NAD 3020 amplifier volume problems

Neilb · 19th December 2006, 08:15 PM

My 25 year old NAD 3020 has suddenly lost volume. It was working fine but suddenly went 'quiet'. If you go close to speakers, you can hear music very faintly. Any idea what problem is and if t can be easily fixed orhas it just come to en dof useful life? The same problem was raised by 'diddytong' in july 2005. Help!

N-Channel · 20th December 2006, 02:40 AM

Hi Neil,

I love NAD products! I have an older 2200PE Amp and 1155 Preamp. Also have a 7225PE receiver. All work beautifully! Something really cool about an S/N Ratio of 114dB! I bought my 1155 second-hand from a pawn shop a few years ago and had problems with the volume control (noisy and music would cut out entirely sometimes). I replaced it with a new one, and Voila! Problem gone.

Since you're still hearing music faintly, your amplifiers are functioning. If the volume control is not suspect, then I would check any logic-controlled muting circuits to see if they're acting up.

Since I am unfamiliar with the 3020, I would ask: Does it use a true analogue potentiometer or a rotary encoder with digital volume control?

Sorry to present you with more question than answers, but these are a few things you might try out first.

Hope this helps out!

Kind Regards,

Steve

planet10 · 20th December 2006, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by N-Channel Does it use a true analogue potentiometer

yes

dave

AndrewT · 20th December 2006, 02:35 PM

Hi,
very faint sounds like you are hearing crosstalk.
Is the input selector working correctly?

Switch off, swap leads to another input and check again.

Neilb · 20th December 2006, 07:33 PM

All connections are correct - it was playing normally and volume just 'went'.

Netlist · 20th December 2006, 07:49 PM

Schematic is here:
http://www.tcaas.btinternet.co.uk/index-4.htm
As a starter, you could measure at the pre-out/power-in connection.

/Hugo

planet10 · 20th December 2006, 08:26 PM

Here is the (early) 3020 service manual [11MB] ....

http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeaker...viceManual.pdf

and the 3020B schema

http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeaker..._schematic.gif

dave

gmilitano · 20th December 2006, 11:44 PM

This thread has my experience with a very similar problem and the NAD 1020:

NAD 1020 Preamp Problems

The 1020 is essentially the same preamp section of the 3020.

I had to remove the muting resistors. Play around with headphones and see if you have a signal in trhe preamp section. Or you can try put a signal into the amp section. That way you will know what section has the problem.

19th December 2006, 08:15 PM	#1
Neilb diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2006	NAD 3020 amplifier volume problems My 25 year old NAD 3020 has suddenly lost volume. It was working fine but suddenly went 'quiet'. If you go close to speakers, you can hear music very faintly. Any idea what problem is and if t can be easily fixed orhas it just come to en dof useful life? The same problem was raised by 'diddytong' in july 2005. Help!

20th December 2006, 02:40 AM	#2
N-Channel diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sol System	NAD Volume Control Hi Neil, I love NAD products! I have an older 2200PE Amp and 1155 Preamp. Also have a 7225PE receiver. All work beautifully! Something really cool about an S/N Ratio of 114dB! I bought my 1155 second-hand from a pawn shop a few years ago and had problems with the volume control (noisy and music would cut out entirely sometimes). I replaced it with a new one, and Voila! Problem gone. Since you're still hearing music faintly, your amplifiers are functioning. If the volume control is not suspect, then I would check any logic-controlled muting circuits to see if they're acting up. Since I am unfamiliar with the 3020, I would ask: Does it use a true analogue potentiometer or a rotary encoder with digital volume control? Sorry to present you with more question than answers, but these are a few things you might try out first. Hope this helps out! Kind Regards, Steve

20th December 2006, 02:35 PM	#4
AndrewT diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Scottish Borders	Hi, very faint sounds like you are hearing crosstalk. Is the input selector working correctly? Switch off, swap leads to another input and check again. __________________ regards Andrew T.

20th December 2006, 08:26 PM	#7
planet10 frugal-phile(tm) diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Victoria, BC, NA, Sol III Blog Entries: 4	Here is the (early) 3020 service manual [11MB] .... http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeaker...viceManual.pdf and the 3020B schema http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeaker..._schematic.gif dave __________________ community sites t-linespeakers.org, frugal-horn.com ........ commercial site planet10-HiFi p10-hifi forum here at diyA

20th December 2006, 11:44 PM	#8
gmilitano diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba	This thread has my experience with a very similar problem and the NAD 1020: NAD 1020 Preamp Problems The 1020 is essentially the same preamp section of the 3020. I had to remove the muting resistors. Play around with headphones and see if you have a signal in trhe preamp section. Or you can try put a signal into the amp section. That way you will know what section has the problem. __________________ DIY Audio Projects [ 10" DIY Subwoofer \| FE127E Sealed Bipole \| [ LM3886 Chip Amp / Gainclone \| K-12M Tube Amp Kit ]


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20th December 2006, 07:33 PM	#5
Neilb diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2006	All connections are correct - it was playing normally and volume just 'went'.

20th December 2006, 07:49 PM	#6
Netlist diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003	Schematic is here: http://www.tcaas.btinternet.co.uk/index-4.htm As a starter, you could measure at the pre-out/power-in connection. /Hugo

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