Hi, I just thought I'd update you with my experiences with the Sony STR-DA5400ES and ask for some advice!
While initially running well for the first week, I was listening to some music output from my laptop via optical out and the sound cuts out. Very strange. At that point I could not get any sound from any inputs. I switch the Amp off. Back on again. No sound. I leave the amp off for 2-3 minutes. Switch it back on. Now we have sound. Then after a few minutes more the sound cuts out again. Very strange. I put my ear to the speakers. There is a light hiss coming from the speakers so the amp is still outputting a signal. I plug in headphones too, no audio. So it must be some kind of protection or bad signal that is causing the cut out.
I unplug the Optical and use analogue connects from a cd player. Again after a few minutes the same thing happens. So maybe its my speakers. They are Bi-wired, maybe it doesn't like that. I unplug the speakers and use the pre-out fronts and use my ARCAM A-85 in power amp mode, something I was going to try anyway. After eliminating the Buzz sound I was getting by linking both the amps together via the ground loop I was getting sound. After a few minutes, the sound goes again. Now I'm running out of ideas. I disconnect the surround speakers, it still happens. They do say to reset an overload you have to leave the amp off for 1-2 hours to reset the output transformers so I left the amp off for 24 hours. I plug everything back in the way it was and its ok again for 2 weeks. Then while I am playing xbox with 5.1 surround via HDMI, the sound goes again.
Maybe I have a faulty Amp, which is unusual for a Sony, they are usually reliable. Plus it does work for a while so maybe its a logic problem and its firmware related? I am not getting anything on the display to indicate an overload. Did I damage it by bi-wiring it? I have B&W 603s connected wth Ecosse CS4.4 bi-wire cable. I could ditch that and go back and wire it normally?
I was at my wits end and phoned my Sony Centre to get it back for repair. They found it very strange and asked the usual questions, is it well ventilated, etc etc. I told them basically what I'm telling you and they said bring it in and they will have a look at it. The strange thing is that when it happens it will continue to happen. But I know when they hook it up the likely hood is that it will work fine and they won't have the time to test if for a week. However they did say they would send it back for repair anyway if they don't find anything so thats something. Intermittent faults are the worst things.
Has anyone got any ideas or pointers as to why this could be happening or do you think its just plain faulty? Its a great Amp, i really hope its a simple fix.
Gideon
While initially running well for the first week, I was listening to some music output from my laptop via optical out and the sound cuts out. Very strange. At that point I could not get any sound from any inputs. I switch the Amp off. Back on again. No sound. I leave the amp off for 2-3 minutes. Switch it back on. Now we have sound. Then after a few minutes more the sound cuts out again. Very strange. I put my ear to the speakers. There is a light hiss coming from the speakers so the amp is still outputting a signal. I plug in headphones too, no audio. So it must be some kind of protection or bad signal that is causing the cut out.
I unplug the Optical and use analogue connects from a cd player. Again after a few minutes the same thing happens. So maybe its my speakers. They are Bi-wired, maybe it doesn't like that. I unplug the speakers and use the pre-out fronts and use my ARCAM A-85 in power amp mode, something I was going to try anyway. After eliminating the Buzz sound I was getting by linking both the amps together via the ground loop I was getting sound. After a few minutes, the sound goes again. Now I'm running out of ideas. I disconnect the surround speakers, it still happens. They do say to reset an overload you have to leave the amp off for 1-2 hours to reset the output transformers so I left the amp off for 24 hours. I plug everything back in the way it was and its ok again for 2 weeks. Then while I am playing xbox with 5.1 surround via HDMI, the sound goes again.
Maybe I have a faulty Amp, which is unusual for a Sony, they are usually reliable. Plus it does work for a while so maybe its a logic problem and its firmware related? I am not getting anything on the display to indicate an overload. Did I damage it by bi-wiring it? I have B&W 603s connected wth Ecosse CS4.4 bi-wire cable. I could ditch that and go back and wire it normally?
I was at my wits end and phoned my Sony Centre to get it back for repair. They found it very strange and asked the usual questions, is it well ventilated, etc etc. I told them basically what I'm telling you and they said bring it in and they will have a look at it. The strange thing is that when it happens it will continue to happen. But I know when they hook it up the likely hood is that it will work fine and they won't have the time to test if for a week. However they did say they would send it back for repair anyway if they don't find anything so thats something. Intermittent faults are the worst things.
Has anyone got any ideas or pointers as to why this could be happening or do you think its just plain faulty? Its a great Amp, i really hope its a simple fix.
Gideon
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