center channel keeps cutting out

[rudder]

Newbie here. My center channel keeps cutting out from my DVD player. I have tested the cable to it and used a different center channel, so they work. One thing I read on a post but didn't get the whole story was terminating the cable, I just have a speaker cable with bare wire going to both the speaker and receiver. The speaker will accept banana plugs but the speakers require bare wire.

I am starting to dive deeper and have been reading the posts here (great info BTW) and was wondering if anyone had anymore suggestions or obvious things that I might try.

Thanks

 

[mtrycrafts]

Newbie here. My center channel keeps cutting out from my DVD player. I have tested the cable to it and used a different center channel, so they work. One thing I read on a post but didn't get the whole story was terminating the cable, I just have a speaker cable with bare wire going to both the speaker and receiver. The speaker will accept banana plugs but the speakers require bare wire.

I am starting to dive deeper and have been reading the posts here (great info BTW) and was wondering if anyone had anymore suggestions or obvious things that I might try.

Thanks

Need more info
Does this happen with every bit of music or movie? If so, it is more interesting and longer detective work to find it

 

[rudder]

center channel

Need more info
Does this happen with every bit of music or movie? If so, it is more interesting and longer detective work to find it

Yes this happens with all DVD's. Have not tried CD but when I watch a movie with surround sound it cuts in and out intermittently like a loose connection that is being moved. If I switch to stereo then it plays fine out of the side speakers then I switch back to surround and it plays fine for a short while then starts to cut in and out again. This only happens with the center channel every other channel plays perfectly throughout these cuts. Can this be the decoder in the receiver or is this more likely a loose connection in the center channel pipeline? (argh

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yes this happens with all DVD's. Have not tried CD but when I watch a movie with surround sound it cuts in and out intermittently like a loose connection that is being moved. If I switch to stereo then it plays fine out of the side speakers then I switch back to surround and it plays fine for a short while then starts to cut in and out again. This only happens with the center channel every other channel plays perfectly throughout these cuts. Can this be the decoder in the receiver or is this more likely a loose connection in the center channel pipeline? (argh

Yes, this is frustrating and since it is an ongoing issue, cannot blame a DVD.
It will take some troubleshooting. Not sure what you tried so far but it could be a cold solder joint someplace. I would start and ensure that this is not due to a wire strand shorting and amp going into protection, back and so forth.

Is it a new receiver for a warranty checkup? Have you called the maker with this problem?

 

[rudder]

Center channel cut out

Yes, this is frustrating and since it is an ongoing issue, cannot blame a DVD.
It will take some troubleshooting. Not sure what you tried so far but it could be a cold solder joint someplace. I would start and ensure that this is not due to a wire strand shorting and amp going into protection, back and so forth.

Is it a new receiver for a warranty checkup? Have you called the maker with this problem?

I have replaced the wire between the receiver and the center channel and tested the speaker itself to make sure it works. Receiver is 5 yrs old (Marantz SR5000) and out of warrenty. I took it to Cambridge sound works where I got it to have it inspected and the said they checked it out and it was fine. I honestly don't think they even looked at it because I had to hound them to get it back and they had no info on it's progress. Besides the fact that it still keeps cutting in and out.

mtrycrafts, you mentioned the amp going into protection, would that only happen to the center channel or would that cut all the speakers out?

What is the scoop with terminating the wire? I just have a bare wire (Monster XP) going to both the speaker and receiver with no plugs. I keep reading about terminated cables, could that be the issue?

Thanks

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have replaced the wire between the receiver and the center channel and tested the speaker itself to make sure it works. Receiver is 5 yrs old (Marantz SR5000) and out of warrenty. I took it to Cambridge sound works where I got it to have it inspected and the said they checked it out and it was fine. I honestly don't think they even looked at it because I had to hound them to get it back and they had no info on it's progress. Besides the fact that it still keeps cutting in and out.

Doesn't sound like they did anything.

mtrycrafts, you mentioned the amp going into protection, would that only happen to the center channel or would that cut all the speakers out?

There could be this possibility that only the center is affected. But, if it started on its own without you doing anything to the setup, most likely not a wire issue. Hen a part heats up further with increased volume, a connection could be opened up? Hard to say wherte.


What is the scoop with terminating the wire? I just have a bare wire (Monster XP) going to both the speaker and receiver with no plugs. I keep reading about terminated cables, could that be the issue?

Thanks

Only an issue if there is one strand somehow touching the other terminal. That is why you need to reinspect all the center channel terminals closely. You may need a magnifying glass and flashlight to see better.
If it is clean, no contact, then it is not an issue. Some like other terminations but that is a preference only. Nothing wrong with bare wire.

Since this is so elusive, you need to exhaust most everything you can think of.

If you are handy, you may want to open up the cover and look with a flashlight see if anything is obvious although a cold solder joint may not be apparent. Unplug it and poke th ewires in there by their soldered ends and see if any moves.

Wish I could help more. I was hoping for others to chime in

 

[rudder]

Center channel cut out

If you are handy, you may want to open up the cover and look with a flashlight see if anything is obvious although a cold solder joint may not be apparent. Unplug it and poke th ewires in there by their soldered ends and see if any moves.

Wish I could help more. I was hoping for others to chime in

Thanks for your help mtrycrafts. I am going in, I have nothing to lose seeing it is out of warrenty. Was wondering if there was steps prior to this but after spending an hour+ on the archives think my issue is inside. Let you know. Am replacing cable based upon archive talks though, just rear speakers.

Thanks again.

 

[JohnA]

Something else

It could be a loose wire inside the speaker, this has happened before, the wire on the speaker termanal (inside) might have gotten loose, or a wire from the x-over to the speaker. Just open it up and have a look

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thanks for your help mtrycrafts. I am going in, I have nothing to lose seeing it is out of warrenty. Was wondering if there was steps prior to this but after spending an hour+ on the archives think my issue is inside. Let you know. Am replacing cable based upon archive talks though, just rear speakers.

Thanks again.

Before you take your speaker back apart as John mentioned, you stated
I have tested the cable to it and used a different center channel,

Is that a different center channel speaker? If you swapped speakers and still cuts in and out, it is not the center speaker. If you have not swapped out speakers, swap it out and see. If the new speaker doesn't cut in and out, then it is the original speaker and need to dig in as John mentioned.

 

[Skydive814]

same amp, same problem

rudder -

I have the exact same Marantz Unit and it's doing the EXACT same thing for me. Everything is fine in stereo mode but when I use surround mode on my DTV, the center channel cuts in and out. Let me know if you figure out what it is, and I'll do the same for you

Jason berk (skydive814@insightbb.com)

 

[markw]

A $40 test.

Pick up a cheapo DVD at Wally World or Big Box's R Us and see if the problem persists.

If so, then you've isolated the problem to the receiver.

If not, you've isolated it to the DVD player.

In any case, if you are quick and non-abusive to the product and packaging, you can return the El-Cheapo should you so choose.

One other question... does the center kick off when using analog sources such as DPL or Stereo 5, or whatever your mfgr calls it?