Ultimate stereo nightmare

@unreceivedogma 

I have tagged my cables.

@rvpiano

I am quite serious about tagging your cables. I have a s - - - load of cables behind my system. I’ve tagged every cable, and I use large electrician tacks to hold them in place on the floor or the wall so that they don’t get tangled up.

Buddy, you need to first see if the dropped channel is from all sources. That means it’s most likely a cable between the amp and preamp, as someone else here has said. If not, I would pull everything apart and start over. When you put it back together, put identifying tags on all your cables. 

Otherwise, get a service guy from an audio store to help you. 

@unreceivedogma your dogma has been received and is in the queue.

Buddy, you need to first see if the dropped channel is from all sources. That means it’s most likely a cable between the amp and preamp, as someone else here has said. If not, I would pull everything apart and start over. When you put it back together, put identifying tags on all your cables. 

Otherwise, get a service guy from an audio store to help you. 

@rhg3 

Thanks for your input. 
Have fun labeling the cables.

@rvpiano very nice system! I'm glad you got it all back together with Jasmine's help. Now I need to go label my cables...

The Robin Hood cable has broken in fully, and the results are magnificent!

I'm up there in years too. My knees work when they want to.  Wish I was in NYC I'd happily help out an audio guy in need.

For me I like to ask my friends at church if they know a guy, after that I ask around at the country club. 

Definitely label the cables, and take the time to draw a schematic that cites the names on the labels and useful notes. 

@holmz 

What a perfect picture of Robin Hood!  Alongside receiving Royalties for this branding with AQ, Robin Hood also has his own flour brand. Gotta admit though, those Robin Hood cables look better than the Mythical Creature line up, which just made me burst in to laughter...such a silly name for a cable. Like a kids coloring book. 

Jasmine was a very nice young woman.

I thought nothing less.

Robin Hood, cool name for speaker cables! how do they sound while it was working?

@mastering92
It’s possible that they literally could sound like taking money from the rich?

Maybe not, but it seems possible…

@rvpiano had an opportunity to be ”in like Flynn”.

Spoken like a gentleman!

Jasmine was a very nice young woman.

Don’t  get your testicles in a bunch, though.

@rvpiano ,

I'll get straight to it; Was Jasmine a smoke show or what??!

. . . perhaps it is pictures of Jasmine he was wanting to see.

@rvpiano 

i suppose the excellent quality control (YouTube video at AudioQuest) factory had something to do with that sound signature. happy listening and good luck with getting this issue resolved. The link I posted might be useful.

Pictures are already available in my details.

@mastering92 

They sound great. A little laid back, but probably need more breaking in.  
Detail is wonderful.

@jjss49 

???

@rvpiano  , it means he wants to see pictures of your system. 

https://www.sound-smith.com/faq/one-channel-down-or-keeps-cutting-out-now-what#:~:text=Turn%20the%20amp%20off%20and,it%20reverses%2C%20it's%20the%20amp.

Robin Hood, cool name for speaker cables! how do they sound while it was working?

@jjss49 

???

@rvpiano 

the saying goes something like 'pics here or it didn't happen'!!! 🤣

Did you switch the ICs to the amp?

Every time I had a channel go out it was a blown amp.

Xlnt!

@rvpiano glad Jasmine was able to fix it! Looking at your system pictures, one suggestion that comes to mind is to hang that big TV on the wall, add an outlet and a wall plate to snake the necessary cables thru behind where the TV will be mounted over to the lower part of the wall and move your equipment stand a bit more out into the room to give you better access to the components from the back of the rack.
Should not cost much to do all this - TV wall mount, outlet, couple of wall plates and few new cables (hdmi, digital, etc). Get it done by the electrician or may be even the same company you used to fix the issue if they offer this service. Should not be more than a few hundred $

Very nice!!!

After relatively few hours of break-in the set is sounding better than ever.

waytoomuchstuff,

 I just added new speaker cables (Audioquest Robin Hood,) so I’m waiting for them to break in.

I had a good feeling that Jasmine would get you going.

So, just curious, how are you feeling about your system today?

I see you got it fixed. Happy news. 

It sounds like you and many respondents could really benefit from a good and consistent yoga practice to go with your audioholism! Good luck on your system. The simplify idea sounds very appealing!

The company’s name is HelloTech. 
Very professional and good to deal with. 
 

@rvpiano Yeah, she works with Cinnamon down at the jiggle-joint during off hours ...

That is a little misogynistic…

It could be “SHE” is just a apprentice tach, but it is also just as likely that is a good tech or a student, or whatever.
Women often need to be above par to work in a male dominated field.

I suppose it is OK to fantasise about a cute tech, but it is a bit purile, even for me.
Once should try and at least have a public face that is adult.
 

xcool I paid Jasmine’s company about $90.

 I gave her a tip of almost that much

^that^ was a kind and gentlemanly gesture @rvpiano 

I hired a company that claims they deal with these things, but there’s such complexity I don’t know whether they can deal with it…

Maybe post who the company was, since they were competent?

...and try to artfully suffer, @dweller.

Yeah,, this ’getting old’ bit can be annoying when on a cable chase. I’m way overdue for a major overhaul, but +/- I’ve been too pre-occupied for the distinct and discrete ’play’ of an audio reno....

I’ve got an employee named Jess(ica) that’s gone from 0 to 110% in a brief span of time, @rvpiano ...*G* You’ll know quickly if she’s up to the task. ;)

Btw, I’ve easy access to the backs and try to keep the more ’busy’ ones’ higher.

Less of that ’up/down’ routine, but not perfect...

Updating, happy your Jas(mine) pulled the rabbit out of the hat...;)

*mock sigh*  I guess all that's left is to sit back and enjoy.....*G*

OP,

👍

I find I am glad to be able to trade money for services (I am only 70, but, some things I no longer do, and am very appreciative of folks that can do it for me).

@xcool I paid Jasmine’s company about $90.

 I gave her a tip of almost that much.

@audioguy85 : the solution was posted several posts ago. If some could only read….

Besides, the OP is 83 years old. Which I doubt you read it. Have you ever been 83 years old? I have not , but I know close / family people at that age. Things slow down. A lot. 

Sorry, but this is not like laying bricks....they are

Cables, you plug them in and unplug them etc. Not beng course, just don’t see what the big deal is.

Electronic components don’t last forever. The reason for the massive heat sinks and fans to cool them down may offer a clue. Your effort to switch cables and determine the source of the malfunction is always first on the list. Sometimes it’s that simple, sometimes not. Assuming it’s not the source input, if it’s an integrated amp, you either have to send it in for repair or replace it. If not switch output channels to determine what component took a dump. As for me, I keep a low end, but respectable back-up integrated amp on hand just in case. Could be as simple as a tube just took a crap. Best of luck.

rvpiano OP

2,191 posts

01-14-2023 at 11:08am 

JASMINE IS A GENIUS! 

She got the whole system working within an hour.

+1000000 to Jasmine!

Hey @rvpiano,  congratulations on getting your problem resolved.  If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for her service.  It's ok if you rather not share that .

Also, I'm glad to come across your post.   At least I feel I'm not the only one with messy cables problem.  I have one of those component cabinets made by a company called BDI, and it's got wheels on the legs.   I almost faint every time I have to go behind the cabinet to fix or make changes,  I see a big pile of intertwined cables (power, interconnect, ethernet, trigger, speaker).  There is nothing more I hate to do than going back there.   I always tell my wife before hand to call 911 if I'm not out in 2 hours.  😀

Cheers!

Cue up some complex, near-impenetrable music. Things are working swell. It's time to go off the deep end for a bit of hey-why-the-heck-not selections.

@rvpiano: if her last name is Tookes or Sanders I would recommend you keep an eye on her from the second she starts crawling on the floor!

Jasmine really is a beautiful name.  

Agree with the above.  Progressively switching cables from channel to channel is the way to troubleshoot a problem like this.

What if the technician can't figure what you have going on! Having complex vinyl and streaming setup not sure they could figure out what I have going on, probably think I'm nuts. Easy access to rear of equipment critical, my setup spread far and wide, getting behind very difficult, have to articulate body in very uncomfortable positions at times. Kind of like working underneath cars, every time I'm under promise myself this is last time. Someday all my diy activities will end, having to rely on others to do all the things I've done over a lifetime will not be easy.

Old decrepit bones one thing, I may not even be able to power up my stereo at some point when cognitive decline becomes a reality. Good to hear she got it up and running.

Nice so glad it worked out for you and she has a lovely name.

I’m interested to know if Jasmine works out. Hopefully she’ll surprise you!

Thanks everybody for your comments and support!

 It’s nice to know the forum is behind you.

Glad for the happy outcome!

However, I will digress and tell a tale. 

Back in the day when I was a rider at least once or twice a year I'd run across this situation.  There would be an old guy, probably my age now, whose bike had tipped over and he couldn't get it upright.  Of course I'd always help out a rider in need.  But they always had some big-assed bike -- Harley's, Aspencades, full dress BMW tourers, etc.  In the back of my mind I would think "if you can't pick up your bike, then get a different bike".  It's like Harold Francis Callahan once said, "a man's got to know his limitations".

BTW, I don't ride anymore.

Awesome @rvpiano congrats and enjoy the music!