Hi,
My Luxman R-117 receiver has developed a problem. The right channel (and very occasionally the left) become intermittent at times at mid-volume. I can turn the volume up and the extra power (and/or loud moments within in the music) will create contact and the channel will work momentarily. It’s hit or miss. It will work perfect for a month and then out of nowhere I can’t get the right channel to work at all at listening volume. This is a problem; this is a very tragic problem. It’s rather like my child. I’m of the notion that you will have to pry this R-117 from my cold dead hands before I’ll get rid of it, because it drives my B&W 801 S3s so profoundly-perfectly (big!) - but, after a couple years now of this occasional intermittent horror, I must deal with this. I need some help.
I’m using the B speaker output for now, but the A is cattywompus and I want it fixed. I live in Santa Monica Ca, and am looking for a competent local man to overhaul/fix this. Rehab shop recommendations are very much appreciated! (Who’s the local John Galt of stereo? - SoCal) If I have to drive it 2 states over, or send it further, I can live with that too. Who’s my guy? How do I solve this?
(I guess, possibly an explanation of what’s going wrong couldn’t hurt, if you have a moment.)
Your experience and advice is much appreciated! I’m dumbfounded at the knowledge on this site. Kudos – to that.
My Luxman R-117 receiver has developed a problem. The right channel (and very occasionally the left) become intermittent at times at mid-volume. I can turn the volume up and the extra power (and/or loud moments within in the music) will create contact and the channel will work momentarily. It’s hit or miss. It will work perfect for a month and then out of nowhere I can’t get the right channel to work at all at listening volume. This is a problem; this is a very tragic problem. It’s rather like my child. I’m of the notion that you will have to pry this R-117 from my cold dead hands before I’ll get rid of it, because it drives my B&W 801 S3s so profoundly-perfectly (big!) - but, after a couple years now of this occasional intermittent horror, I must deal with this. I need some help.
I’m using the B speaker output for now, but the A is cattywompus and I want it fixed. I live in Santa Monica Ca, and am looking for a competent local man to overhaul/fix this. Rehab shop recommendations are very much appreciated! (Who’s the local John Galt of stereo? - SoCal) If I have to drive it 2 states over, or send it further, I can live with that too. Who’s my guy? How do I solve this?
(I guess, possibly an explanation of what’s going wrong couldn’t hurt, if you have a moment.)
Your experience and advice is much appreciated! I’m dumbfounded at the knowledge on this site. Kudos – to that.
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Although it could be many things, it is just possible it could be nothing more than tarnished relay contacts in the speaker output line. If so it might be an easy fix if the relays have a removable cover (many do). Nothing more than a strip of paper with some WD40 pulled across the contacts to fix it.
On the other hand... it could be something like a dry joint that needs soldering or worst case a component failing intermitently but from what you describe I think something easy.
The second picture in shows a small relay with removable cover, the contacts are at the top.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/191449-output-relays-14.html#post2660474
On the other hand... it could be something like a dry joint that needs soldering or worst case a component failing intermitently but from what you describe I think something easy.
The second picture in shows a small relay with removable cover, the contacts are at the top.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/191449-output-relays-14.html#post2660474
Luxman's R117 receiver about
luxman R 117: Image
I hate.
Very complex and very unpleasant for service. I cannot recommend service performing, especially for beginners. Before perform the actually troubleshooting replace all caps and resolder all solder joints.
The better receiver choice are the models without digital stuff and MCU like e. g. R1030 and R5030.
luxman R 117: Image
I hate.
Very complex and very unpleasant for service. I cannot recommend service performing, especially for beginners. Before perform the actually troubleshooting replace all caps and resolder all solder joints.
The better receiver choice are the models without digital stuff and MCU like e. g. R1030 and R5030.
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First thing, hold onto that R117 even after death. If there is a rock and roll in heaven then you’ll want to use it there.
As background, I have 5 of these units and have a pretty good familiarity with its’ particular set of peccadillos. I work on my stuff and have done extensive repairs on the R117. If you are not somewhat tech savvy then you will need to have someone do one or several of the below things for you.
As a basic test use the CD straight switch to bypass all your switches and pots and see if your volume issue clears up. If it does then your volume pot is good and the problem is elsewhere.
The switches and pots will need to be cleaned with Deoxit. The balance pot, loudness switch, tone defeat switch, subsonic, and volume need a shot every 15 years or so to remain functional. These are your most likely candidates for intermittent sound loss. The tone defeat switch is at the head of this group in my experiences for being problematical. You should do the speaker and bass and treble controls as well, but I have not found these to be a problem.
If the cleaning does not clear the issue I would look to the tone defeat switch as a start. Try pushing in the switch and noting changes in volume. Partial engagement may provide better volume and is an indicator the switch is still dirty or bad. I have not found a suitable replacement for this unit so I have had to hard wire it into tone defeat “On” mode. Same with the subsonic, but a less likely candidate.
If the cleaning does not resolve the problem then you will need to look at the caps on the tone control board as well as the Op amp which resides there. I have found the caps to be ok, but replaced them anyways. The Op amp has shown itself to be another problem spot. Replace that if necessary.
These are a few of the easier thing that you can do on your own.
