When one of my Carver TFM 15CB meter illumination bulbs went out, I didn't replace them with "factory"...I repair creatively, I measured 18V split in series, so of course when just one goes out it takes the other one with it. A 12v automotive bulb jockeyed into place...24V rated, driven with 18V.
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You can buy the "frosted" LED's in any color or white.
Also, there are "wide angle" types.
Sometimes, for a standard clear LED, I'll use a Dremel cutoff wheel and cut the top dome off close to the internal reflector to widen its coverage.
Just don't get too close to that tiny wire inside.
Wide angle LED's are like this... I like them.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cree-LED/CP41B-WGS-CK0P0154?qs=D3QG1iK7FqioUoYO9Mm5zw==
For a few, I buy a strip, 90 LED per meter for about 70 cents....and flat top SMD, easy to roughen up.
5 meters strip will give me enough for the rest of my career as a repairman, I do this only for friends and family.
Works out very low, about 1 cent per piece, no variation as in loose LED, and available in many shops.
5 meters strip will give me enough for the rest of my career as a repairman, I do this only for friends and family.
Works out very low, about 1 cent per piece, no variation as in loose LED, and available in many shops.
Wow. This thread went well south quickly. Look, I love the looks of the Marantz and I remember it as a kid. I also like good sound and I need an amp.
Anyway, I wanted to update the thread with the latest status!
Today I finally received my Marantz 2245. It was packed well, so happy with that. I instantly started cleaning it using wet wipes for babies and it all came off beautifully. Now when cleaned I'd say it looks pretty much brand new, no marks, no scratches - absolutely perfect condition on the "outside" and I'm a picky guy. So all in all, very happy with the external condition.
Since the seller couldn't tell me if it was working, I was expecting the worst obviously. I started off hooking up headphones to it, tried the tuner - worked well, however I only got noise on one side of the headphones. Pushed in the monobutton, didn't really change anything so I put back it into stereo. While changing channels at some point it did actually make noise on both sides but just for a short while. So, the good is that it starts up, light seems to work, I do get noise but only in one ear. I realized that either one channel is broken, or the headphone jack is glitchy.
Next up, I connected speakers. Started it up now with AUX input from my computer. I hear sound, I hear music! But, still only on one side. Darn it.
Pressed mono button, and voila - sound on both sides. So at least I'm getting a signal on both speakers, however it doesn't work in stereo.
I have no experience on amplifiers, but one 'guess' i have is that it's actually the stereo/mono button that's broken? Any suggestions or ideas on how to keep on troubleshooting this? I'm ready to get my hands dirty!
Apart from that, I have some noise while I change the volume button - I read this is common and most likely can be solved quiet easily by just cleaning the potentiometer of the volumewheel with electronic spray?
Anyway, happy that it does work just fine (at least in Mono!) - first thing for me to solve is obviously the stereo/mono-issue, and then I'll start examining/changing the caps, one board at a time.
I honestly don't think I need a complete rebuild and change every part like a few have suggested. The sound is absolutely great in this thing already, and I have just tried it with a pair of reserve speakers I had lying around.
Having said that, I will make sure to do the proper cleaning and all to start with. Perhaps even changing caps that I find in bad shape. But changing every cap, transistor, etc just because stuff is old when it seems to be working great right now? Makes no sense to me. But I'm not the expert...
Vol
Anyway, I wanted to update the thread with the latest status!
Today I finally received my Marantz 2245. It was packed well, so happy with that. I instantly started cleaning it using wet wipes for babies and it all came off beautifully. Now when cleaned I'd say it looks pretty much brand new, no marks, no scratches - absolutely perfect condition on the "outside" and I'm a picky guy. So all in all, very happy with the external condition.
Since the seller couldn't tell me if it was working, I was expecting the worst obviously. I started off hooking up headphones to it, tried the tuner - worked well, however I only got noise on one side of the headphones. Pushed in the monobutton, didn't really change anything so I put back it into stereo. While changing channels at some point it did actually make noise on both sides but just for a short while. So, the good is that it starts up, light seems to work, I do get noise but only in one ear. I realized that either one channel is broken, or the headphone jack is glitchy.
