problems with a Setton RS-660 receiver

[theblackknight]

Hello,
I am working on a Setton RS-660 stereo receiver.

It sat for 15 years before I powered it up a couple days ago. The contacts were very dirty, so I cleaned them and now it works OK.

I also changed the PS caps on another Setton(the BS-5500 power amp) which drastically improved proformance. $90 worth of caps. it was absolutely necessary in this case though--they were oozing black gunk evrywhere. I also have another stock BS-5500(I have 2- a recapped and a stock) which doesn't sound nearly as good as the recapped one.

normally most people dont change them in vintage stuff. even though the RS-660 still works do you recommend it? would having the RS-660 sit like it did for 15 years dry out the caps?


also--the RS-660 flickers and buzzes for the first ~15 seconds after power-up. this is AFTER the protection has clicked off. then, it stabilizes and works OK. I'm sure this is not a power switch problem as the power switch was already replaced--the power switch was the "achilles heel" of the RS-660 and other setton receivers. it was a problem waiting to happen, every setton receiever I have seen either has a bad one or a replacment. my uncle(the owner of this RS-660 that Im fixing) said that it has always done this flicker and buzz thing except when he first got it.

Im thinking is might be a power supply problem. should I worry about it or just leave it and let it stabilize on it's own like it alway has?


Thanks,
Henry

[theblackknight]

bump!

[Rolf Zetterberg]

Hi,since it still sounds like a power switch problem,I would (very carefully-isolate the original power plug!!!!)connect a second power cord directly to the power transformer,and then plug in.If the problem goes away,you have it somewhere in the primary circuit,ie switch or cabling or fuses or power cord plug or supressor cap or whatever.If it's still there,you can be SURE that it is somewhere in the transformer or somewhere later in the receiver.

[theblackknight]

The power switch is solid and cleaning it had absolutely no effect.

I also tried jiggling it in these first 15 seconds of flickering and it did nothing.

I would think a problem with the primary circuit to be more finicky and inconsistent. It sounds like from what my uncle said that it has done the exact same thing ever since he got it for the same amount of time.

From what he seemed to say, it was VERY HEAVILY USED from the late 70's to the early 90's--high school, college dorm, drunken parties, you name it! and it never quit working on him, it just alway had the same flickering and buzzing upon power up.

He said he had a few different small problems with it over the years (i.e., the bad power switch) but he always had it serviced by the same tech with good results.

[theblackknight]

bump!!!

[spind]

Head on over to the 'vintage audio' section of AudioKarma.org--there are quite a few folks with Setton equipment over there and they have a fair bit of information. Hopefully someone there will be able to help you out.

Steve.

[spind]

make that 'vintage solid state'

[tedsch47]

I am looking for the service manual for the RS-660. In another post you said you had access to a service manual. Is it still available? If so, might I get a copy? Thanks in advance.