We’ve all had ‘em. Sometimes mine are a lot longer than a moment. Here is my latest.
I was having issues with my system for several months. The primary difficulty was not getting enough overall volume for my liking. Every few weeks I would try to re-adjust the trim levels to get every last ounce of gain out of the system that I could. It still wasn’t enough. There simply was just not enough gain to bring the music to a realistic sound level. And if I even got anywhere close, I was hearing the systems noise floor.
Even though I have a turntable, a CD changer, and Direct TV DVR, 99% of the time when I listen to the system, I listen to some kind of optical disk in the Oppo BDP-83 SE. I seldom use those other sources. Even if I listen to a stereo disk it would be in the Oppo, and the rare occurrence where I watch a DVD, I usually route the sound to just the television. Since I couldn’t achieve a realistic volume level, I started listening to the system less and less. All the while becoming more and more convinced that some component in my system was biting the dust. My suspected that the culprit was the B&K pre/pro. After all it was over 15 years old now. It HAS to be failing. So, I began checking out new pre/pros trying to decide which one I might replace it with. Maybe a new power amp too, to help out with those power hungry NHT mini monitor’s I run. Maybe just replace those too. Something ported would certainly be more efficient.
Last week I decided it was time to act. I needed to at least confirm which component was failing. I usually empty the equipment rack once a year or so and clean everything. You know, wipe it down, blow out the dust, recheck levels, etc. This time I would also troubleshoot the volume problem. I’d probably confirm the pre/pro was going down the tubes, and get back on track looking for its replacement.
I cleaned the components and hooked them back up. I reset all level trims, including the speaker trims in every component that had them to zero (no gain, no attenuation). I removed all unnecessary processing. The first test with music told me the problem was still there, but even worse now because of lowering all the levels. It could be the power amp, it could be the Outlaw 5.1 crossover. But I was sure it was going to turn out to be that pre/pro. So I picked out a disk of 2 channel reference music and using my trusty Radio shack SPL meter, I started measuring sound levels for each source component. I measured the system SPL for each component at -10, -5, 0, +5 and +10 dB on the master volume.
Wow. At a master volume level of -5 db, the Marantz CD changer was putting out nearly 95 dB. The FM tuner in the B&K was producing just a few dB less. The phono wasn’t that far behind at 82 dB (B&K phono preamp with a low output moving coil). All this stuff as loud and clear. Very loud in fact. And there was still gain to spare, so it could have gone louder, but my ears or the speakers would have given out first. Sadly though the Oppo BDP-83 was chugging along at something less than 60 dB… barely making the needle on the SPL meter move. Everything else was reaching into the 85+ dB range.
Ah ha I thought. It’s the Oppo. The first thing I did was double check that the Oppo’s trim levels were all zeroed out. They were. Then I thought… It COULD be the 5.1 analog input section on that B&K. So what to do? I disconnected the Oppo and plugged the Marantz changer into the front channels of the 5.1 analog inputs that I normally use for the Oppo. Powered it up…. And I had volume. Lots of it.
Ok. Problem solved. The Oppo must be defective. I wondered if it could be repaired or if it would be more cost effective to purchase a new Oppo 103 or 105. So I shoot out an email to Oppo customer service, explaining the problem and asking about repair options and costs. They replied the very next day. Here is their return email:
Ensure that the volume of the player is set to +100 when you press the VOL+ button on the player's remote control. If the volume is too low, then you will get lowered amplification through your speakers.
The dynamic range of the player will be significantly higher than other devices, so it is not uncommon that the volume on the amplifier has to be turned up higher than when using a cable/satellite box, another CD/DVD/Blu-ray player, or game console.
If you want the player to be inspected, then please respond with your shipping and contact information so we may issue a return shipping authorization and instructions for the repair of the player. We will not charge you up front, but if we do need to replace components, we will charge you $79.00.
Best Regards,
Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.
And it hit me. What were they talking about. What volume control on the player? There is no volume control on my Oppo. Ummm yes. I looked, and yes mister idiot, there it was. And it was set to 10 out of a possible 100%. I felt like a fool.
I never control the volume directly from the Oppo. Someone in the house must have walked in one day while music was playing, felt it was too loud, reached for a remote to turn it down, and found the Oppo remote. The volume level doesn’t show up on the video screen unless you press it and apparently, once a volume level is set, it stays until it is changed again, even when powered off.
