Hello! I just bought an Onix OA20/2, and I am having some issues. Switching between various inputs heeds various results. Hissing, buzzing, static, imbalances, no output from one or both speakers, it's ugly. Working on circuitry related problems is something I'm almost completely new to, so I was dumbfounded when the issue first came to my attention. It's been recommended that I replace the silver contacts on the input selector, which I'm inclined to do, but I'm faced with the problem that I don't know what that means. There are a couple of black cylindrical pieces which are both corroded, so my guess is that that may be contributing to the amp's dysfunctional state. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
The 'black cylindrical pieces' sound like the two reservoir capacitors. Corroded ? or glue ? which manufacturers use.
With the greatest respect, it sounds like this might be outside your comfort zone as regards faultfinding and repair.
If you want to add a clear picture of the capacitor corrosion then we could probably advise better once we see it.
If you can at least get recognisable audio from both channels at least some of the time then it might be worth giving the input selector a clean with a suitable product. Its not normal practice to open a switch up to 'replace contacts' as they are a non spares item. You would normally replace a faulty switch... but these will be unique.
How to attach images to your posts.
With the greatest respect, it sounds like this might be outside your comfort zone as regards faultfinding and repair.
If you want to add a clear picture of the capacitor corrosion then we could probably advise better once we see it.
If you can at least get recognisable audio from both channels at least some of the time then it might be worth giving the input selector a clean with a suitable product. Its not normal practice to open a switch up to 'replace contacts' as they are a non spares item. You would normally replace a faulty switch... but these will be unique.
How to attach images to your posts.
I've identified the black cylinders as pots, whatever that means. I am undoubtedly under-qualified, but I'm also extremely stingy. I think that with proper instruction, I can do it. I hope someone out there will find it in their heart to hold my hand so that this can be achieved. I don't think anyone in their right mind would do that though, so yeah, I'm probably screwed.
Pot = potentiometer... the variable controls such as volume, balance etc. These can become crackly and noisy and while cleaning is an option, the best fix is to replace.
Before any of this though, you need to pin point where the problems are.
Edit... If it looks like this then the two large objects in the middle of the board are the main power supply reservoir capacitors. The volume control appears to be a normal carbon type component. The mains switch is of a type that can fail causing arcing/overheating which would certainly cause massive interference.
Before any of this though, you need to pin point where the problems are.
Edit... If it looks like this then the two large objects in the middle of the board are the main power supply reservoir capacitors. The volume control appears to be a normal carbon type component. The mains switch is of a type that can fail causing arcing/overheating which would certainly cause massive interference.
Attachments
From the pictures I can find, and the description of the problem, I would say the input selector switch is dirty. On the picture Mooly posted, that is the component bottom right which the input select knob is connected to.
Get some contact cleaner and squirt some into the holes in the switch, then turn the selector knob back and forth a few times to distribute it. See if this clears up the problem.
Get some contact cleaner and squirt some into the holes in the switch, then turn the selector knob back and forth a few times to distribute it. See if this clears up the problem.
I just found this post while searching for information on the same amplifier.
Having communicated with the Onix people in the UK, I can tell you that trying to get any information out of them is a waste of time.
They believe their product is so exotic and so unique that if they let something as simple as a schematic diagram out, even to an experienced audio technician, it will bring their operation to its knees.
I've had two replies from them so far, and the level of BS is extreme.
There is information on their website which suggests no one is as good as them when it comes to repairing their equipment and every technician is a complete idiot who doesn't know how to repair electronics properly.
They pretty much intimated the same thing to me in one of the emails.
This particular amp is nothing special - looks like a simple complementary output stage with a couple of TO-220 transistors.
They tried to tell me it was something highly specialized with years of development design and crafted implementation.
As an electronics technician and radio engineer with 40+ years experience of working on domestic, professional and broadcast equipment I can say this is the most ridiculous and arrogant response I have ever had from an electronics company.
I would go out of my way to tell people NOT to buy their product.
Having communicated with the Onix people in the UK, I can tell you that trying to get any information out of them is a waste of time.
They believe their product is so exotic and so unique that if they let something as simple as a schematic diagram out, even to an experienced audio technician, it will bring their operation to its knees.
I've had two replies from them so far, and the level of BS is extreme.
There is information on their website which suggests no one is as good as them when it comes to repairing their equipment and every technician is a complete idiot who doesn't know how to repair electronics properly.
They pretty much intimated the same thing to me in one of the emails.
This particular amp is nothing special - looks like a simple complementary output stage with a couple of TO-220 transistors.
They tried to tell me it was something highly specialized with years of development design and crafted implementation.
As an electronics technician and radio engineer with 40+ years experience of working on domestic, professional and broadcast equipment I can say this is the most ridiculous and arrogant response I have ever had from an electronics company.
I would go out of my way to tell people NOT to buy their product.
Amen. Businesses that withhold that sort of information do NOT have the consumers' best interests in mind. It's your property, and you should be able to do with it whatever you want. It is inevitable that these kinds of electronics will break down over time, but the fact remains that these companies sell you something, and sometimes that product stops working from no fault of the user. And then when the manufacturer withholds the information needed to correct the issue, insisting that they are the only ones capable of fixing it (and often charging ridiculous money) it is just shameful.
You still have a problem to solve, whether or not Onix will offer advice. I'm inclined to agree with jaycee about the selector switch, because I had my fill of those flat cable and gear driven types of slide switches - long ago. The linkages in the mechanisms gradually wear or bend out of correct alignment between the knob setting and actual contact position. That also results in bad contacts and noisy operation but it can degenerate even further into difficult operation, perhaps a missing channel or the knob just becomes a wheel of random selection.
Often, a contact cleaner spray improves performance but not for long. At least trying it should tell you more about the problem and a logical fix. Just hope any necessary replacement parts are still actually available. Switch assemblies tend to be non-stocked items, even if common rotary types.
Often, a contact cleaner spray improves performance but not for long. At least trying it should tell you more about the problem and a logical fix. Just hope any necessary replacement parts are still actually available. Switch assemblies tend to be non-stocked items, even if common rotary types.
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