Next up, I connected speakers. Started it up now with AUX input from my computer. I hear sound, I hear music! But, still only on one side. Darn it.
Pressed mono button, and voila - sound on both sides. So at least I'm getting a signal on both speakers, however it doesn't work in stereo.
I have no experience on amplifiers, but one 'guess' i have is that it's actually the stereo/mono button that's broken? Any suggestions or ideas on how to keep on troubleshooting this? I'm ready to get my hands dirty!
Apart from that, I have some noise while I change the volume button - I read this is common and most likely can be solved quiet easily by just cleaning the potentiometer of the volumewheel with electronic spray?
Anyway, happy that it does work just fine (at least in Mono!) - first thing for me to solve is obviously the stereo/mono-issue, and then I'll start examining/changing the caps, one board at a time.
I honestly don't think I need a complete rebuild and change every part like a few have suggested. The sound is absolutely great in this thing already, and I have just tried it with a pair of reserve speakers I had lying around.
Having said that, I will make sure to do the proper cleaning and all to start with. Perhaps even changing caps that I find in bad shape. But changing every cap, transistor, etc just because stuff is old when it seems to be working great right now? Makes no sense to me. But I'm not the expert...
Vol
" But changing every cap, transistor, etc just because stuff is old when it seems to be working great right now?.."
It's like vacuum tubes in your amp and preamp. Over time they degrade but you get used to it... then one day you decide it's time to retube... and the change hits you on the head like a 2 by 4 swung by Monty Python's Little Old Ladies In The Fyord.
The thing is 50 years old.
It sounds like the preamp section is broken, not the mono/stereo selector.
Does the balance slider work? Those things wear out.
The volume control should be taken out and given a complete clean out. Don't just spray it in place and make a mess!
It's like vacuum tubes in your amp and preamp. Over time they degrade but you get used to it... then one day you decide it's time to retube... and the change hits you on the head like a 2 by 4 swung by Monty Python's Little Old Ladies In The Fyord.
The thing is 50 years old.
It sounds like the preamp section is broken, not the mono/stereo selector.
Does the balance slider work? Those things wear out.
The volume control should be taken out and given a complete clean out. Don't just spray it in place and make a mess!
With no electronics experience, and no one local to help, you should do as little work as possible.
It's very easy to cause severe damage that you will never be able to deal with.
Use "very small amounts" of Deoxit D5 spray cleaner, with one brief spray at a time, for the volume control
until it works normally. Then the stereo/mono switch, same thing. Then the tape monitor switch, same thing.
The balance control and selector switch may also need similar cleaning. Don't attempt to remove the controls
and switches, this is difficult and unnecessary, and can cause further damage.
If this seems to be all that is needed, stop while you are ahead. The capacitors can wait if the operation is ok.
Depends on how much they were used. I have 50 year old electronics that work great without replacing any capacitors.
But if there is still noise or a missing channel, it could be much more difficult to diagnose and fix.
It's very easy to cause severe damage that you will never be able to deal with.
Use "very small amounts" of Deoxit D5 spray cleaner, with one brief spray at a time, for the volume control
until it works normally. Then the stereo/mono switch, same thing. Then the tape monitor switch, same thing.
The balance control and selector switch may also need similar cleaning. Don't attempt to remove the controls
and switches, this is difficult and unnecessary, and can cause further damage.
If this seems to be all that is needed, stop while you are ahead. The capacitors can wait if the operation is ok.
Depends on how much they were used. I have 50 year old electronics that work great without replacing any capacitors.
But if there is still noise or a missing channel, it could be much more difficult to diagnose and fix.
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The 2245 has jumpers on the back for connecting the pre-amp section to the main power amp. These can be used for diagnostic purposes. Example, if you have a second amplifier that you know works properly, you can pull off the jumpers, connect the pre-out via an RCA cable to that amp and determine if there's a solid stereo signal coming from the Marantz.
