I have 2 RPU100 receivers made by Yamaha for desktop use with PC's.
Sticking just one for the time being I had not used these for some time. But they are not in a basement or some place, just on a desk unused. Frankly I'm getting ready to sell them off since I use much less hi fi gear now-- just some audio from a separate computer setup.
After a lot of false starts I decided to test for trouble from the outside in. I have one test speaker on which I used the battery test to see if at least that was working. It is.
The next step in to receiver is the speaker connects. Those are the tab-type red/ black flip to contact and bite down on the wire through a small hole. I don't have a meter-- I'm not skilled at electronic tracing.
My question to begin with is: can those types of speaker connections go bad-- lose their "bite" on the wire or have some other problems. I have noticed the flip latch feels loose on one.
The receiver has USB to display the receiver on the PC and adjust with a mouse. It was a unique design but phased out by Yamaha. It has AM FM selectable from the receiver panel or on screen. Everything lights up.
I'm returning to the manual to find the RPU100 test mode: an on-screen display which will play a test tone.
But a brief answer just on the speaker in connecters described above is all I can ask for at the moment.
If this is an incorrect forum, please re-direct. In other days I never strayed far from the full range speaker forum.
Sticking just one for the time being I had not used these for some time. But they are not in a basement or some place, just on a desk unused. Frankly I'm getting ready to sell them off since I use much less hi fi gear now-- just some audio from a separate computer setup.
After a lot of false starts I decided to test for trouble from the outside in. I have one test speaker on which I used the battery test to see if at least that was working. It is.
The next step in to receiver is the speaker connects. Those are the tab-type red/ black flip to contact and bite down on the wire through a small hole. I don't have a meter-- I'm not skilled at electronic tracing.
My question to begin with is: can those types of speaker connections go bad-- lose their "bite" on the wire or have some other problems. I have noticed the flip latch feels loose on one.
The receiver has USB to display the receiver on the PC and adjust with a mouse. It was a unique design but phased out by Yamaha. It has AM FM selectable from the receiver panel or on screen. Everything lights up.
I'm returning to the manual to find the RPU100 test mode: an on-screen display which will play a test tone.
But a brief answer just on the speaker in connecters described above is all I can ask for at the moment.
If this is an incorrect forum, please re-direct. In other days I never strayed far from the full range speaker forum.
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Speaker connectors do lose their bite, broken or weak spring, at times dirt in spring causing weak action, sometimes fixed by spray like Deoxit.
Otherwise replacement is needed, screw/nut style connectors apart from the original spring loaded ones are available.
Choose one that matches in size with your existing ones.
Otherwise replacement is needed, screw/nut style connectors apart from the original spring loaded ones are available.
Choose one that matches in size with your existing ones.
Thanks for the prompt reply.
I'm going through the extensive manual which I got well after the online purchase of the RPU100.
Replaceing connectors sounds like a job for a professional. One thought I had was: Is it possible to use a soldered speaker babnana plug connector or is the entry hole not compatible with one of those?
If I had no PC connected via USB at all, the receiver should still function as a receiver for AM and FM . I'm getting no audio out of this one and I tried connections to both right and left to my teest speaker.
I'm going through the extensive manual which I got well after the online purchase of the RPU100.
Replaceing connectors sounds like a job for a professional. One thought I had was: Is it possible to use a soldered speaker babnana plug connector or is the entry hole not compatible with one of those?
If I had no PC connected via USB at all, the receiver should still function as a receiver for AM and FM . I'm getting no audio out of this one and I tried connections to both right and left to my teest speaker.
This whole problem is confusing. I got one of the RPU100's going connected
to a different PC. I installed the driver and display software and did the hookups. But I finally got some audio using a different test speaker. I did the battery test with that and same as the first. I don't understand why an audio speaker can do the battery test but fail when connected to a source. Frankly I think all of my parts are ok. They don't get hard wear of any sort.
I knew there was life when I saw some activity on FM from the receiver. This is unrelated to all the other computer and digital operations and hookups it has
on the back.
The unit would be called vintage these days. The manual instructions were written in the days of Win98 and refer to that specifically. USB1 as well I think.
to a different PC. I installed the driver and display software and did the hookups. But I finally got some audio using a different test speaker. I did the battery test with that and same as the first. I don't understand why an audio speaker can do the battery test but fail when connected to a source. Frankly I think all of my parts are ok. They don't get hard wear of any sort.
I knew there was life when I saw some activity on FM from the receiver. This is unrelated to all the other computer and digital operations and hookups it has
on the back.
The unit would be called vintage these days. The manual instructions were written in the days of Win98 and refer to that specifically. USB1 as well I think.
I did note that the red/black flip connectors are screwed in place rather than rivetted or something impossible. So two binding posts for banaa plugs in a
frame could be attached. Else be sure to use a large gauge stranded wire
for bite. I'm still doing all the checks on both RPU100's but a little at a time. It's sort of nerve racking in old age. :-/
You can do it if you know soldering...
