2017

Mikey081057 wrote: »

??? I had a defective Marantz SR5011 that I called them at 3:00 in the afternoon reboxed took it to fedex and had the replacement the next day? They do ship from my state, but it was very easy.

They weren't bad about the return but just asked that we try some things. They do not have any more of the model he got available, so I guess it's either a refund, or wait while they try to fix it.

Jimbo18 · April 2017

Well, I was wrong about them not being bad about a return. I filled out the return request on Saturday and today I get an email from "David" telling me it's our fault for running the receiver too hot. He wanted to know what speakers I had hooked to it, and if I ran the MCACC setup. Which I did.

The speakers are my former RT800's and CS400 that I was using up until the previous week. Two small powered subs and no surround speakers hooked up.

Here's the response I got from him:

Jim

You are bringing a knife to a gun fight, your running 2000.00 speakers on a 200.00 receiver. I would suggest upgrading to a better more powerful receiver.

David Harmon

I know this isn't a high end Pio Elite model, but saying it won't run those speakers is a joke.

My little Yamaha RX V373 and my currently Sony had no problem running them at all.

He has told me now that we can send it back and they will test it.

msg · April 2017

yikes, man.
When I first started, I was running a Pioneer receiver way wimpier than that one, with RTi10's, and it never shut down.

Does the volume drop with no speakers connected?
Do you have other speakers you can test?

Again, I saw other owners mention this in other posts around the web with Pioneer AVRs.

Reviewing some specs, doesn't seem like you're in abuse territory with what you were running. Did it begin with that volume reduction behavior straight away? Or only after taking it to -20dB?

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/VSX-70#specs
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Pioneer+Receivers/VSX-521-K#specs << this is the one I was using

You said CS400, but I could only find CS400i.
Attached some screenshots of the specs below; original links from the internet archive for your review

Jimbo18 · April 2017

Yeah, the volume drops with nothing attached. There's a readout on the face that shows it dropping every couple mins. We were busy moving him in, so didn't notice whether it dropped from the initial hookup or not.

It is a CS400, not the i version, but I doubt that matters. That, and the RT800i's are pretty efficient and previously posed no problem for any of the mediocre receivers I hooked them to.

And I also saw mentions on the web about similar issues, one was a very similar model Pio Elite.

In any case it's going back tomorrow and they will either deduct 5% ($10) from his refund if they determine it's not defective or they will refund the whole amount, minus their shipping costs.

Not too happy with them right now. And I doubt he will order from there again. If he does want to take a chance, there is an Integra that seems like a good deal.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/intdtr402/integra-dtr-40.2-7.2-ch-x-110-watts-thx-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html

Jimbo18 · April 2017

The receiver is back in the hands of someone at A4L so he just has to wait on their testing to determine if he gets hit with a restock fee or not.

In the meantime, I found him a like new Yamaha RX-V675 for $75 on CL that he's picking up today. If he didn't need it, I would have gotten it for myself.

Jimbo18 · May 2017

One last update on this - just something to consider if you are thinking of ordering from Accessories4less.

They got the receiver back on the 27th. We didn't hear anything from them concerning it's status, so I emailed today and they immediately issued a cancellation for the order and issued a refund. No comment about the condition of the receiver but presumably they agreed that it was defective.

The refund was for the original purchase price of $199.99 and didn't include the shipping cost in either direction. So my friend is out about $41 total for a defective receiver.

Pioneer Elite VSX-70 losing volume incrementally

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