In my opinion, Outlaw is being irresponsible in not simply replacing these units, just in case. I don't think it's very helpful for them to say send it back, we'll check it, but we have no idea how long it will take, possibly months, and, if we find no problem, you'll have to pay for any costs incurred. I'm still trying to look for a pattern in the problem (it hasn't happened to my unit in nearly two months now). The warranty is good for another 15 months. There's no hurry. Also, because of lockdown, I can't go to the post office or FedEx to send it to them anyway.
I too am having this issue. I've owned my receiver since late November of 2018 so I'm approaching the end of my warranty period. The first time it happened was after 3 or 4 months of use. I kind of shrugged it off until it happened again a couple months later and then once more after a month or 2. My unit has plenty of ventilation around it and it only gets slightly warm after many hours of play. The last couple times the issue happened I was also watching TV (on mute) at the same time. The TV is an old power hungry plasma TV plugged into the same circuit so I figured that was causing some kind of issue, so I figured I'd monitor that and see if that was always on when I had the issue. Well, it didn't happen again for 5 or 6 months, which was yesterday when it happened twice. Once in the afternoon after 3 or so hours of play and then again in the evening after having it turned off for several hours and then having it on again for maybe less than an hour. The TV was not on either of those times. After the first time it happened, I found this forum, so based on one of the posts here I moved the plug from a power strip directly onto the wall but then it happened again that evening so now I'm out of ideas. I'm contemplating buying a power conditioner but that is a great expense that doesn't guarantee any results. Like some of the other posters with this problem I am hesitant to send the unit in as I don't really want to be without it for an extended period with no guarantee of a fix, but I also know I'm running out of time on my warranty. Either way I have submitted a ticket with them so they at least know there is another unit with a problem.
Responsibility is defined by the contract the buyer enters into when they agree to the warranty terms with their purchase. It is a two way street. To insist that asking each party to the contract behave outside the contract is irresponsible. To think that a replacement would be provided without the opportunity to inspect the unit is unreasonable. Yes there seems a pattern of some sort of issue. It may be the failure of some part supplied to Outlaw and it can be fixed by a part replacement. The only way the company can responsibly determine how to abide by the contract is to inspect the units. If companies had to replace every thing they sold upon consumer issues, there would be no companies left. Tough as it may seem, when possible abide by the warranty, send it back and get the service you paid for. You did not pay for an unconditional replacement policy.
Just for those who may be interested, mine has not had the symptom now for almost four months. The last time it happened was February 7. Hasn't happened since. The only change to my system in the interim was a change in speakers. I upgraded my KEF LS50s to KEF R3s. I don't imagine that would have made a difference, but it's sort of stopped. Keeping my fingers crossed. Anyone else who has had this problem, has it continued or has it stopped? Thanks
I have had a 2160 for about a year and a half. I experienced this problem in the first few months I had it. Have not experienced it again in quite some time. Awesome unit.
All this points to the difficulty in figuring out what an intermittent issue is. Sometimes with the unit on the bench we can see values that are within spec. but on the low side of tolerance. This can point us in a direction to fix something. A change in speakers changes the load and demand characteristics so it may or may not be relevant. Good the here you are enjoying the music.
Well, I've been enjoying the music all along. Love the amplifier. Excellent sound given the price and it has so many features that make it adaptable. No complaint about the unit itself, just wish this intermittent issue hadn't been an issue. But, as I say, hasn't happened now in four months. We'll see.
I am not sure if I already posted in this thread before, but I’ve had the exact same issue. It happens roughly every 2 months, but when it happens it seems to happen close together (2 over 3 days). I do a factory reset each time because i had raised a ticket with outlaw and they suggested that
Very good idea for any amp. That said, a little heat buildup is not likely to cause a shutdown like the one you're experiencing. Volume peaks can, if there's a faulty transistor at the power supply stage.
Well, it seems to have stopped. Flawless performance since February, so I've kind of stopped worrying about it.
Hello all, I have not chimed in for some time. This past month my 2160 has weirded out twice. All the same symptoms. It has been a long time since the last time. I checked all the connections, I did buy a Fuhrman conditioner a couple months ago. Once it was after running several hours and was warm, not hot. The second time two weeks later. The unit was only on 15 minutes. Each time it is a 10 to 15 second reset. I did make a ticket with outlaw the last time it happened. They seem responsive, but don't have any clues at the time. I choose to deal with it. It is still my fav for two channel.
Oh good question? With a few owners out there having had the issue, "Has anyone sent their unit in to be looked at?" And please tell us the results if you have.
I was the original poster of this thread. In the end, I have not sent mine in because it seems to have stopped doing it. It's now the middle of September. The last time it happened was back in early February, and, like so many others, I really like the machine. So, I'm just hoping for the best. That said, I, too, would be interested to know if anyone who has had the problem has sent their unit in and, if so, what the diagnosis was and the remedy, if a problem was confirmed. Please do report. Thanks.
Well, another two months have passed without the problem occurring again. Hasn't happened in nine months now.
Happened on this thread while searching to see if there is a way to disable HD in the tuner (apparently not- annoying, as when the weather is bad and I'm listening to the local NPR station it sometimes repeatedly switches back and forth to HD/non-HD with a volume change...). Got my 2160 in Dec '18. A month or so into ownership I was having problems with the unit freezing up and it wouldn't do a reset. Outlaw sent me a new one and paid for return of the original. Anyway, my unit does the partial shut-down described by others here on rare occasions. Maybe 4 times over the past 18 months. While I have noticed it, I haven't paid attention to what the source was at the time, or any other particular details. I rarely push it too hard and it's decently ventilated. I live in an old house in a rural area, and having read through the thread(s), I suspect it's some inconsistency/drop in the power going to the unit- we get occasional brief light flickering. Seems like a power conditioner might be in order. I'll send Outlaw's customer support a message just so they know there's another customer with this issue. Other than this, it's a great receiver. Well, the buttons on the remote could be a little bigger/have bigger text......
I just want to mention that I wound up adding an APC power conditioner to my system and haven't had an issue since. I have noticed a couple times the the condition has had to trim the voltage and wonder if that would have caused a shutdown if it weren't there.
RR2160MkII might have the correction to this problem. I put a monitor on my utility power to see what the AC looks like each day. I had 128VAC one day another day 113VAC, since I run tubes I have to deal with this so as to not kill my amps. Put a variac on the line and see if dropping voltage will cause it. I wouldn't go below 108VAC and I wouldn't tell Outlaw this was done
Just got their emailed announcement about the MKII version...let's see if it suffers with the same issue.
I really appreciate this thread. I had an early Outlaw receiver that never worked right so I recycled the thing. Then to see this last generation has issues. I think I'm going to hold off on the MKII until it has a proven track record.
Well, to be fair, I reiterate that, although I started this thread, my unit has worked flawlessly now since the first week of February--so almost ten months. And even before that, it happened only a few times, usually weeks apart. I've kind of forgotten about it. I'm very happy with mine.
OK, it's now December 16, 2020. My amplifier just did the shutdown think again. Same symptom. That's the first time in 10 months, but there it is again....
