HistoryProf

I have a Pioneer VSX-D711 receiver that's two years old. The other night it started popping and cutting in and out - even losing power a couple of times and then tonight it did the same thing. This time it went out and the display said AMP ERR right before it shut off completely. It turns back on, but just keeps shutting down....and the speakers pop whenever it turns on or you switch inputs. Is it toast? Should I bother trying to get it repaired? If so...where?

I'm wondering if the speakers could be a problem? I have Wharfedale bookshelf speakers as my mains that are dual wired....is that too much for the amp? They are 8 ohms as far as I know, so they shouldn't, but i don't really know. I had an old sony receiver for 12 years before this one...so i'm really kind of pissed that it's crapping out after two years - but that seems to be the way things go nowadays....I absolutely can't afford a new one, so i don't know what in the hell to do....

any thoughts?

HistoryProf

fwiw: I have it hooked up to a sony wega 27 inch flat screen tv, a sony dvd player (basic low-end) via digital audio and componant video cables. only other thing hooked up is an old sony 5 disc cd player....maybe I should have gotten a sony receiver eh? If all else fails, i'll be getting the $199.99 Sony model at BB to replace it....have to have something that works.....

DVD Josh

Brizz,

Sounds to me like the transformer possibly. Have you checked the internal fuse as well?

As for spending $199.99 for a Sony, how about a refurb Onkyo for the same or less?

HistoryProf

I haven't checked anything....I wouldn't know where to start....how does one check the fuse?

I also find it interesting that it did this as soon as it got hot and humid here (Northern Michigan)....I seem to recall it doing something similar over a year ago, but it was very fleeting and I think i "gave it more air" by rearranging a couple of things...but it's been in it's current spot since we moved in here last november.

where do you get a refurb onkyo? the thing about the sony is i could use my BB card and pay it over a couple of months since I can't afford it all in one shot right now...

DVD Josh

If you are going to go the BB route, I'd look at Yamaha. Probably the best brand they sell.

To check the fuse, you'll have to take off the outer casing (but it may be accessible from the back). This will void the warranty, but it sounds like you are outside of it anyway. You should be able to see the fuse and check if its' busted.

As I said, it could also be the transformer. As for the AMP ERR message, that suggests EPROM problems as well.

Did you do a hard reset? Should say in your manual.

HistoryProf

well this is curious....i tried it out today and noticed that it was on the prologic setting...when i switched it back to "auto" for the signal and cycled through the different channels it now works fine...i put in a couple of different dvds with different audio configurations and have been running Lord of the Rings in DTS for an hour now with no problems.

It's also about 20 degrees cooler today, although still rather humid. i'm at a loss....could it be the prologic setting that was causing it? I'm not nearly well-enough versed in this stuff to be able to hazard a guess at this one....

oh, and there was nothing about a hard reset in the manual...the troubleshooting section was woefully inadequate - along the lines of "unit gets no power" - "Check to make sure its plugged in." gee thanks.....

Brian Shannon

Check all your connections, clean and reseat them. Check the speaker connections at both ends. Make sure that there is no frayed bare wire touching or any terminals touching.

Also be sure that the receiver has enough ventilation both top and bottom, if necessary get a small cooling fan from Radio Shack.

HistoryProf

do you think I should ditch the second set of speaker wires for the mains? (they have two sets of connections so that they can be dual-wired) They sound fantastic, but i'm wondering if that might be too much for the single inputs on the receiver....

Brian Shannon

Yes!

DVD Josh

Wait, you were feeding TWO sets of mains through ONE output terminal? Man, that's a bad idea. You should get a receiver with A/B speaker outs.

Brian said it best - YES (get them out of there!)

HistoryProf

well it's only one set of speakers, but they have connections for two sets of wiring to double the gauge of the wires....regardless, I disconnected one set so we'll see how things go....thanks for the input.....

Brian Shannon

Just out of curiousity . . . what brand and model of speakers? Bi-wiring of speakers is very misunderstood. Also do you have the jumpers that came with the speakers for the terminals?

JCJF10

Another vote for Yamaha if you must buy at BB.

The good thing about BB with Yamaha receivers (and perhaps other brands as well) is that they aren't much higher than buying online.

If you aren't set on BB I'd vote Yamaha or Denon.

HistoryProf

They are Wharfedale bookshelf speakers that are 2 1/2 years old. They are great little speakers and i couldn't be happier with them. here's the view from the back.



I was under the impression that wiring up both sets of posts simply served to double the gauge and thereby improve the signal...I never gave much thought to how it would affect the receiver, or that it even would. But now that I think about it, does it halve the impedence?

Brian Shannon

First if the jumpers are connected as in this picture then wiring both terminals does not matter.

Second bi-wiring can change the impedance

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/...ire/Page1.html

Here is another synopsis of bi-wiring vs. bi-amping

http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/...article=biwire

Bottom line, with that receiver, leave the jumpers in place and use one set of cable.

Good luck.

hahn

Yamaha receivers are really nice sound quality wise, but I really hate that yellow/orange dispaly.