Hi guys 'n gals... been visiting this site more and more lately and decided that I'd better join the group.
I've owned a bunch of Technics audio components that I had bought in the early-mid '80's whilst I was stationed in Germany.
Started off with a SU-V4 amp with the peak-hold power meter display and RS-M240X Cassette, followed by a pair of Klipsch Heresy's, SL-QL1 Turntable. I also picked up an SH-8065 Equalizer, ST-G7 Tuner and the SL-PS900 CD player when they came out. All in all, been quite happy with these purchases, which have served me well pretty much the entire time of ownership. All components are original and in great, un-molested condition (except that the SH-8065 has a broken off pot slider, the pot still works fine).
I love the sound of the amp driving my Heresy's (I know, they don't have a deep, booming bass but that's OK by me) and they can reach quite insane loudness levels when I crank it up. I spend most of my listening time using the CD / turntable and cassette unit, with the tuner coming in dead last (don't much care for the music & ads they play around here).
Unfortunately, the amp (SU-V4) has been giving me grief as of late though. I've cleaned the pots a couple of times in the last 10 years. Think it may be time to do it again, but am worried that it's a bit more than that this time around.
Volume drops off to almost nothing one one of the two channels (not always the same one). The volume appears to be higher on the right side, so the balance has been staying just a bit off-center to compensate. I have been turning the volume up-down while the unit is turned off. I have found that the 'dropped' channel side comes back when I give the poor amp "a sharp slap between the ears" - i.e.- hit the cabinet simultaneously left/right on the sides with a slapping motion. Things get back to normal real quick. LOL.
Don't think it's good for it long term though. I'm thinking that it must be a loose wire/component somewhere, or a poor solder joint. If I remember correctly, there appears to be quite a lot of wire-wrap inside, without solder. I also bought a set of the STK8050 's out of GB a few years back, just in case. Hope that those are originals as stated, and not the knockoffs.
Hoping that some of you 'experts' on here can shed some light on this for me. I'm not an electronics expert, but have 'dabbled' a bit as I'm a trained Metrologist and spent 13yrs working for the military in an electro-mechanical laboratory calibrating and maintaining various forms of test equipment etc.
Matt