Noisey, Sensitive, Tuning on Marantz 4400

colortel

Ed Reitan
Recently obtained a Marantz 4400 Quad Amp-Receiver from a friend.

The amplifier works fine but the FM tuning is expecially critical with much noise when the tuning knob is even slightly touched. The scope on the unit girates wildly at the same time.

Is there a connection on the tuning capacitor that needs some "contact renue", or has anyone else had a similar experience.

Ed Reitan
 
I have no experience with the 4400, but I have a 4300. It is very civilized, in the tuner section. Basically it is a champ. I have to mention, though, that the reason for that is that our beloved EchoWars has worked his magic on it.

'Nuff said.
 
The tuning cap has brass or copper contacts between the metal body of the cap and the shaft, to provide the ground connection for each section of the cap. They get dirty and need to be cleaned. first, vacuum all the dust out of the unit. Blow the dust out the tuning cap with compressed air. Do not touch the fins. Locate the brass spring contacts in the cap and clean them with a non-residue contact cleaner. Work the tuning back and forth across the dial several times. Allow the cap to dry completely, then apply one drop of De-Oxit to each contact with a syringe or toothpick. then work the tuning back and forth a few times more. The tuner may need alignment after the cleaning operation. If you use very little De-Oxit it will probably not need alignment. Echowars, if you know of a better preservative to replace the original grease on the contacts, let me know.
 
Nope...

I do have a vial of ProGold with a needle dispenser. Seems to do the job on those units where you can actually get to the spring. On others it's buried with damn near no way to get to 'em, so I flush 'em with IPA and blast it out with compressed air. No lube, but it beats the hell out of a noisy tuner.
 
Can't emphasize enough - DO NOT spray the tuner cap with anything unless you're SURE it doesn't leave a residue. Any oil in the fins will detune it and affect the alignment (you'll lose sensitivity and the dial will be off...). Applying lube with a needle or Q-tip should be OK.
 
Rgr that. Even 91% IPA will leave a white powdery residue if left to slowly air-dry, hence the necessity of the compressed air.
 
Noisey, Sensitive, Tuning on Marantz 4400

That unit was my 1st serious piece of gear. Why not just engage the mute button? That will stop it. I think that noise happens even if the potts are clean.
 
Well, a noisy tuner gang sounds like someone dragging a hairbrush across a microphone plugged into a 1,000 watt amp as you tune the stations, and makes center tuning nigh-on impossible. If that fits the description, then the gang is dirty.
 
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