# Rotel 820AX Amplifier Repair Help



## SabreWulf69 (Mar 15, 2010)

I have a really loved and appreciated Rotel Integrated Stereo Amplifier. I recently acquired it for free. Over my new-ish Yamaha RX-V540 6.1 A/V Receiver, it walks all over it as far as sound quality is concerned, and has an easily noticeable difference in the detail, presence, atmosphere, depth, purity, transparency, impact, stereo separation, presence, focus, transient response, imaging and dynamics. Also for some reason the old 30W/ch is a hell of a lot louder on the Rotel than the newer 80W/ch on my Yammy (more linear perhaps???) More like 30WTF's/ch lol.

So far I have re-soldered the cut off power cord easily, but I have this weird, constant intermittent problem. The channels cut in and out randomly, and sometimes it very temporarily fixes the problem by switching the mono / stereo / tone knob between settings over and over again, and then sometimes, the channels also kick back in during the period of powering the amp off completely as it takes about 10 seconds before the volume actually cuts off when I've pressed the main power button, because yeah during that time, the channels usually work when they haven't been in normal operation.

My first thoughts were dry solder joints, or a burnt out fuse, so I checked all the fuses, which are fine. I unsolder-ed and re soldered the MOSFET's and control connections from and to the PCB again. All this to no avail. Which leaves me to 2 more conclusions, a) the 2 main capacitors are well past due a replacement if so would replacing them with the exact same speced ones affect the sound in any way? or b) using some DEOXIT thoroughly on all the internals of every connection, knob and tone control I can find. Any help with this would be really, really appreciated, as I am pleasantly awestruck with a 20+ year old product which is beating something that has it's own digital decoder and not just analog inputs in sound quality. I thought the Yammy should by all rights sound infinitely clearer than this Rotel which just pwns in SQ by every means.

I would really love some tips or suggestions on a) what the problem/s may be and b) suggestions/tips on how to combat them, please, please help me, I'm stuck...


----------



## Deleted member 24505 (Mar 15, 2010)

Read this,it might help

http://www.avforums.com/forums/av-amplifiers-receivers/240240-problem-rotel-ra-930ax.html


----------



## SabreWulf69 (Mar 15, 2010)

Cheers, will have to go to Jaycar and get some DEOXIT and clean the terminals, connections and pots like originally suspected and get some replacement fuses I guess.


----------



## SabreWulf69 (Mar 15, 2010)

Ah screw it, gonna get a a new $1600 RA-1070 Rotel Stereo Integrated Amplifier, will fix the older one later on. I got limited money but the reviews are good and many people like them so hopefully its just as good as the older one now. Looked at another Stereo Integrated unit, the Classe CAP-2100 at around $5200, whilst others have a money's no object attitude, I unfortunately do not have that luxury. I guess it's good to know in some way, for those that do have the money, there is a no-bars held approach in the Classe Amp, but hopefully for my budget the Rotel will fit me perfectly as much as I have enjoyed the older one.


----------



## Reefer86 (Mar 15, 2010)

im no audiophile, but hope you enjoy your new sound!!


----------



## SabreWulf69 (Mar 22, 2010)

Okay, just went and got myself a Cambridge Audio Azur 740A Integrated Stereo Amplifier. Just what I was looking for, and has a nice, new and clear 150W @ 4Ohms /ch too. Couldn't be happier with the sound I was after, and all the nice new features included  A shame I couldn't get a hold of the Rotel though... I guess... was old stock, and Rotel seem to have ditched integrated units all together :S Ah well, cheers for all the help anyways people, will eventually be fixing the oldie but goldie Rotel oneday, until then, I got some music to re-discover after I next get my pre-amp and M-Audio Audiophile 192 Soundcard


----------

