Yamaha RX-V1600 Receiver problem ~~

[coconutjoe]

Hello everyone,

I got some questions regarding Yamaha RX-V1600 Receiver, 7.1-120WPC.

I just bought this used, but mint condition, Yamaha receiver from Craigslist in Los Angeles. It had the box, both remotes, and the manual.

Anyway, I hook it up to two sets of my speakers for A & B.

A - Tannoy System 800
B - Klipsch KG 2.5

The volume level indicator for the RX-V1600 goes from -xxdB to 0dB. I was listening at a level of -20 to -25dB for few days, checking different PROGRAM Options of the receiver.

This morning before leaving to work, I had both of my speakers blasting some classic rock at -11dB for about 20 minutes and suddenly the receiver shut it self up. (Front panel went dark).

It has the Master ON/OFF switch, and the Main Zone relay switch. I pressed the Master ON & OFF, then Main Zone switch - nothing.

I unplugged the power, turn the master ON. Pressed the zone, but nothing. The manual's troubleshoot only gives general protection description.

MY QUESTIONS ARE ~~~

1. Did I overload the amp? by having both A+B speakers at -11dB?
2. The volume level -11 dB was loud, not not room shaking loud. Is this normal?
3. Is my receiver defective?

I had to leave to work 20 minutes after it died, but I will check back when I get home. I hope it turns back on.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[its phillip]

You probably killed it running A + B at high levels. On the back of my old yamaha, it says when using A+B the minimum speaker impedance should be 16 ohms. I dunno if your receiver would be the same.

 

[coconutjoe]

Since this is 7 channel Amp, isn't it 120WPC per set of speakers?
And my Yamaha, nor the manual, say use 16 ohm spks when running A+B.

I haven't messed around with audio equipment for a while. Don't receivers have some type of fuse when it's over-loading??

 

[coconutjoe]

The receiver is dead. After switching the main switch, when I press the ZONE switch, I can hear the relay clicking, but no display. Can't believe Yamaha does not have a fuse or relay for overload protection. What a crap!!

 

[3db]

The receiver is dead. After switching the main switch, when I press the ZONE switch, I can hear the relay clicking, but no display. Can't believe Yamaha does not have a fuse or relay for overload protection. What a crap!!

It burned out slowly over the course of a few days. There is no protection mechnaism they can employ against a slow melt down like that. You simply used it way past its designed limit. The fault is yours, not Yamaha's unfortuntaley.

 

[GlocksRock]

If you want to jam out like that, you really need to use an external amp(s). It's a shame too, the RX-V1600 is a nice unit.

 

[coconutjoe]

It burned out slowly over the course of a few days. There is no protection mechnaism they can employ against a slow melt down like that. You simply used it way past its designed limit. The fault is yours, not Yamaha's unfortuntaley.

For few days, it was running at -20 to -25 dB. Low volume. I only had it loud for 20 minutes check A/B speaker comparision and left at A+B. I check the fuses inside unit, but both were ok.

Does anybody know a good service place near Los Angeles?
thanks...

 

[coconutjoe]

If you want to jam out like that, you really need to use an external amp(s). It's a shame too, the RX-V1600 is a nice unit.

Ya, I know.. I have several two channel amps, but I didn't know 7.1 receivers were this sensitive...

 

[tom67]

Agree with C-Joe

Why dont the mfgs simply not let you run A and B at the same time if it will damage the unit?

 

[TLS Guy]

Why dont the mfgs simply not let you run A and B at the same time if it will damage the unit?

They should. Most people do not realize that running A & B speakers put both sets of speakers in parallel sharing one amp.

Receivers have puny output devices, and no double or triple output stages and can not be driven hard, especially into a low impedance.

 

[Pyrrho]

Why dont the mfgs simply not let you run A and B at the same time if it will damage the unit?

Because you can also damage the unit with one pair of speakers if you drive it too hard or use speakers that have too low of an impedance; should they therefore make it not let you run a pair of speakers at all? Now, it is possible to make a unit with enough protection circuitry to deal with such things, but it costs money and does not make the unit sound any better. Are you willing to pay a bunch extra for protection circuitry that will not improve the sound at all, and is not needed for anyone who is careful?

From looking at the impedance curve of the Tannoy speakers, I think they are not properly 8 ohms nominally (judging from the curve, the minimum impedance is around 5 ohms). I don't know about the Klipsch speakers, but if they also have a low impedance at the same frequencies, well, Yamaha isn't responsible for the speaker manufacturer's claims of impedance. Also, Yamaha has printed on the back of the unit near the speaker terminals listings for minimum impedances to use if just one of A or B is used, and a different number if both A & B are used together. They clearly state that the minimum impedance of the speakers that should be used when both are used is either 12 or 16 ohms (which depends on the settings of the receiver). Using two pairs of 8 ohm speakers at once is doing something that Yamaha warned against. So it is absolutely not Yamaha's fault.

If people would actually read and follow instructions, they would damage things far less often.

 

[Pyrrho]

Since this is 7 channel Amp, isn't it 120WPC per set of speakers?
And my Yamaha, nor the manual, say use 16 ohm spks when running A+B.

I haven't messed around with audio equipment for a while. Don't receivers have some type of fuse when it's over-loading??

You need to look again at the back of the unit. There are two warnings about impedance; one for when one uses 6 ohm speakers, which Yamaha says requires special settings, and another about using both A & B together, in which case the minimum nominal impedance will be either 12 or 16 ohms. Hooking up two pairs of 8 ohm speakers for A & B is something Yamaha tells you not to do. I know this because I can read it for myself:

http://yamaha-online.de/download-pictures-new/rx-v1600_review.jpg

The receiver uses separate power amplifiers for different channels, but A & B are the same channels, and consequently using them together is different from using, for example, A and the surround together.

 

[coconutjoe]

It burned out slowly over the course of a few days. There is no protection mechnaism they can employ against a slow melt down like that. You simply used it way past its designed limit. The fault is yours, not Yamaha's unfortuntaley.

Running at -20dB to -25dB for few days does NOT constitute "slow meltdown". As matter of fact, it should run at that level for years....!! It's less than nominal volume level of -15dB to -19dB. If I ran at -5dB, then you can say "slow meltdown", IMHO.

 

[its phillip]

It doesn't matter if it's a "slow meltdown" or "fast meltdown" or whatever. Unfortunately, you were using the receiver outside of it's designed limits. If you were simply using ONE pair of speakers (A or B, not A+B) you would have been okay. Or you could have used the surround channels and used something like dolby prologic II.