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Onkyo TX-4500 MKii Sound Cutting Out at 1/3 Volume

megagutz

megagutz

Gutz
Hey folks, I just picked up a beautiful Vintage Onkyo tx-4500 mkii today (65 wpc) Maybe a little under powered but...... It sounds absolutely killer with my Stratus Golds, but just a small problem.........when I get the volume up about one third of the way the sound cuts out and comes back and cuts out periodically........there is no distortion at all really, it just cuts out and comes back on and cuts out, etc. This Receiver should push 4 ohms with no problem (i believe my PSBs are 6 ohms)......I don't think the speakers are too much for it really. So what do you guys think may be the problem? All the switches are static free....... I gave all the switches a shot of contact cleaner just to be sure and still ended up with the same result. I have to figure out what the problem is because it matches up so well with the speakers......Dire Straits never sounded so good:smoke: Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!
 
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Before you go replacing parts, get the service manual and check the bias and DC offset.

HiFiengine(free registration) or AKdatabase should have what you're looking for.

Regardless of how good it sounds with your current speakers, they may not be a good match after all, try a set of 8 ohm speakers.
 
wmgwizard said:
Before you go replacing parts, get the service manual and check the bias and DC offset.

HiFiengine(free registration) or AKdatabase should have what you're looking for.

Regardless of how good it sounds with your current speakers, they may not be a good match after all, try a set of 8 ohm speakers.
Click to expand...

+1 SM check bias and offset. http://www.hifi-manuals.com/Download/Onkyo/TX-4500-Mk2-service-manual

Does the relay click in and out?

It COULD be out of adjustments.
It COULD be tired caps on the protection system.
It COULD be tired transistors on the protection system.

Failed relays are much more rare...they tend to just go dead when they go.
 
Thanks for the input everybody, I appreciate it. I think I'll take it in to get serviced.......it's in mint condition cosmetically so I'd say it's worth getting fixed. I'll let you guys know how it goes!
 
What are you using for a source?

Where are the tone controls set?

Loudness engaged?

I'll wager the receiver is working correctly, and is going into protection as it should when overdriven into a significant load.
 
Hey Bowtie, I've got it hooked up to a Pioneer Elite DVD Player, and all the tone controls are set to flat. I tried it with the loudness on, and off as well.......it trips a little easier with the loudness on of course, but it still does the same thing without the loudness engaged.
 
My guess is that you're probably pushing the edge of the amplifier's ability.

I'm assuming your "1/3 volume" reference means the volume knob is at the 10-11 o'clock position. The analog output of your modern digital source is likely a bit higher than the receiver's input sensitivity was designed for.

Also, consider that your nominally 6 ohm speakers have an impedance curve that probably drops well below 6 ohms at certain frequencies. In fact, the published curve i found for them shows their impedance at 2.5 ohms @100hz, this is probably the nuts and bolts of your issue here.

PSB97FIG1.jpg


Combine these factors and it is likely that what you;re experiencing is the receiver's protection circuit doing exactly what it's supposed to.
 
Even then, protection tripping at 10 or 11 o'clock is mysterious.:scratch2:

Check wiring to speakers, maybe a '' soft '' short circuit - one '' hair '' of the speaker wire can touch the other, making a surge of current, aggravating
with volume knob rising.

Is it getting hot- not warm.. H-O-T before tripping ?

This baby should have no problem pushing 4 ohms ( even if 4 ohms is nominal )

Good luck !
 
I think he's right on with the speaker relay being the issue. Mine had the same problem, was disassembled, cleaned and lubed and all is fine.
 
All this input is great man, thanks a lot bowtie! Hey wmgwizard, I don't have any 8 ohm speakers at the moment, so I hooked it up to my Paisley Research AE-400's (they are 6 ohms / 100 watts max)......it worked great with them, with no tripping issue and it sounds amazing as well..... This receiver is a real keeper.
 
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