ROTEL RA970bx channel issue

[boybuick85]

Hey guys,

So I'm finally getting around to working on my Rotel. The right channel seems to be having some Distortion and fading out issues. After giving some deoxit to the pots the scratchiness disapeared but when I would go to CD input there would be no sound out of the right Channel. And if you were in another input you would still hear sound from the other input ie cd is in cd but when switched at aux 1 you still faintly hear music in all the other inputs. So after some burn in time the channel comes back to the CD input but now has distortion. Could it be a fuse or transistor?? I'm going to double-check the fuses but from what I remember they just looked White .

 

[restorer-john]

Hey boybuick (my grandfather loved Buicks).

The Rotels of that era have notorious selector/input switches. This is where your problem lies I can assure you. I've got a few of those units myself and the only way to fix them permanently is to completely dismantle the amp, desolder and remove the selectors switches and clean them internally. Deoxit in the switches is a temporary fix and not long term.

I'm about to do a RA-970bx that's on my bench for exactly the same problem. I've done the smaller brothers (930ax etc) often.

If you can wait, I'll do a pictorial for this thread with tips and photographs.

 

[boybuick85]

Hey boybuick (my grandfather loved Buicks).

The Rotels of that era have notorious selector/input switches. This is where your problem lies I can assure you. I've got a few of those units myself and the only way to fix them permanently is to completely dismantle the amp, desolder and remove the selectors switches and clean them internally. Deoxit in the switches is a temporary fix and not long term.

I'm about to do a RA-970bx that's on my bench for exactly the same problem. I've done the smaller brothers (930ax etc) often.

If you can wait, I'll do a pictorial for this thread with tips and photographs.

Your Grand father has good taste!! I kept my sign in name from a turbo Buick board I used to belong to. I always Loved The Classy looks of the older Buicks. The Grand National is my dream machine. Any who. Yes please do I hooked up the amp and even with the channel being slightly distorted I still like the sound better than my Harman Kardon a 402 or pio sx.
Its a sweet amp i was really surprised. It's some of my first rotel gear! That with a cd play and amp . Pretty impressed. How hard is it if I just want to do the selector switch??

 

[restorer-john]

Due to the way the amp is constructed, you may as well do them all at the same time as it needs to be completely disassembled.

Later this week or early next week I'll do up a pictorial for this thread.

Cheers.

 

[boybuick85]

Due to the way the amp is constructed, you may as well do them all at the same time as it needs to be completely disassembled.

Later this week or early next week I'll do up a pictorial for this thread.

Cheers.

Thanks brother

 

[boybuick85]

just spray wd40 into the switches !

Hmm i was always told never to use wd40. Not for electronics

 

[restorer-john]

ive been using it for years never had a problem with it, there is an anti wd40 group out there

WD-40 has many uses.

This application is NOT one of them. WD-40 should stay in the garage and not ever come near a technician's bench.