My Quad Vena has been for repair twice

[Bromiley]

Just received an email from the Quad service center here in Germany saying that they’re sending a new Quad Vena to me as a goodwill gesture. They have extended my original guarantee by one year. They haven’t said what was wrong with my original Vena and I expect they won’t if I ask them. I think it’s a good result and what I deserve. I take what I said about German customer service back!

Thanks to all for the help you gave and replying to my posts.

 

[insider9]

Faith in Quad restored. So happy for you. Well done Quad. We all know things can go wrong but how you respond is what matters.

 

[podknocker]

I bought a Quad Vena II about 3 years ago and I'm having similar issues. The left channel breaks up and goes crackly. I switch it off and on again and it's OK for 2 hours, sometimes longer. It's the same on all inputs, from BT on the laptop, my Sony Blu Ray player, on the coaxial and my old Cambridge Audio DAB tuner on a spare input. It sounds SUPERB when working, but it's so annoying when it fails. I have tried 2 pairs of speakers and neither present a tricky load and I don't play loud, as I live in a flat. It cost £649 and it's hardly been used. I will be purchasing a Japanese amp next time.

 

[Gray]

I bought a Quad Vena II about 3 years ago and I'm having similar issues. The left channel breaks up and goes crackly. I switch it off and on again and it's OK for 2 hours, sometimes longer. It's the same on all inputs, from BT on the laptop, my Sony Blu Ray player, on the coaxial and my old Cambridge Audio DAB tuner on a spare input. It sounds SUPERB when working, but it's so annoying when it fails. I have tried 2 pairs of speakers and neither present a tricky load and I don't play loud, as I live in a flat. It cost £649 and it's hardly been used. I will be purchasing a Japanese amp next time.

This is an old thread, but you've got a current problem so:

You've got the classic symptom of a contaminated volume control which is usually cured by cleaning.
However, I believe that for another Vena owner, the same symptom had another cause.

Apart from making it louder, does moving the control affect the crackle in any way?

 

[podknocker]

This is an old thread, but you've got a current problem so:

You've got the classic symptom of a contaminated volume control which is usually cured by cleaning.
However, I believe that for another Vena owner, the same symptom had another cause.

Apart from making it louder, does moving the control affect the crackle in any way?

Firstly, thank you for your quick reply. Incredible! I don't understand how it's gone wrong, in such a clean living room, with very little use. The fault used to go when I increased the volume, but now it's still faint and crackly on the left channel, until I switch off and on again. It can be fine for 2 hours, sometimes longer. I use the remote control volume now, rather than on the amp itself, but it's so annoying to have it go wrong. I've emailed Quad and I'm waiting for a reply. I bought it 3 years ago and I don't think Audio Affair would entertain a return and repair. The shipping and repair could be be too expensive and I don't want to open it up myself. I will see what Quad say, if they reply. It's a shame, as it's a great sounding amp and has all the inputs and features I need.

 

[Gray]

thank you for your quick reply.

You're welcome.
I hate to hear about problems, especially with a brand like Quad (My own Quad product has needed a little bit of attention, but then it is 37 years old).
3 years is nothing, though you're right that a retailer is unlikely to want to help you - despite that (unofficial) rule that says that goods must be fit for purpose for at least 6 years.

Don't run away with the idea that cleaning the volume control would be beyond you. Provided you isolate the amp from the mains first, you may have nothing to lose - it's been a miracle cure for many (admittedly non Vena owners) with your symptom.
If you can bring it to South-East Essex, I'll do it for you.

See what Quad have to say to you first.

 

[Threadbare]

Hi guys, I’ve just joined the forum due to some issues with my Vena2 and read the comments made with interest. Like the comments made I have also suffered a crackling on the left channel which is intermittent and now appears to have disappeared. My current problem is the operation of the volume control from the remote, which will increase the volume but will not decrease it. Also, when switching the amp on from standby the volume does not return to the zero position. I have emailed Quad, yesterday, but as yet no response. Any comments or ideas gratefully received.

 

[Al ears]

Hi guys, I’ve just joined the forum due to some issues with my Vena2 and read the comments made with interest. Like the comments made I have also suffered a crackling on the left channel which is intermittent and now appears to have disappeared. My current problem is the operation of the volume control from the remote, which will increase the volume but will not decrease it. Also, when switching the amp on from standby the volume does not return to the zero position. I have emailed Quad, yesterday, but as yet no response. Any comments or ideas gratefully received.

Welcome to the forum @Threadbare
Can I suggest you start a new tread as this is a four year old one that has recently been rekindled, read them by all means but if you have a question no matter how similar you are likely to get more responses if you start a new thread

 

[podknocker]

You're welcome.
I hate to hear about problems, especially with a brand like Quad (My own Quad product has needed a little bit of attention, but then it is 37 years old).
3 years is nothing, though you're right that a retailer is unlikely to want to help you - despite that (unofficial) rule that says that goods must be fit for purpose for at least 6 years.

Don't run away with the idea that cleaning the volume control would be beyond you. Provided you isolate the amp from the mains first, you may have nothing to lose - it's been a miracle cure for many (admittedly non Vena owners) with your symptom.
If you can bring it to South-East Essex, I'll do it for you.

See what Quad have to say to you first.

Hi there. Quad UK wanted nearly £100 to repair and return, so I won't be paying that. I opened the unit and it's a sealed ALPS motorised pot and there are no holes anywhere, so I can't spray any WD40 contact cleaner onto the potentially dirty contacts. It does come and go, so I will keep it for a few weeks, until I get another amp. I might not bother and just carry on using my spare Canton soundbase. It's not HIFI, but it's OK. It's such a shame about the Quad, as it's a great sounding amp, but very unreliable and obviously Quad's part sourcing and quality control, falls short of what I expected. I do intend to sell it on. There might be someone out there, who can take it apart and fix it, but I'm very unwilling to entertain this. Thanks again for your advice.

 

[Al ears]

Hi there. Quad UK wanted nearly £100 to repair and return, so I won't be paying that. I opened the unit and it's a sealed ALPS motorised pot and there are no holes anywhere, so I can't spray any WD40 contact cleaner onto the potentially dirty contacts. It does come and go, so I will keep it for a few weeks, until I get another amp. I might not bother and just carry on using my spare Canton soundbase. It's not HIFI, but it's OK. It's such a shame about the Quad, as it's a great sounding amp, but very unreliable and obviously Quad's part sourcing and quality control, falls short of what I expected. I do intend to sell it on. There might be someone out there, who can take it apart and fix it, but I'm very unwilling to entertain this. Thanks again for your advice.

Odd for ALPS pots to go that way, they are usually very reliable.