Derrick Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Hi, I am looking for some advice on this issue that I recently noticed. I am getting a reduced amount of sound from the left channel of my system. I think that it is something new. When I turn the balance knob on my amp to the right, I get the full sound of the recording. When I turn it to the left, I get what I would describe as muted or reduced sound, it is like some of the music is missing. It lacks all depth and fullness. I have only tried it with a digital music source. I swapped the speakers and it didn't change so it isn't the speakers. I swapped the cables and there was no difference so it isn't the cables (also checked polarity). My only thought is that it could be the left binding posts on the amp but the amp is less than a year old so it is unlikely. I will try the B posts to see if it makes a difference. Other than that, I am out of ideas. Is it possible that the music is created play that way? I would think that I would get full sound through each speaker by turning the balance knob fully either way. Any thoughts? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 16 minutes ago, Derrick said: Hi, I am looking for some advice on this issue that I recently noticed. I am getting a reduced amount of sound from the left channel of my system. I think that it is something new. When I turn the balance knob on my amp to the right, I get the full sound of the recording. When I turn it to the left, I get what I would describe as muted or reduced sound, it is like some of the music is missing. It lacks all depth and fullness. I have only tried it with a digital music source. I swapped the speakers and it didn't change so it isn't the speakers. I swapped the cables and there was no difference so it isn't the cables (also checked polarity). My only thought is that it could be the left binding posts on the amp but the amp is less than a year old so it is unlikely. I will try the B posts to see if it makes a difference. Other than that, I am out of ideas. Is it possible that the music is created play that way? I would think that I would get full sound through each speaker by turning the balance knob fully either way. Any thoughts? Thanks Have you tried HEADPHONES to see if it does the same thing? check connections between source, and other equipment in the chain to the speakers. Does this happen to all music sources that you play through that amp? WHAT is the equipment from source to the speakers...separates, integrated amp, receiver, etc?? More info, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 No, I haven't tried headphones. I have only used the digital source. I will try a record and the radio tonight to see if it is isolated to the digital chain or if it is a general problem. My digital chain is; Music is played from an iMac in another room. The out on the computer is USB which goes to an Audioengine D2 sending unit. The sending unit transmits wireless to a receiving unit in the room with my stereo. The receiving unit has a DAC which then sends the analog signal via RCA to the integrated amp. Naturally it is then sent to the speakers via 12 gauge speaker cable with banana clips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 What kind of amp/receiver is it? Is it an older vintage? Do you have a Digital Multi Meter that you can check voltage from the outputs with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 The amp is a 1yr old Marantz integrated PM6006. I don't have a multi meter and wouldn't know what to do with it if I had one. I think that the problem is somewhere else in the system. The last change that I made was adding the banana clips. I might redo them. Thanks for the thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 12 minutes ago, Derrick said: My digital chain is; Music is played from an iMac in another room. The out on the computer is USB which goes to an Audioengine D2 sending unit. The sending unit transmits wireless to a receiving unit in the room with my stereo. The receiving unit has a DAC which then sends the analog signal via RCA to the integrated amp. Naturally it is then sent to the speakers via 12 gauge speaker cable with banana clips. Yikes! That's a long signal chain! Check the sound settings in the iMac to make sure the balance isn't messed up, check any settings on the other devices as well. Lots of margins for error here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 2 hours ago, wuzzzer said: Yikes! That's a long signal chain! Check the sound settings in the iMac to make sure the balance isn't messed up, check any settings on the other devices as well. Lots of margins for error here. Not only is it a long signal chain, but it is ALSO digital, wireless, and analog combination WITHIN that chain. Lots of room for error/problems in that, alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 So you swapped the RCA's at the amplifier, too? How about trying a completely different"direct" connection. Maybe a simple connection from a phone, iPod, iPad, etc., using the headphone jack's output to a pair of RCA inputs of the amplifier. Do you have something like that? Something that can "shorten" the signal path exponentially. Did this start all of a sudden? My thoughts are it's something in that long chain of signal and not a pair of binding posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 I would check all the wiring first, sounds like bad wiring. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 Thanks for the advice guys. I am going to try all inputs to see if is consistent or isolated to one source. I have a 3.5 mil line-in that should cut out the digital chain. I’ll start there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 The only recent change was shortening the speaker wires, adding banana plugs and one new set of RCAs. Could be the new RCAs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 13 hours ago, Derrick said: The only recent change was shortening the speaker wires, adding banana plugs and one new set of RCAs. Could be the new RCAs. Hope that is all that's wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmjm Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 if it’s less than a year old (marantz receiver) is there any warrenty left? if so I’d want to take it to whoever does warrenty/repairs for marantz & have it gone thru to make sure an output transformer or the balance/volume control isn’t crapping out. or possible a loose or broken solder connection on the board. worst case scenarios, I know but better to have it gone thru while under warrenty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrick Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 Turns out that it was the amp. Good news is that Marantz has a 3 year warranty. Fixed at no charge and got it back within 2 weeks. Pretty good service. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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