QuestionI have a HK 3370 receiver and I can't get sound out of might right speaker on speaker 1 or 2 settings. I have double checked, it's not the speaker and it's not the cable.
If I turn the volume way up I can barely hear the sound in the right. It's extremely quiet.
What do you think has gone wrong? How can this be fixed? Can I do it myself? And, is it worth it for a 7-year old receiver (that I am quite fond of)?
Thanks so much for any insights!
AnswerMake sure it is not the speaker. You can do this by just swapping the left and right speaker. If the bad channel moves over it is a speaker or wiring/short problem.
So, assuming you have confirmed beyond any shadow of doubt the problem is internal to the amplifier you must find out what happened. It could be at any point including at the input side. Have you reversed the inputs? Same thing; this will help you decide if it is the source feed that has lost a channel and not the receiver. If inside the receiver, it could be a power supply problem, a feeder stage problem or the power output section. Most likely it is the audio power section. They are quite commonly the cause of a dead channel. If the output transistor(s) are defective you must replace both of them. While at it, might as well replace the transistors in the good channel, too, as they may be ready to give up the ghost, in this case.
It will take some diagnosis to determine exactly what is going on. A trained tech with a voltmeter and scope can track it down very quickly. If you don't have these equipments and skills you would be guessing in the dark. But, you could take the chance and just replace the two output transistors (mounted on a heatsink) and see if that cures the problem; cost would be around $40 for the transistors and the mounting hardware and silicon heat grease, etc.
Last question: Is it worth it? For a 7 year old set? No, never. But, sometimes the challenge is more fun than listening to the audio. Sentimental value is something only you can calculate!
Best wishes,
C