Likewise, you could connect a source, such as a cell phone or mp3 player via a "3.5mm to stereo RCA" cable to the amplifier inputs, to determine if that section independently plays both channels equally. Do remember to turn the volume on the 'phone (or player) all the way down first (that is, before even powering the Marantz on...), then turn it up gradually and carefully when testing the amp section, as it's wide open to whatever audio signal is provided.
Hope this helps.
Likewise, you could connect a source, such as a cell phone or mp3 player via a "3.5mm to stereo RCA" cable to the amplifier inputs, to determine if that section independently plays both channels equally. Do remember to turn the volume on the 'phone (or player) all the way down first (that is, before even powering the Marantz on...), then turn it up gradually and carefully when testing the amp section, as it's wide open to whatever audio signal is provided.
Hope this helps.
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The mono switch makes both channels work, so the problem is between the input jacks and the mono switch.
There's no circuitry there other than switches and a couple of resistors, so quite likely it's just a dirty switch
(input selector, tape monitor, or mono/stereo).
Find a junk pcb and practice replacing parts until you are not doing any damage to the board. Then you might
be able to work on the 2245 if there are any more difficult problems. You'll need a good soldering station.
There's no circuitry there other than switches and a couple of resistors, so quite likely it's just a dirty switch
(input selector, tape monitor, or mono/stereo).
Find a junk pcb and practice replacing parts until you are not doing any damage to the board. Then you might
be able to work on the 2245 if there are any more difficult problems. You'll need a good soldering station.
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You (OP) could also try plugging in one channel at a time into the aux inputs. Left only.... then Right only....
Also try the tape input as well. In that unit, you have the tape both as an input and as a monitor, right? If so, try both. Put some signal on the tape input, select the tape and see if you hear something... then select FM and then use the tape monitor switch, see if you can hear the stuff that you plugged into the the tape inputs.
I had a bad input switch in one of my Marantz receivers of that era. It had to be cleaned out. This was in a '74 2325.
Now the tuners.... the AM has a built in antenna, so try that... for FM you will need a reasonable 300 ohm jobbie... cheap on Amazon ( miss the old Rat Shack at times like these ) or likely at a Fred Meyer or Le Target.
Make sure you disable the FM muting.... do you get a reasonable signal level? Does the center tuning work meter?
Do the selector lights work? How about the stereo light? Does the FM lock into stereo signals?
Personally, IMHO this is nuts. If this unit has been sitting around for years, it's likely to fail when you least expect it. It's just not reliable as it is.
Oh well, so long as he doesn't electrocute himself...
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He won't be using the tuner, regardless. And the 2245 seems to be operating ok. He can't do any better
with no experience or test equipment. No complaints about hum, so the main filter caps may well be ok.
My personal (even older) electronics work well without cap replacement. I don't do that unless it's necessary.
A lot depends on how much it was used.
with no experience or test equipment. No complaints about hum, so the main filter caps may well be ok.
My personal (even older) electronics work well without cap replacement. I don't do that unless it's necessary.
A lot depends on how much it was used.
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Hmm... sounds like one channel in the preamp is MIA... so the receiver can't be operating that well, eh? He could always try to push those buttons and turn those knobs a couple of hundred times each, hoping enough dirt and dust gets cleaned up.
But, when I looked at the provided schematics, that preamp section reminded me of my 2325's and that warning that came with that selector switch and how they tend to fail and are impossible to replace because no replacements are available so you got to find a receiver being parted or re-design with new parts.
So, I would NOT turn that input selector a couple of hundred times fast, to clean it out.
Now the, the tuner is a good source to debug the preamp and the input switch. It's built in.
Not everybody is sitting on a pile of stuff, like we do.
Besides, I find that my vintage 70s receivers sound fantastic when I tune them to local FM stations playing 70s music -rock, funkadelic, etc.... Not so much with the punk and all the poopooh that followed.
Thanks! I will start with the clean up. Let me emphasize that i only get sound on one channel on both AUX input and using the tuner so I would guess it's not an input error but either button/preamp since the error is consistent both using RCA to AUX and on the tuner.
