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2285B - FM stereo works, but the stereo light doesn't come on

T

tkrotchko

Active Member
Just doing a check of the 2285B before I send it back to my friend, and I finally plugged in an antenna to see if FM Stereo is working.

Well, it does, but the FM Stereo light does not come on. And yes, the light works, because it works in all other modes (tape/aux/phono etc.).

Not sure where to even start looking for this. Any ideas?
 
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Something doesn’t sound right about what your saying. Isn’t there a separate bulb that comes on when a stereo station is received? And the inputs (tape/phono/aux etc) each have a separate bulb?

The Marantz 2325 I have is that way.
 
2285B Front panel.png

If you look at the front panel of this iteration of the Marantz receiver, you'll note above the "FM" the word STEREO. If you are in Phono, Tape or Auxiliary mode that Stereo lamp is always lit. When you switch to AM mode, it's never lit. And in FM mode that is your stereo indicator for stations. Each mode has an LED above it to indicate what is the active input mode

When you tune in stereo station, currently you can hear it flip into stereo mode, but that STEREO light never comes on.

Edit: I checked on my own 2285B and the Stereo light behaves in the way I've described. I'm going to connect it to a better antenna in case the portable antenna is marginal.

Appreciate your reply.
 
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I would think even marginal, you would see the stereo beacon lamp light up on some FM stations, unless your 40 miles from Amarillo Texas! LOL Then you might as well be on Mars! LOL

The Lamp works as you say, on all other settings except AM of course.
And you say you can tell-discern by ear that you are indeed receiving FM "Stereo".

Not always correct, but what kind of signal strength readings are you getting? I know this can be all over the place too with adjustments, and can too be out of whack-adjustment? (Let's assume it isn't mal-adjusted)

Could be an IC for the FM Demodulator, but what do I know? I'm no expert, but would assume if that IC was bad, one would not receive FM Stereo also?
 
The first thing to check is dirty selector switches. If the light is on in Phono and Aux, then it must be routed through the switches so that the MPX circuit can turn it on and off in FM. Clean the switches, especially the FM switch.
 
dr*audio said:
The first thing to check is dirty selector switches. If the light is on in Phono and Aux, then it must be routed through the switches so that the MPX circuit can turn it on and off in FM. Clean the switches, especially the FM switch.
Click to expand...

I assume you mean the rotary input switch. I can check that. There are several other other push-button switches that affect FM as well

Thanks for the lead.
 
I think I have a resolution, but I'm not sure how I did it.

Before turning it on I rotated the rotary input switch probably 20-30 times, tried it, and it did nothing. I pushed the buttons related to FM many times, still nothing.

Finally in pure irritation I spun the tuning dial back and forth a few times, and as if by magic, the stereo light started coming on as I would tune. So I'm going to mark this one fixed, even if I'm not sure what actually fixed it. Dr*Audio, thank you.
 
tkrotchko said:
I think I have a resolution, but I'm not sure how I did it.

Before turning it on I rotated the rotary input switch probably 20-30 times, tried it, and it did nothing. I pushed the buttons related to FM many times, still nothing.

Finally in pure irritation I spun the tuning dial back and forth a few times, and as if by magic, the stereo light started coming on as I would tune. So I'm going to mark this one fixed, even if I'm not sure what actually fixed it. Dr*Audio, thank you.
Click to expand...

Sometimes the variable cap gets junked up and tuning it back and forth a few times knocks/wears some of the crud off.
 
on my marantz receivers the FM stereo light only comes on if i use rabbit ears and i have to move those around a bit. if i use a dipole antenna it never comes on
 
Chrisxo55441 said:
on my marantz receivers the FM stereo light only comes on if i use rabbit ears and i have to move those around a bit. if i use a dipole antenna it never comes on
Click to expand...
That's because it's so freakin' cold where you live that the radio signals freeze up before they reach you. Down here in God's country ( :)) a dipole is all you need. :rockon:
 
Steven Tate said:
That's because it's so freakin' cold where you live that the radio signals freeze up before they reach you. Down here in God's country ( :)) a dipole is all you need. :rockon:
Click to expand...

Thats the reason ? and i always thought it was because my listening room was in the basement. Thanks for setting me straight :thumbsup:
 
dr*audio said:
Don't thank me yet, I suspect you didn't fix it...yet.
Try cleaning the tuner: https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/how-to-clean-a-tuner-analog.144163/
Then do the MPX Stereo Separation adjustment. If you don't have a frequency counter, tune to a known good station and adjust R307 for the middle of the range where the Stereo lamp lights.
Click to expand...

Unsurprisingly, you were correct. Once again it refuses to go into Stereo mode. Probably won't get to it this weekend because of a plumbing problem. I'll read the thread you referenced.
 
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