Tuner input problem on Amp?

[clifford]

Hi

On my Arcam Alpha 2 i seem to have a problem or maybe not, i really am a novice in these regards.

I have used the same wire for these tests, and bear in mind I don't have speakers yet so I've done this using Koss PortaPro headphones plugged into the amps headphone jack. I'll number these to make it easier to respond to:

1. From the CD player into the amps CD input and with CD selected on the amp I get nice clear sounds. The volume hardly has to be turned up from zero though and it's pretty loud pretty quick. Would that be normal?

2. With the wire from the tuner into the amps tuner inputs and with tuner selected on the amp I get very very low volume. I have to turn it to full to hear hardly anything. Now if i wire from the tuner to another port, say video and select video on the amp I get a very clear loud signal, with a similar volume to the CD. Does this mean I tuber sockets on the amp are broken?

3. With the wire still plugged into the video input on the amp from the tuner I can then change the source to other things like CD and still get the loud volume? Is that normal to be plugged into a different source and still hear the sound with something else selected? and when I go to tuner I still get a very very low volume.

Any advice would help me. Thanks

 

[macdiddy]

If as you say you have tried your tuner in another input and the sound was ok then yes there's definitely a problem with the tuner input on your amp.

Not sure how old your amp is but I suspect it may be a broken contact or solder joint inside, something so small that you may not see it.

Others on here might have a better idea what the cause is.

Hope this helps.

 

[clifford]

The amp must be at least 25 years maybe.

 

[TrevC]

Does this amp have level adjustment on each input? If so that could be the problem.

 

[MajorFubar]

No an Arcam Alpha 2 does not have level adjustments. Easy to find out what features an old amp like this has, just Google a picture. There's nothing hidden or menu driven.

With the wire still plugged into the video input on the amp from the tuner I can then change the source to other things like CD and still get the loud volume? Is that normal to be plugged into a different source and still hear the sound with something else selected?

If you mean you can still hear the tuner plugged into the Video sockets even though Video is not selected, then no, it's not normal. Are you sure you're not getting mixed up with the Tape sockets. The Tape sockets are on a separate loop controlled by the push-button on the front. If you plug the tuner into the Tape socket and press the Tape button in, you'll hear the tuner no matter what you move the source selector to.

 

[clifford]

Ok I feel pretty silly,
so I pulled the wires in and out of the tuner input a few times and blew in the hole etc and it's worked itself out. Must have been something blocking the connection.

It's even solved the problem of an input being heard on multiple input selections.

The volume is still high at a low setting on the volume knob, using headphones, but I dont know if this is meant to be and won't be an issue using speakers, which arrive friday when I'll be able to test.

To answer the previous question, the amp isn't able to set levels for different inputs.

Cheers

 

[clifford]

No an Arcam Alpha 2 does not have level adjustments. Easy to find out what features an old amp like this has, just Google a picture. There's nothing hidden or menu driven.

With the wire still plugged into the video input on the amp from the tuner I can then change the source to other things like CD and still get the loud volume? Is that normal to be plugged into a different source and still hear the sound with something else selected? 

If you mean you can still hear the tuner plugged into the Video sockets even though Video is not selected, then no, it's not normal. Are you sure you're not getting mixed up with the Tape sockets. The Tape sockets are on a separate loop controlled by the push-button on the front. If you plug the tuner into the Tape socket and press the Tape button in, you'll hear the tuner no matter what you move the source selector to.

I might have tested it in the tape selection and so that would make sense. I have my mp3 player into the video input but yesterday I was moving things around a lot to test the tuner issue and I may have gone into the tape input without realising.

Thanks for your input the problem has sorted itself out now, see my previous post after yours.

Do you have experience of the alpha 2? I am a novice to this but I have listened to music in various forms for as long as I can remember and I have to say I'm really pleased with the amp and it's sound through headphones anyway.

Cheers

 

[TrevC]

Ok I feel pretty silly, so I pulled the wires in and out of the tuner input a few times and blew in the hole etc and it's worked itself out. Must have been something blocking the connection.

It's even solved the problem of an input being heard on multiple input selections.

The volume is still high at a low setting on the volume knob, using headphones, but I dont know if this is meant to be and won't be an issue using speakers, which arrive friday when I'll be able to test.

To answer the previous question, the amp isn't able to set levels for different inputs.

Cheers

So you connected to the wrong sockets and this is your cover story. :O)

 

[MajorFubar]

Do you have experience of the alpha 2? I am a novice to this but I have listened to music in various forms for as long as I can remember and I have to say I'm really pleased with the amp and it's sound through headphones anyway.

Cheers

Only in so far as a neighbour five doors down owned one when they were new (the only person I ever knew outside by direct family who had the remotest interest in HiFi). I remember it as a very smooth and easy-going amp, suited to a wide range of music and styles, but probably not suited to equally laid back speakers.

 

[clifford]

Do you have experience of the alpha 2? I am a novice to this but I have listened to music in various forms for as long as I can remember and I have to say I'm really pleased with the amp and it's sound through headphones anyway.

Cheers

Only in so far as a neighbour five doors down owned one when they were new (the only person I ever knew outside by direct family who had the remotest interest in HiFi). I remember it as a very smooth and easy-going amp, suited to a wide range of music and styles, but probably not suited to equally laid back speakers.

My cousin is kindly giving me his old (but recently serviced) B&W DM110i speakers. Hopefully they'll be an ok match. Although for free I cant complain.

Cheers