Music fades/static at low volume

[tdculp]

Current config: 2 - KLF20's, NAD2200 PE, NAD1130 PRE, Nakamichi CDC200 CD. Speakers cables are Monster, I think approx 10-12 gauge, and approx 12ft lengths. At very low volumes, the music fades, and gets very static, like I am loosing the signal, but if I turn the volume up, at about 9 oclock it goes away. I have eliminated the volume knob of the preamp by turning up the volume with the preamp, then turning down the sound level with the CD player, or by pressing in the low level button on the preamp, the music still fades/static at low level. The speakers are only 11mos old, did not notice with my previous speakers, Klispch KG2's. Any ideas?

[JohnA]

Dirty relays in your power amp? I had similar problems with an amp and that was the fix.

John

[djk]

John is right.The NAD2200 was notorious for bad speaker relays.

[tdculp]

Are the relay's a big deal? Should I replace the AMP? If not, does NAD need to perform the work or can I let the local guys do the work. Is the NAD2200 a decent AMP?

[WMcD]

Before reading down I was going to suggest it sounds like a bad connection between the amp and the speaker. So you should check all connections.

Then reading some more, I see comments about a speaker relay. So, I think yeah, just another mechanical connection to the speaker, so it could be that too.

However, does this happen with both channels? If so, it would be odd that the contacts on the relays, or connections from the amp terminal to the speakers are failing the same way in the same channels.

And it would certainly be odd for both speakers to have the same problem.

I'm not familiar with the amp. The described relay(s) might be there simply to delay connection to the speakers until after a turn on transient thump, and maybe disconnect them before a turn off transient thump.

However, if they also switch between A, B, and A+B, you might try connecting to the speakers to the B or A; whatever is the other. This might isolate it to a relay contact problem. Cycle any A, B, A+B switch.

Checking all wire connections could help.

I've had the bad connection problem. Theory is that there is a connection with variable but sometimes high resistance. High voltages seem to punch though the bad connection. But at low levels it does not.

So tell us more. Are both channels doing the same thing?

Gil

[tdculp]

I have had the problem in both channels, although the right channel is more consistent. I have recently bi wired, using 14 gauge monster xp for the highs, and the original monster, the gauge s between 10 and 12, (it appears to be about twice the size as the 14) for the lows. I have rechecked all speaker connections.

[tdculp]

Is is also possible, since this has occurred on both channels, that is a combination of speaker wire size and length, as each cable length to each speaker is 12ft?

[WMcD]

I've pretty much run out of bright ideas.

It could be a dirty volume control. Particularly if the same effect is there with all sources including CD, tuner, turntable, whatever you have. I'd suggest warranty work on the amp.

I doubt it is speaker or wire problem. You can rule this out particularly if it does the same thing on headphones.

Sorry if I ran you on a snipe hunt. It is difficult to diagnose by remote control.

Gil