Guess you must not like the easy-peasy pull the jumper idea of separating the power amp from the preamp - i.e. everything upstream - to see if both power amp channels work identically... Oh well.
Everyone,
I want to send a big thanks to some of you. Cleaning the pots and switches did the trick, stereo is back without ANY issues on all inputs/tuner, and scraping is all gone on volume etc!
At this moment, I'm really glad I didn't listen to some advices here who suggested it was a problem with the preamp and waaay more complicated issues.
Thanks to several people in this thread who tried to tone some experts down who suggested very complicated theories around something that was just a little oxidation and dirt!
Tomorrow I'm going to do the lamps. I'm actually thinking about changing all of them to leds to avoid future problems, but I'm guessing changing all of them is a significant amount of work compared to just changing the one broken with the original bulb?
Vol
I want to send a big thanks to some of you. Cleaning the pots and switches did the trick, stereo is back without ANY issues on all inputs/tuner, and scraping is all gone on volume etc!
At this moment, I'm really glad I didn't listen to some advices here who suggested it was a problem with the preamp and waaay more complicated issues.
Thanks to several people in this thread who tried to tone some experts down who suggested very complicated theories around something that was just a little oxidation and dirt!
Tomorrow I'm going to do the lamps. I'm actually thinking about changing all of them to leds to avoid future problems, but I'm guessing changing all of them is a significant amount of work compared to just changing the one broken with the original bulb?
Vol
The switches are in the PREAMP section. Take a look at the schematics. The balance lever builds up carbon and is fragile. The input switch has issues as well. The tape monitor switch is likely the best one to verify the inputs because it bypasses the input. Just exercising them off and on is not sufficient, that only allows some functionality... the real fix is to clean them.
One thing I noticed with my 2325 is that when I move the input to AUX, measuring the AUX inputs, I get a good high impedance, but when I move the input to anything else, I see an almost short in the AUX... the tape monitor has no such issue.
My 4415 has no issues with its input switch, but it did have issues with one of the three balance/fader sliders. So did my RC4 remote.
These are common issues with these receivers.
Splitting the pre/amp from the back is a very easy way to determine the fault, as it was suggested to you.
You see, some of the "experts" in here have rebuilt, or worked with a tech, Marantz receivers, and others. So don't poo poo us.
BTW, LED lights just don't look right to my eyes. You can put in incandescent in there but tone down the wattage on them so the vellum won't burn (keep the insides cooler). The lights light for a long time... both of my Marantz receivers had no burnt out lights after 45 years. Actually, I had a third, a 2250B but I gave that one away as it didn't just as good as the 2325 or the 4415.
BTW, this is my 4415, with the RC4 remote. About 20 years ago. I had both of them restored a few months ago.
http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/4415.html
Honestly, you are not doing that receiver any justice nor will you even find out how it can sound until you get it properly returned for factory condition.
And, I have no clue why people are paying so much for these receivers... honestly, they just don't sound so good. My -restored- Sansui G7500 easily spanks the Marantz. Heck, my Kenwood KA3500, also rebuilt, sounds much cleaner as well.
To me, the Marantz sound is dark. Mind you, I got the 2325 in my living room as a "radio". It's easy to turn it on and listen to the radio... I don't have to go through all the tubes and class A stuff in a specific start up sequence and wait half an hour for thermal equilibrium... so for background music I got this overly expensive toy that has a 747 look to it.
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I agree led does not that good. (just found a pic online) it turns blue instead of green. Prefer the green so I will go on your suggestion and change it to an original bulb.
Vol
You did all the work. Since the mono mode played in both channels, the fault MUST have been at or BEFORE that switch.
And all that is there is: the input sockets, the tape monitor switch, the selector switch, the mono switch, and the pair
of related resistors. Very simple, just use a little logic. Everything AFTER the mono switch is ruled out.
You should always localize the problem as far as possible, before getting your hands into the chassis.
The original color of the dial is a sky blue.
The light diffuser (Vellum paper) behind the dial, over time, can deteriorate to a greenish hue.
There are replacements for the diffuser, and blue LED lamps enhance the color as well.