Need help with vintage setup.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by kiasmos, Jul 7, 2015.

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  1. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    Okay, so I've recently purchased some vintage gear and I'm not able to get sound from the speakers. As far as I know everything is in working order. I have a Harman Kardon 730 paired with a SL-1200mk and a set of KLH model 17 speakers.

    I hooked 16g speaker wire up to the amp and speakers trying several times only to get a hum from the speakers and then silence. I'm not sure if there is something I've done wrong or if there could be something else at work here. I did notice that one of the terminals on the speaker was loose and doesn't want to tighten fully

    Any suggestions as to why this is happening and what may be the cause is very much appreciated.

    Below are some pictures of the current set up.

    thanks
    https://www.dropbox.com/sc/q9ews3o0ichcs3b/AAAin8VsyTNeawgB6PH9yAh8a
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2015
  2. sunrayjack

    sunrayjack Forum Resident

    I would disconnect the speakers from the receiver, take one speaker and hook it to each side of side "a" and then side "b", see if you get the same hum on all of the different connectors, then do it with the other speaker.
    This should give you an idea of where the problem is, might be one of the speakers or both, could be in the amp, or "a" side only.
    Check all of the function controls on your amp and make sure something is not on that should be off.
    I sold a marantz receiver to a guy in oregon, he complained and said I sold him a defective unit, when I got it back, sure enough like he said, turn it up half way and barely any sound out of it.
    I was looking at it and I saw a monitor control button pushed on, so I switched it off, and the damn thing about blow me out of the room it was so loud!
    Sometimes a control can be on and it's almost like it is trying to play two different functions at the same time, sometimes you get some sound and then sometimes you can get a hum.
    Just where I would start, we have all had those scratch your head moments.
    Good Luck
     
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  3. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    Yeah, that's a good idea. I did do that to a degree but not so thoroughly. I will look even closer and examine each speaker and see what I can find.

    Thanks
     
  4. Beattles

    Beattles Senior Member

    Location:
    Florence, SC
    What are you using as a music source? CD, TT, AM/FM? Are you sure source is outputting a signal? Check(by switching, pressing or turning back and forth) and/or clean all controls, switches and buttons. Try speakers on another amp. Good Luck, it can be frustrating and then sometimes... Duh!
     
  5. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    Music source is TT. I'm going to try another amp and see what I get , I've tried most everything else but I'm sure I'll figure it out soon enough.(I hope!)
    Thanks for the feedback much appreciated.
     
  6. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Things I'd check (in addition to those mentioned above):

    •Use the FM tuner and twiddle the dial. You should at least get plenty of noise/interference, if no actual stations.
    •Try depressing the speaker protectors buttons on the back panel.
    •Do you have a pair of headphones? Are you hearing anything through the headphone jack (on FM, TT, whatever)?
     
  7. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    I've been able to get a low hum from one or both of the speakers when I turn the unit on or switch between spkrs-1 and spkrs-2 but then it stops.
    I've pushed both speaker protectors in to rest.
    I haven't gotten any noise/static from the tuner which I thought I would and I've tried the headphone jack where I've gotten some initial static and sound but then silence again.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2015
  8. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    I'm not sure if that means it's the amp or the speakers?
     
  9. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    Sounds like your amp is dead. Hard to tell what is wrong from here. There are lots of switches and settings to look at, then there are board level components throughout.
    -Bill
     
  10. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    I have a buddy coming over who knows more than I do to take a look and see if he can help pin point the issues at hand. But I do admint it seems as though the amp may be the culprit.
    Thanks Bill
    Matt
     
  11. BrentR79

    BrentR79 Forum Resident

    You're missing the pre-out to main-in jumpers I think.
     
  12. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Exactly.
     
  13. Heavy Music

    Heavy Music Forum Resident

    This gets my vote. It looks like the jumpers may be missing. But the picture only shows a partial shot of the pre-out/amp in area.
     
  14. BrentR79

    BrentR79 Forum Resident

    You can just use some rca interconnects if you don't have the jumpers. Google images will show what the original jumpers look like.
     
  15. BrentR79

    BrentR79 Forum Resident

    Here's a shot.[​IMG]
     
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  16. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    Yes! You guys are right I had just figured out that I don't have the interconnects.
     
  17. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    You guys are soooo much help!
    Thanks a bunch!!! :D
     
  18. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    Well, that was easy! I guess it does pay to look at the pictures. ;)
    -Bill
     
  19. sunrayjack

    sunrayjack Forum Resident

    I had an amp once I bought and it acted up so I took it to a shop and the guy used a short rca cable to do that, that lesson cost a bit.
    I forgot all about that, must be old age.
     
  20. BrentR79

    BrentR79 Forum Resident

    This used to be a good way to score vintage gear for cheap on ebay, by looking at the pictures of non-working equipment and seeing the missing jumpers. Buy at a discount apply the quick fix, and have a great receiver. Then sellers got wise and would remove the jumpers for the pictures, list it as non-working and people would bid it up thinking it was an easy fix only to find that the receiver did indeed have serious problems, not just missing jumpers. Yet another reason I stay away from e-bay.
     
  21. kiasmos

    kiasmos Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    Just so you guys know everything is working right now. I really appreciate all the helpful suggestions and recommendations you've all made. I can know continue forward and evolve my system towards listening bliss.
    Much much thanks.
     
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