I was happy to see that if it were a real problem, Oppo would have repaired it for a flat rate of $79. Great service from Oppo. Now I have more money to buy all those great surround released on the way.:banana:
I was having issues with my system for several months. The primary difficulty was not getting enough overall volume for my liking. Every few weeks I would try to re-adjust the trim levels to get every last ounce of gain out of the system that I could. It still wasn’t enough. There simply was just not enough gain to bring the music to a realistic sound level. And if I even got anywhere close, I was hearing the systems noise floor.
Even though I have a turntable, a CD changer, and Direct TV DVR, 99% of the time when I listen to the system, I listen to some kind of optical disk in the Oppo BDP-83 SE. I seldom use those other sources. Even if I listen to a stereo disk it would be in the Oppo, and the rare occurrence where I watch a DVD, I usually route the sound to just the television. Since I couldn’t achieve a realistic volume level, I started listening to the system less and less. All the while becoming more and more convinced that some component in my system was biting the dust. My suspected that the culprit was the B&K pre/pro. After all it was over 15 years old now. It HAS to be failing. So, I began checking out new pre/pros trying to decide which one I might replace it with. Maybe a new power amp too, to help out with those power hungry NHT mini monitor’s I run. Maybe just replace those too. Something ported would certainly be more efficient.
Last week I decided it was time to act. I needed to at least confirm which component was failing. I usually empty the equipment rack once a year or so and clean everything. You know, wipe it down, blow out the dust, recheck levels, etc. This time I would also troubleshoot the volume problem. I’d probably confirm the pre/pro was going down the tubes, and get back on track looking for its replacement.
I cleaned the components and hooked them back up. I reset all level trims, including the speaker trims in every component that had them to zero (no gain, no attenuation). I removed all unnecessary processing. The first test with music told me the problem was still there, but even worse now because of lowering all the levels. It could be the power amp, it could be the Outlaw 5.1 crossover. But I was sure it was going to turn out to be that pre/pro. So I picked out a disk of 2 channel reference music and using my trusty Radio shack SPL meter, I started measuring sound levels for each source component. I measured the system SPL for each component at -10, -5, 0, +5 and +10 dB on the master volume.
Wow. At a master volume level of -5 db, the Marantz CD changer was putting out nearly 95 dB. The FM tuner in the B&K was producing just a few dB less. The phono wasn’t that far behind at 82 dB (B&K phono preamp with a low output moving coil). All this stuff as loud and clear. Very loud in fact. And there was still gain to spare, so it could have gone louder, but my ears or the speakers would have given out first. Sadly though the Oppo BDP-83 was chugging along at something less than 60 dB… barely making the needle on the SPL meter move. Everything else was reaching into the 85+ dB range.
Ah ha I thought. It’s the Oppo. The first thing I did was double check that the Oppo’s trim levels were all zeroed out. They were. Then I thought… It COULD be the 5.1 analog input section on that B&K. So what to do? I disconnected the Oppo and plugged the Marantz changer into the front channels of the 5.1 analog inputs that I normally use for the Oppo. Powered it up…. And I had volume. Lots of it.
Ok. Problem solved. The Oppo must be defective. I wondered if it could be repaired or if it would be more cost effective to purchase a new Oppo 103 or 105. So I shoot out an email to Oppo customer service, explaining the problem and asking about repair options and costs. They replied the very next day. Here is their return email:
Ensure that the volume of the player is set to +100 when you press the VOL+ button on the player's remote control. If the volume is too low, then you will get lowered amplification through your speakers.
The dynamic range of the player will be significantly higher than other devices, so it is not uncommon that the volume on the amplifier has to be turned up higher than when using a cable/satellite box, another CD/DVD/Blu-ray player, or game console.
If you want the player to be inspected, then please respond with your shipping and contact information so we may issue a return shipping authorization and instructions for the repair of the player. We will not charge you up front, but if we do need to replace components, we will charge you $79.00.
Best Regards,
Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.
And it hit me. What were they talking about. What volume control on the player? There is no volume control on my Oppo. Ummm yes. I looked, and yes mister idiot, there it was. And it was set to 10 out of a possible 100%. I felt like a fool.
I never control the volume directly from the Oppo. Someone in the house must have walked in one day while music was playing, felt it was too loud, reached for a remote to turn it down, and found the Oppo remote. The volume level doesn’t show up on the video screen unless you press it and apparently, once a volume level is set, it stays until it is changed again, even when powered off.
I was happy to see that if it were a real problem, Oppo would have repaired it for a flat rate of $79. Great service from Oppo. Now I have more money to buy all those great surround released on the way.:banana:
