Picked up a Yamaha RX-500U

WickedWillie

New Member
for ten smackers off Craigslist. Owner said it distorted the left channel as the volume increased. He'd already swapped speakers and determined that it was not the speaker.
Will clean all pots and check all inputs/sources. Any ideas after that? (Assuming that doesn't fix the problem.) I can't really read a circuit diagram and my soldering technique is poor...and that's a kind assessment of my skill.
 
Nice receiver for the price great find. I sold plenty of them when they were around $400IIRC. No issues I know of, it was later ones that used a motorized input selector that caused real trouble. Cleaning might do the trick, give it a shot and report back. Good luck!
 
Ok...had the top off. Cleaned the volume pot. Sound is clean on the right channel, both "A" and "B" speakers outputs. Left channel has distortion, mostly in the bass register, that increases as volume is increased. This was using just the tuner as a source, though. Looking at the board...the two largest capacitors - one has a bunch of brown stuff at the base that looks almost like a putty or glue. The other doesn't have this. Is this significant? Didn't copy the numbers off these capacitors, except the one on the top which is something like 7108. Couldn't really get to the balance control pot to clean it, though I tried from the front. Didn't make any difference at all. This may be beyond my meager skills. All other controls were set at flat or neutral settings.
 
one has a bunch of brown stuff at the base that looks almost like a putty or glue. The other doesn't have this. Is this significant

Its most likely old aged glue. The glue tends to cause corrosion if it has came in contact with anything metallic like component leads and such. The glue usually chips out pretty easy. If component leads are badly corroded or oxidized I replace the components. There is no need to try and replace the glue.
 
Ah, my first receiver! Remember it well. Never had an issue with mine back in the day. As for the caps, post some picks. Given the RX's age, I would suspect cap leakage and replace.
 
Next step for me is to take my CD player out of my present system to check the "CD" and "Aux" to see if the distortion remains. If it does, I think I'm safe in assuming the problem is somewhere on the amp or preamp boards. If it disappears...more than likely the tuner section has the problem. Am I on the right track?
 
Am I on the right track?

Sort of. If it plays good with CD or Aux. Which I doubt it will. Could be anything from a failed component,fouled switch connection, cold solder connections,etc.
 
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Then my question to you sir, is this:

If the problem remains after checking the other inputs...at what point or dollar amount would you personally feel that repair of the unit wasn't indicated? My skills are insufficient to trace anything beyond what I'm doing, let alone dismount a PCB and remove replace a cap or transistor...let alone read a circuit diagram or know what NOT to touch.
I bought this on a lark...to see if a good cleaning might fix the problem. I'm open to suggestion and politely delivered personal opinion.
 
If the problem remains after checking the other inputs...at what point or dollar amount would you personally feel that repair of the unit wasn't indicated?
Thats up to you as to how much you feel like spending to get it singing again. Personally I don't really care for recievers. I've always been a seperates type of guy. Big help ! Right !:D
 
Then my question to you sir, is this:

If the problem remains after checking the other inputs...at what point or dollar amount would you personally feel that repair of the unit wasn't indicated? My skills are insufficient to trace anything beyond what I'm doing, let alone dismount a PCB and remove replace a cap or transistor...let alone read a circuit diagram or know what NOT to touch.
I bought this on a lark...to see if a good cleaning might fix the problem. I'm open to suggestion and politely delivered personal opinion.

As we a lot of vintage gear it gets down to how much it would cost to find something similar that works well. That depends on your area and how much gear is on offer. Around here it would be around $50-$75. If you hva to pay a shop to fix it you will be in for more than that just for the estimate in most cases.
 
Yes, that's true. We have a highly regarded shop here in Gainesville, Florida by the name of Sound Ideas. Their bench fee is $65 which would be subtracted from the total cost. The "other" place in town has a $75 bench fee...so I'm thinking I may just let this go...was fun trying, but no cigar.
 
Further adventures:

Figuring that nothing from nothing equals nothing, I further disassembled the Yammy. Managed to get most things apart with breakage or loose wires. Now, I'm beginning to understand why repair shops charge what they do.
Gave the balance pot a real good cleaning. Boxed everything back up only to find out that I hadn't reconnected the plug that controls the LED for the tuner. Thought to check out things before I went back in to find that and reconnect it. Right channel still clean and quiet. Left channel...no change. Distortion that increases as volume is increased. Used CD player to check following inputs: TAPE 1,2, Aux/Video, CD. Same problem with left channel across the board.

Only positive result was that it kept me off the streets for a while and gave idle hands something to do. Luckily, only ten bucks wrapped up in this...and I can use it for practice.
 
I scored an RX-530 for 12 bucks a few months ago. Cleaned everything and it works great. I'm really impressed with this little reciever. It's my garage unit and it sounds amazingly good. If there's anything I can check on mine to help you out by all means let me know. I don't see any difference other than the year made.
 
I scored an RX-530 for 12 bucks a few months ago. Cleaned everything and it works great. I'm really impressed with this little reciever. It's my garage unit and it sounds amazingly good. If there's anything I can check on mine to help you out by all means let me know. I don't see any difference other than the year made.
I am very impressed with the 500U I have as well. It is just a good sound from it. I like yamaha in general. Nice score for 12 bones.
 
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