I have a Technics Quartz Synthesizer AM/FM Stereo Receiver SA-R230, which is 25+ years old. Everything worked fine, except all of a sudden, sound was gone, and it was very hot. The volume control was lighted, but the light isn't on anymore, either. Is this something I could fix myself? Obviously, I don't want to spend a lot. The reason I still use it is for the turntable, as the newer receiver has no hook up for a turntable. Or should I just give it up, and get a Phono pre-amp for the newer receiver?
Receiver Issue
- Thread starter mynx
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Craigslist my friend. Welcome to AK as well.
The SA-R230 is nice, 50 WPC, nice unit.
Depending on what your budget is, it would probably be cheaper to purchase something used on CL. how is your solder skills?
Do you have a solder iron? and what is your understanding of PCB's? If you can read & test the values of the unit, you can try to track down the issue. Having the unit serviced would not be worth it, unless you do it yourself.
A good $50-100 and some searching on CL will have your Vinyl spinning again. :yes:
Good Luck with it :thmbsp:
Kind Regards,
John
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Could be any number of things. Where are you located?
Thanks for all your suggestions. While I have soldered some in the past, I guess I couldn't figure it out myself. I was hoping it would just be a blown fuse, or something simple.
Most likely, I will get a pre-amp, still, it's hard to give up my Technics, as when I bought it 25+ years ago, I was 25 years younger.....
Well, I will still be able to use my Quadraflex turntable, which is almost 40 years old!!
Most likely, I will get a pre-amp, still, it's hard to give up my Technics, as when I bought it 25+ years ago, I was 25 years younger.....
Well, I will still be able to use my Quadraflex turntable, which is almost 40 years old!!
Not likely just a blown fuse. Besides, fuses usually blow for a reason. Overheating may be blown output transistors or at least, crapped out capacitors in the power supply, burned resistors, etc. Not unfixable but definitely a labor of love. If you want to get into it, there are a lot of resources and people here at AK who will help you through it. But you'll probably want to snag a receiver to listen to in the meantime. :yes:
It is not at all worth fixing, replace it.
If you don't want to get anything new check out out the JVC Super Digifine series. I had a component system back in the 1980's that was fantastic. They where the best thing JVC made at the time they where very good. The JVC had built in graphic equalizers in these rigs which at the time was a unusual feature. I did not have a rig to equal that JVC integrated amp until my present Onkyo. The great thing about this JVC series is it overlooked and therefore does not command a premium price.
If you don't want to get anything new check out out the JVC Super Digifine series. I had a component system back in the 1980's that was fantastic. They where the best thing JVC made at the time they where very good. The JVC had built in graphic equalizers in these rigs which at the time was a unusual feature. I did not have a rig to equal that JVC integrated amp until my present Onkyo. The great thing about this JVC series is it overlooked and therefore does not command a premium price.
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rlisin
Quad 4 life
Your Technics has a single stereo IC output with a heat sink that's a joke and a fan to provide additional cooling. That's a really bad solution, but it's cheap. Of course I can't be 100% sure, but the most likely scenario is that this criminally bad cooling system either malfunctioned (for example due to fan failure), or maybe the fan vent was blocked, and the output IC overheated and died.
I agree with others, this receiver is not worth fixing, even if you can find replacement parts. You can find a better receiver for less money than the repairs would probably cost. Get a phono pre, or if you want a separate amp for your turntable JVC is a good idea, although my experience is that for JVC it's better to get an integrated amp + tuner than a receiver. In the 80s and early 90s their amps were usually built a bit better than receivers.
I agree with others, this receiver is not worth fixing, even if you can find replacement parts. You can find a better receiver for less money than the repairs would probably cost. Get a phono pre, or if you want a separate amp for your turntable JVC is a good idea, although my experience is that for JVC it's better to get an integrated amp + tuner than a receiver. In the 80s and early 90s their amps were usually built a bit better than receivers.
JURB
Super Member
You can probably take the output chip clean out and feed the TT into phono and take off from the tape outputs into another amp.
I read that the RIAA curve changed, having to do with reducing rumble and have now researched it and found it happened in 1972. I thought it was later.
"In 1972 an alternative version of the replay curve (but not the recording curve) was proposed by the International Electrotechnical Commission, differing from the RIAA replay curve only in the addition of a pole at 7950 µs (20 Hz).[10] The justification was to reduce the subsonic output of the phono amplifier caused by disk warp and turntable rumble.
