Conference hips::uk_audioo

     
    I hope that you didn't mean this:
    
>    Thought at first it was the speaker, but I changed them over and
>    the distortion moved too. There's no distortion through the headphones,
>    so I guess it must be the amp (??).                            

     If you changed the speaker over and the distortion moved then the
     speaker is gone...
    
     Peter             

    
    If you do decide it is the amp, then there shouldn't be TOO much
    trouble changing it. As long as the amp connects to other components
    using phono plugs, and has standard speaker connects, then you should
    be able to substitute another amplifier in its place.
    
    The only fly in the ointment comes if the amp receives other control
    signals from the tuner/cassette deck etc. However with the addition
    of a standard CD player, it doesn't look like you will have any
    problems.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Mark.

    re .0, I agree with .1; especially since headphone signals, almost
    without exception, are derived from the speaker outputs.
    
    If it is the speaker, then there are several good speakers you can
    replace them with which will probably outperform the standard Aiwa
    speakers by a mile, and you shouldn't have spend over #100.
    
    Let us know how you get on.
    
    Dave

    RE : .1, .3 - Damn ! Blast ! Of course, I meant when I change the
    speakers over the distortion stays in the same place, but now on
    the other speaker (that's what you get for writing notes at 10pm...)
    
    RE : .2, I'd really like to replace it with something almost exactly
    the same, for 2 reasons - first, there are signals from other devices
    involved (except the CD player, which is counted as "foreign").
    e.g there is autorecord, which puts the cassette into pause until
    the record is cued, there's a timer which will wake you up with
    a casette etc.
    
    Second, it all fits together in this neat little cabinet, and if
    I get anything different I'll have to break that up and scatter
    my components around.
    
    Thanks for the quick replies, but I'm still looking for that AIWA
    spares/repairs shop ...
    
    Cheers,
    
    - Steve B.
    

    re .4, just to clear up a couple of points....
    
    you say the problem gets worse with volume? Does the problem occur
    with all sources, i.e. cassette, record, radio? 
    
    Dave

    
    Yes, if the volume is very low it's unnoticeable, if it's very loud
    one speaker is almost entirely noise.
    
    Yes, with all inputs - record, tape, CD. Though some tapes/records/CD's
    sound worse than others.
    
    Does this help ?
    
    - Steve B.
    

    I used to have this on an old Teleton you could fry eggs on: every
    so often half the final power stage used to die.  The death throes
    were remarkably like what you describe.
    
    I used to replace the power stage about once a month towards at
    one stage then I had a closer look and found that a BC107 in the
    previous stage had gone doolally.  By that stage though I bought
    the Crimson and lost interest!
    
    								jch

    re .6...
    Can you record OK from radio/LP/CD? You can check this by listening
    via the headphone output of your cassette machine or - if your cassette
    deck doesn't sport a headphone jack - by playing back in another
    machine or your car. If this works OK then the power amp side of
    your Aiwa is naff; if not then it's the preamp side. You'll still
    need a dealer, though, unless Aiwa will give/sell you a service
    manual and you know how to use it.
    
    When you swapped over speakers, did you just physically move them around,
    or did you swap the connectors over on the back of the amp? The
    spring connectors used on a lot of oriental amps leave a lot to
    be desired, so check these out before getting despondent!
    
    Dave

    I just read your base note again, Steve. I'd look very closely at
    your speaker connections at the amp and speaker, and  maybe the
    cables. I say this because you say headphones work OK, and these
    are usually (but not always) tapped off via resistors just before
    the speaker connections - if this is so, then your amp must be OK
    for 99%of its innards.
    
    Dave

    As the Aiwa has extra control stuff, it looks like you will have
    to get another Aiwa amplifier. Does the new Aiwa stuff conform to
    these "standards" ?
    
    My father has a Sony Midi system that does this as well. It connects
    up with Ribbon Cable, and does auto pause on the cassette recorder.
    Automatically changes source when you operate cassette, tuner etc.
    
    Stick with Aiwa then.
    
    Mark.
    

    Why not take it up to AIWA to be fixed?
    
    
    Aiwa (UK) Ltd
    Dukes Industrial Estate
    Great West Road
    
    Dave K