The worst hack is simply remove the old connectors, and take wires from the PCB, to the ends of shrouded screw terminal connectors.
Use big ones from cars or power supplies.
Then you can change speakers at will.
Aesthetics is your decision, which is why I said worst.
Use thick wire, ensure the wires won't damage the circuit if yanked, use some sort of restraint on the wires.
The worst hack is simply remove the old connectors, and take wires from the PCB, to the ends of shrouded screw terminal connectors.
Use big ones from cars or power supplies.
Then you can change speakers at will.
Aesthetics is your decision, which is why I said worst.
Use thick wire, ensure the wires won't damage the circuit if yanked, use some sort of restraint on the wires.
How to make DIY Spring Clip Terminal to 4 mm Banana Plug Adaptors - YouTube
This shows a way to simply plug in the banana plug end into the spring connectors with the flip connection. According to this it works if you do not want to tamper with the unit.
One channel of the R1 seems to be out after a lot of swithching around speakers
to make sure I'm not using something dead to test.
If the unit is defective anyway, I may just try to open it and see if I can clip
some speaker leads ahead of the spring connectors to the board connecting wires.
The unit works though. I had a sound blast unexpected once big time. In this apaprtment I have to respect the neighbors and that makes testing more difficult.
Will see what happens.
This shows a way to simply plug in the banana plug end into the spring connectors with the flip connection. According to this it works if you do not want to tamper with the unit.
One channel of the R1 seems to be out after a lot of swithching around speakers
to make sure I'm not using something dead to test.
If the unit is defective anyway, I may just try to open it and see if I can clip
some speaker leads ahead of the spring connectors to the board connecting wires.
The unit works though. I had a sound blast unexpected once big time. In this apaprtment I have to respect the neighbors and that makes testing more difficult.
Will see what happens.
No guts no glory said I, so I partially disassembled the RPU100. Just enough to get the cover off and backplate down. I didn't go any further. I was able to tilt the speaker terminals enough to see that they are mounted to a circuit board and a modular plug runs off of that to the mainboard or whatever sub board is under that..
The good news is that after some effort I got everything back together. I have to finish putting the screws in the back plate and the cover.
Everything I could see on the inside is clean, nothing burnt or bad solder joints. After all the thing has never been touched on the inside not most of the digital and coaxial inputs used at all. The RPU100 self test on screen of the PC says no change, one channel still out.
So much for Receiver 1 (see above.)
I'll give a closer look at my other RPU100 (R2) but I now know that there's no simple change-out-the-speaker-terminals-from-the outside fix for R1.
The good news is that after some effort I got everything back together. I have to finish putting the screws in the back plate and the cover.
Everything I could see on the inside is clean, nothing burnt or bad solder joints. After all the thing has never been touched on the inside not most of the digital and coaxial inputs used at all. The RPU100 self test on screen of the PC says no change, one channel still out.
So much for Receiver 1 (see above.)
I'll give a closer look at my other RPU100 (R2) but I now know that there's no simple change-out-the-speaker-terminals-from-the outside fix for R1.
Later that day....
I am newly confused. Running the RPU100 self test in the PC with no speakers attached just runs through the 2 front ant 2 back pattern showing a graphic.
On both RI and R2 only one-- the Left marked speaker will activate. I'm wondering it it could be a software problem or a conflict with something like one of the Sound programs from Realtek etc which installs when the motherboard is set up and installed with its ssytem disk.
Or, I have a Yamaha RPU100 backup disk I made for safety long ago. I will try that.
Perhaps others using PC based soundcards have an idea on this and if conflicts arise at the software level. Is there something in Device Manager to tweak?
I'm moving on to trying that backup disk. But each time I do this, the software and drivers etc go in with no error. Using the RPU100 without the screen is difficult. Just turning the thing on anf getting some FM has to be found using a series of buttons. It's hard to find.
I am newly confused. Running the RPU100 self test in the PC with no speakers attached just runs through the 2 front ant 2 back pattern showing a graphic.
On both RI and R2 only one-- the Left marked speaker will activate. I'm wondering it it could be a software problem or a conflict with something like one of the Sound programs from Realtek etc which installs when the motherboard is set up and installed with its ssytem disk.
Or, I have a Yamaha RPU100 backup disk I made for safety long ago. I will try that.
Perhaps others using PC based soundcards have an idea on this and if conflicts arise at the software level. Is there something in Device Manager to tweak?
I'm moving on to trying that backup disk. But each time I do this, the software and drivers etc go in with no error. Using the RPU100 without the screen is difficult. Just turning the thing on anf getting some FM has to be found using a series of buttons. It's hard to find.
Using the backup RPU100 installer setup disk did not change anything.
But after all this and the duplicate error across two units I think it is not in the
receivers but what gets to the PC.
For now I am just going to let this go and think about it or do some searches on
"soundcard plays on only one channel" or something.
But after all this and the duplicate error across two units I think it is not in the
receivers but what gets to the PC.
For now I am just going to let this go and think about it or do some searches on
"soundcard plays on only one channel" or something.