This so-called IEC amendment to the RIAA curve is not universally seen as desirable, as it introduces considerable amplitude and—of more concern—phase errors into the low frequency response during playback. The simple first-order roll-off also provides only very mild reduction of rumble,[9] and many manufacturers consider that turntables, arm and cartridge combinations should be of sufficient quality for problems not to arise."
From :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization
So if you are going to shell out some real bucks for a phono preamp, try to find one from before 1972.
Realistically though, that receiver will work if you pull the output chip I think. Right now it is probably in protection due to high DC offset. Of course I would check that and not screw up a working piece, but it is likely.
I can't seem to get a print on it. There is one site supposedly has it but they are a PITA to deal with. So I am making assumptions here.
Pictures would be nice.
I read that the RIAA curve changed, having to do with reducing rumble and have now researched it and found it happened in 1972. I thought it was later.
"In 1972 an alternative version of the replay curve (but not the recording curve) was proposed by the International Electrotechnical Commission, differing from the RIAA replay curve only in the addition of a pole at 7950 µs (20 Hz).[10] The justification was to reduce the subsonic output of the phono amplifier caused by disk warp and turntable rumble.
This so-called IEC amendment to the RIAA curve is not universally seen as desirable, as it introduces considerable amplitude and—of more concern—phase errors into the low frequency response during playback. The simple first-order roll-off also provides only very mild reduction of rumble,[9] and many manufacturers consider that turntables, arm and cartridge combinations should be of sufficient quality for problems not to arise."
From :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization
So if you are going to shell out some real bucks for a phono preamp, try to find one from before 1972.
Realistically though, that receiver will work if you pull the output chip I think. Right now it is probably in protection due to high DC offset. Of course I would check that and not screw up a working piece, but it is likely.
I can't seem to get a print on it. There is one site supposedly has it but they are a PITA to deal with. So I am making assumptions here.
Pictures would be nice.
Jurb, I think you just threw the OP into a can of worms. With all due respect I think that's a fairly obscure issue given the level of gear we're talking about here.
petehall347
the brandy coffee man
lost me completely
which wires have to be cut ?:scratch2:
sorry late late night reading between invisible lines ..
enjoy the weekend off ...
which wires have to be cut ?:scratch2:
sorry late late night reading between invisible lines ..
enjoy the weekend off ...
So even if I were to replace the parts, and could find them, it is not worth it, because it was a reallly bad cooling system, although it has worked for more than 25 years?
rlisin
Quad 4 life
It could be worth it for sentimental reasons. That's your decision. I just gave you more information so that you can make an informed decision.
It is not the only receiver with a questionable solution inside, and many of them work for decades. Some even sound good. If this Technics sounded good to you, trying to repair it is a valid option. But if you add the cost of parts, time spent on replacing them or cost of service if you have to get someone to do that for you, you could probably buy a better receiver for that or less money. A lot depends on whether we diagnosed the cause correctly (bad output), and which IC it has. Some are available and cheap, some are not that cheap, some are not available at all anymore.
If you do decide to repair it, make sure the cooling fan works.
It is not the only receiver with a questionable solution inside, and many of them work for decades. Some even sound good. If this Technics sounded good to you, trying to repair it is a valid option. But if you add the cost of parts, time spent on replacing them or cost of service if you have to get someone to do that for you, you could probably buy a better receiver for that or less money. A lot depends on whether we diagnosed the cause correctly (bad output), and which IC it has. Some are available and cheap, some are not that cheap, some are not available at all anymore.
If you do decide to repair it, make sure the cooling fan works.
Thanks very much for all the information, from you, and everyone else!!
I'm also in the "buy another receiver" camp... that way you have something to listen to while you decide whether you fix your old one or not.
I've got 3 or 4 receivers around, all old silver faced units, that I've purchased used for around $50 or so and made minor repairs to. I do not (yet, I'm working on it) have any 100% working spares, but the plan is to get everything all fixed up and then have at least one more working receiver than rooms with systems in them, that way if something goes down the music doesn't stop.
I've got 3 or 4 receivers around, all old silver faced units, that I've purchased used for around $50 or so and made minor repairs to. I do not (yet, I'm working on it) have any 100% working spares, but the plan is to get everything all fixed up and then have at least one more working receiver than rooms with systems in them, that way if something goes down the music doesn't stop.