Pioneer RG-2 recent addition

[djbuszko]

I picked up recently another Pioneer RG-2. The unit is in fantastic shape seems to have been well cared for.
It had the typical switch issue with the tape monitor and the expander switch.
I hooked it up to just check functionality & it works when holding in the button, or using a wedge to hold the button in place.
After running it for several hours, the display would fade to dark and fade back, the function did not change and working.
Replaced both switches, those are working fine now, but display is intermittent,
Lightly tapping the circuit board brings the display back, sometimes it will display for hours, other times it may display for a second or two or minutes, sometimes hours it will work

Cold solider joint? Do you guys have some ideas and where to start looking/ trouble shooting. The unit is in fantastic shape

 

[Fairlane]

Classic cold solder joint symptoms.

Start at the display board and its connections and start working your way back to the driver board for it.

Start wiggling wires, caps etc. gently of course.

 

[djbuszko]

Classic cold solder joint symptoms.

Start at the display board and its connections and start working your way back to the driver board for it.

Start wiggling wires, caps etc. gently of course.

Thanks for the information. I will start doing that since i have it apart.

 

[djbuszko]

I checked things out and reflowed solder on what appeared to be bad joints.
That did not work, so went to the display board and found several cold solder joint to the VTD at least half were cold so i reflowed on all of then,
When checking the driver board interestingly enough Q32 on the board was extremely loose and noticed it gets pretty hot.
Soldered it back in place. Thank you for the advise, it works awesome now.

 

[djbuszko]

Thanks for the information. I will start doing that since i have it apart.

Now on my second RG-2 the right side is not at the same vol as the left side. pots all cleaned and idea what to check on it?

 

[tuberadios69]

I have always questioned the appeal of the RG-2 (or RG-1 for that matter). I never found these units to improve the sound quality of any quality system. What do you like about it? Am I missing something big, here?

 

[zebulon1]

If your building a collection you want one.
When starting my repair business (If I should call It that) I found the guys come in many audio flavors'. You can't imagine how many reasons on why someone wants something.
Is it the look, the cool display, the sound, the additional button's, the missing piece, my dad had one in his system?
My hearing has deteriorated to half of what it use to be. I've had a few of the RG's through the shop and liked what it offered to my reduced hearing. I'd like to find another for myself.
To each is own when it comes to audio.

 

[djbuszko]

I have always questioned the appeal of the RG-2 (or RG-1 for that matter). I never found these units to improve the sound quality of any quality system. What do you like about it? Am I missing something big, here?

Well part of the collection, in my one system, I can hear a little more openness and activity.

 

[djbuszko]

If your building a collection you want one.
When starting my repair business (If I should call It that) I found the guys come in many audio flavors'. You can't imagine how many reasons on why someone wants something.
Is it the look, the cool display, the sound, the additional button's, the missing piece, my dad had one in his system?
My hearing has deteriorated to half of what it use to be. I've had a few of the RG's through the shop and liked what it offered to my reduced hearing. I'd like to find another for myself.
To each is own when it comes to audio.

any idea's as to why on channel is louder than the other and what I could check to repair it.

 

[zebulon1]

There are many coupling caps between the gain stages.
If you don't have equipment to input a known signal into both channels and a way to see it, replace all those caps.
This Zoyi ZT703S is a cheap multi o-scope meter but I really like mine. I have much better bench units but I've been gravitating to it more and more.
Clean and lube the controls.
Reflow the entire board. Looks like some work but twenty minutes is all you need.

 

[djbuszko]

That Zoyi ZT703S is a cool little deal there and it is less expensive. thank you very much for the tips, sometimes you hit a trouble shooting block. thanks again very much!
I do have a recap kit i bought off of ebay. I will try reflowing the boards first for before diving in and reacapping it. which will give me time to order the Zoyi.