Sony SQA-100

[NstalgcBstrd]

Hi there,

I've got my hands on a Sony SQA-100 Decoder/Amplifier and as someone who is new to audio equipment I'm looking for advice on how exactly to use it and what it's actually supposed to do.

Can someone tell me how much use is this piece of equipment is to me if I wish to use it as a stand-alone amplifier for my current speakers?

I'm also wondering if I could be causing damage to equipment due to the way I have them connected (please read on).



My current setup consists of an AT-LP120 turntable, a pair of Q Acoustics 3020i speakers and a Fosi AudioTB10A amplifier (which I'd like to replace with the SQA-100).

I actually put the SQA-100 and both speakers in parallel and it's working. However the sound quality is...sketchy.
The speaker cable going into the 2 RCA output ports on the back of the SQA-100 is bare (I used banana plugs in the last setup as they were facilitated by the Fosi amp).

Could this bare wire connection be the cause of the dodgy sound?
Would a solution to this problem be to simply buy RCA plugs for the amp end of the speaker wire?

I'd really appreciate any help at all on this

Many thanks

 

[goodolpg]

Welcome to AK.
Are you aware the Sony is specified as 2 watts per channel output? https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sony/sqa-100.shtml
Your speakers are rated as 6 ohms with 4 ohm minimal and power input suggestion is 25-75 watts per channel. In addition, at 88Db they are not all that efficient. Specs here https://www.qacoustics.com/products/3020i-bookshelf-speaker-pair
It's very possible the Sony doesn't have enough power for your speakers.
I suppose you could try cleaning the controls on the Sony as that sometimes causes issues. You will need Deoxit or CRC QD cleaners and will need to take the cover off the Sony to access the controls. Cleaner needs to get INSIDE the controls, spraying the outside is not likely to get the cleaner where it needs to be.
Just read the first page of this thread, don't worry about the other 27 pages. https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/the-idiots-guide-to-using-deoxit-revisited.207005/
Good luck

 

[NstalgcBstrd]

Welcome to AK.
Are you aware the Sony is specified as 2 watts per channel output? https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sony/sqa-100.shtml
Your speakers are rated as 6 ohms with 4 ohm minimal and power input suggestion is 25-75 watts per channel. In addition, at 88Db they are not all that efficient. Specs here https://www.qacoustics.com/products/3020i-bookshelf-speaker-pair
It's very possible the Sony doesn't have enough power for your speakers.
I suppose you could try cleaning the controls on the Sony as that sometimes causes issues. You will need Deoxit or CRC QD cleaners and will need to take the cover off the Sony to access the controls. Cleaner needs to get INSIDE the controls, spraying the outside is not likely to get the cleaner where it needs to be.
Just read the first page of this thread, don't worry about the other 27 pages. https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/the-idiots-guide-to-using-deoxit-revisited.207005/
Good luck

Thanks for that, I forgot to mention that I did get pretty good volume from the Sony but the quality wasn't 100%. Will give it a clean for sure. Thanks again.