Start with Deoxit on the volume pot, and if that does not work, move on to all the other pots and switches as suggested above. Just a quick shot of it should do the job, don't flood it, which is easy to do.
This amp has jumpers in the rear that will allow you to narrow the problem down to either the preamp or amp if Deoxit does not do the job.
This amp has jumpers in the rear that will allow you to narrow the problem down to either the preamp or amp if Deoxit does not do the job.
Mooly nailed it. The relays. (I had to take it in. No courage in the breach – yet your post had it all right there!)
Cost me $242.20 ($21 “shop material”, the rest labor at $60 and hour…) I’ll bet I could have done it myself if I had a YouTube video to help me along…. Polishing relays – or perhaps replaced relay “tips”. I don’t know. I guess everything else is cleaned up inside too via Deoxit and Q-tips. Who knows. I missed my big chance to be DIY guy.
Before I took it in I picked up a 100w per channel Onkyo (TX-8511) on eBay for $36 (… crazy), just to have an active system, and boy was it nice to not have to worry about the channel cutting out, but as powerful and clean as this Onkyo is supposed to be, it makes B&W 801 S3s sound equivalent to a Costco boom box. Very thin all over; nothing “real”; clipped this and that, and dramatically muddled bass at every moment – especially kick drums. Zero headroom by comparison - just providing a completely different interpretation – completely different music.
I hooked up the “refurbished” Luxman and turned it on and all the lights in the house have the familiar dim to about zero power for a fraction of a second. Sweet Jesus this amp makes these speakers come alive. The bass no longer comes from flubby speakers, it comes from the room, or maybe even outside the room. It’s like someone who was talking right in front of you suddenly turns 180° to face you. That was the difference in clarity/reality.
When I received the Onkyo I really-really wanted to be satisfied and not even fix the Luxman, but it took about 20 seconds of listening to dump that idea. I wish I could create a plate to A/B these amps without sacrificing quality – to show friends and family what’s going on here.
I feel bad for audiophiles. Fact is, you don’t know what you don’t know. (Myself included.) It seems to me nigh on impossible to expose yourself to the real-deal unless you’re rich, extremely well informed, or work in a shop that churns through lots of high-end equipment.
Anyway, thanks for the info. I’ll post here for posterity if my $250 refurbish job lasts only a few months.
Next time I vow to do it myself. (So this thread isn’t entirely useless – it can always serve as a bad DIY example.)
(But full bitrate, of course. Played LOUD! "Textured staging" ... within the matrix.)
Autechre - Drane - YouTube
Boards Of Canada - The Devil Is In The Details - YouTube
ORBITAL - Adnan's - YouTube
Cost me $242.20 ($21 “shop material”, the rest labor at $60 and hour…) I’ll bet I could have done it myself if I had a YouTube video to help me along…. Polishing relays – or perhaps replaced relay “tips”. I don’t know. I guess everything else is cleaned up inside too via Deoxit and Q-tips. Who knows. I missed my big chance to be DIY guy.
Before I took it in I picked up a 100w per channel Onkyo (TX-8511) on eBay for $36 (… crazy), just to have an active system, and boy was it nice to not have to worry about the channel cutting out, but as powerful and clean as this Onkyo is supposed to be, it makes B&W 801 S3s sound equivalent to a Costco boom box. Very thin all over; nothing “real”; clipped this and that, and dramatically muddled bass at every moment – especially kick drums. Zero headroom by comparison - just providing a completely different interpretation – completely different music.
I hooked up the “refurbished” Luxman and turned it on and all the lights in the house have the familiar dim to about zero power for a fraction of a second. Sweet Jesus this amp makes these speakers come alive. The bass no longer comes from flubby speakers, it comes from the room, or maybe even outside the room. It’s like someone who was talking right in front of you suddenly turns 180° to face you. That was the difference in clarity/reality.
When I received the Onkyo I really-really wanted to be satisfied and not even fix the Luxman, but it took about 20 seconds of listening to dump that idea. I wish I could create a plate to A/B these amps without sacrificing quality – to show friends and family what’s going on here.
I feel bad for audiophiles. Fact is, you don’t know what you don’t know. (Myself included.) It seems to me nigh on impossible to expose yourself to the real-deal unless you’re rich, extremely well informed, or work in a shop that churns through lots of high-end equipment.
Anyway, thanks for the info. I’ll post here for posterity if my $250 refurbish job lasts only a few months.
Next time I vow to do it myself. (So this thread isn’t entirely useless – it can always serve as a bad DIY example.)
(But full bitrate, of course. Played LOUD! "Textured staging" ... within the matrix.)
Autechre - Drane - YouTube
Boards Of Canada - The Devil Is In The Details - YouTube
ORBITAL - Adnan's - YouTube
Thanks for the update and great to hear it is fixed but $240+ smakeroonies... wow !
It's always interesting listening to different amps and some really do hit the spot musically. The "JLH69" which appears countless times in these forums is one such DIY amp (and super simple too), and that even today can put many a £$10K amp in its place sonically.
Great its fixed anyhow
It's always interesting listening to different amps and some really do hit the spot musically. The "JLH69" which appears countless times in these forums is one such DIY amp (and super simple too), and that even today can put many a £$10K amp in its place sonically.
Great its fixed anyhow
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